In a nutshell, juvenile arthritis is any form of arthritis that presents itself in children less than 18 years of age.
In some extreme cases, arthritis like this can start early on and when not treated immediately, may continue well into adulthood, causing multiple health complications down the line. Previously associated only with the onset of advanced age, arthritis in children is now correctly being diagnosed so that its effects can be slowed down through treatment; or that the pain that this medical condition may cause is held at a minimum.
Many who suffer from juvenile arthritis eventually regain their health and their mobility. Early detection for the more serious cases likewise means that the disease is slowed down considerably so that less of its dire consequences may continue when the child reaches maturity.
Juvenile arthritis is divided into: transient and chronic. Transient and limited arthritis is often due to the onset of earlier and more grievous medical conditions that eventually damage the joints of the body, often leading to arthritis. The treatment of cases like these depends predominantly on what those earlier diseases are, the stage of the aforementioned diseases, and how fast the person can recover from the previous medical conditions in order to treat the degenerative condition of the joints.
Some of the most likely medical conditions that may lead to juvenile arthritis are: bacterial infection, endocarditis (inflammation of the inner layer of the heart), fracture or bone trauma, fungal infection, lyme diseases, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, serum sickness and palindromic rheumatism.
Gonococcal arthritis or arthritis caused by the onset of gonorrhea may also present itself in sexually active teens - although this population is fairly small. Viral infections like hepatitis B, hepatitis C, parvovirus b19, rubella can also inadvertently cause arthritis in very young children. Infants born with the HIV virus (transferred from HIV infected mothers) may also be prone to early childhood arthritis.
On the other hand, chronic arthritis usually begins very early on, often without detectable cause, and may last beyond the childhood stage if not given the proper treatment. Most cases of chronic arthritis in children are inflammatory in a sporadic way, can debilitate normal movements and can cause a lot of pain.
Examples of chronic arthritis are: ankylosing spondylitis (also known as AS, affects the spine and parts of the pelvic region); juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA, targets the synovial membrane or the soft tissue found between the joints); and psoriatic arthritis (which stems from the skin condition psoriasis, usually affects joints of the fingers and toes.)
Fortunately, there are now more advanced diagnostic tools that can detect arthritis in children at the earliest possible moment. When it comes to transient forms of childhood arthritis, the earliest possible treatment options could not only be successful, but may have permanent outcomes as well. This leaves the child pain-free from his or her bout with arthritis and may have no visible joint deformation whatsoever.
As for the cases of chronic forms of childhood, of which cures and treatments are yet to be found, the health care provider can ensure that pains and symptoms are held in check.
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