Definition: Juvenile arthritis generally refers to a "childhood arthritis" for children under the age of sixteen affected by inflammatory arthritis. Children can develop almost all types of arthritis that affect adults, but the most common type that affects children is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Childhood arthritis is often referred to as JRA. Although, JRA and adult onset RA differ in some characteristics the names indicate strict similarity. Typically, the course of rheumatoid arthritis is different in children and adults. Other names used are juvenile chronic arthritis and Still's disease. These names are somewhat misnomers. Juvenile chronic arthritis is a misnomer since juvenile arthritis is not always chronic. Still's disease is a name which should be used for a very specific type of childhood arthritis.
In juvenile arthritis, the inflammation can cause redness redness, swelling, warmth, and soreness in the joints, although many children do not complain of joint pain. Any joint can be affected and inflammation may limit the mobility of affected joints. One type of juvenile arthritis can also affect internal organs.Pauciarticular
Polyarticular
Systemic
Doctors classify juvenile arthritis into three types by the number of joints involved, the symptoms, and the presence or absence of certain antibodies found by a blood test. These classifications help the doctor determine how the disease will progress and whether the internal organs or skin is affected.
The three types are:
Pronunciation: ju-ven-i-ul arth-rite-is
Also Known As: JRA, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, childhood arthritis, Still's disease, juvenile chronic arthritis
Common Misspellings: juveline, rhuematoid, rheumatiod
Examples:
My sister was diagnosed at age 11 with juvenile arthritis.
