Types, causes, symptoms and treatment of juvenile arthritis

Juvenile arthritis begins to develop in early childhood and continues to progress until the age of 16. Therefore, it is called juvenile (which means youth). Often called as juvenile arthritis. This is wrong.

Causes and risk factors pathology

The reasons for the development of juvenile arthritis has not been officially determined. Practical observations show that most affects children that:

• live in polluted area;
• has received immunizations against measles and mumps;
• are injuries to the joints.

the Concept of "juvenile arthritis" comprises a group of chronic rheumatic diseases, have similar symptoms and are characteristic only for children. In the medical literature there are names such as youth, juvenile idiopathic or juvenile chronic arthritis (JUHA).

Every kind of disease affects the joints and causes inflammation of the connective tissue. This inflammatory process in rheumatic diseases is autoimmune in nature. This means that their body cells perceive as foreign and begins to actively produce antibodies to combat them. The reasons for this failure are unknown. This process is accompanied by severe pain and a General deterioration in the condition of the child.

The Diagnosis can be established already on 7 week of onset of the disease. The disease is more common in girls.

The Relationship between heredity, viral diseases and occurrence of juvenile arthritis is not observed. Although these risk factors not taken into account is impossible. In such cases it is necessary to take preventive measures with children at risk.

Symptoms and forms juvenile arthritis

Children officially identify 6 forms of juvenile arthritis. The common feature for all is the morning stillness of the joints, which disappears only after an hour (sometimes before noon).

Successful treatment depends on correctly diagnosing the type of disease. Explicit analysis of all the symptoms to precisely determine the type of juvenile arthritis:

1. Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In this type, inflammation may be localized in one joint, and to span multiple. Damaged joints become swollen and take a lot of pain. The patient is feverish and aching. He feels weak. The disease is able to cause pneumonia and pericarditis, enlarged liver and spleen.
2. Rheumatoid form. It is most common in adolescent girls. In this form of the disease is more than 6 months. Inflammation affects 5 or more joints. Distinctive features:
   • the onset of fatigue in the second part of the day;
   • anemia
   • recurrent pain in the area of the affected joints.
3. idiopathic Oligoarticular arthritis. Its main symptom is inflammation of not more than 4 joints at the same time. Observed mild, but long-term pain leading to stiffness in the morning. The iris is inflamed. Because this type of arthritis in children you may experience glaucoma or cataract. In severe case, the child may lose vision.
4. Psoriatic arthritis. The development of psoriasis – the primary symptom of this form. Sometimes there is deformity of the nails and diffuse swelling of the fingers. It is not excluded the development of iritis of the eye.
5. Enteropathic arthritis. Most of this type is distributed at boys from 8 years old. The inflammation occurs in the joints tendons with the bones. It is localized in the knees and ankles, lower back, sacroiliac joints. It may be psoriasis, eye iritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
6. Undifferentiated arthritis. If the disease in children takes place in a special way (the symptoms do not match any one of the forms listed above), it's referred to as undifferentiated arthritis. This type needs considerable study using various methods.

Diagnosis and treatment of disease

Before the diagnosis of the doctor should learn the history of the disease and to consider all the ailments that have plagued the child for the last period. Prerequisite is the purpose of testing and conducting a physical examination.

It is Important to make the correct diagnosis in the initial stages of the pathology. This helps to alleviate the course of the disease and prevent undesirable consequences. Prompt diagnosis is much more difficult, as the signs of the disease are still insufficiently expressed. Consultation with a doctor should be constant, because juvenile arthritis is a chronic disease.

The Treatment should begin immediately after diagnosis. If notto do this, then the disease may go into severe arthritis. This can cause some dangerous complications, disability.

When the pathology begins to develop in late adolescence, then it can be transformed into ankylosing spondylitis, which causes inflammation of the spine.

Due to the fact that the disease has not been studied thoroughly, a uniform method of treatment no.

For the effectiveness of treatment to determine methods need different specialists together.

Therapy is directed at preventing the destruction of joints and other internal organs during spontaneous remission of the disease. During these periods of life the child should not feel dependent on the ailment. His life should be as full.

So the majority of drugs used for treatment, is aimed at reducing pain symptoms and inflammation of the joints. If necessary, do the procedure, preventing deformity of the joints and maintains their performance. In severe cases, use a surgical method. Patients replace artificial limbs affected joints.

In children, the body strong. Sometimes the disease may resolve spontaneously. But hope is not necessary, as in other cases, develop serious problems. For their elimination it is necessary to spend many forces, time and funds.