Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis - Topic Overview

Children with this disease can also get inflammatory eye disease. This can lead to permanent vision problems or blindness if it’s not treated. Eye disease often has no symptoms before vision loss occurs. That’s why it’s important for your child to have regular eye exams with an ophthalmologist. Treatment can begin before your child has long-lasting vision problems.

How is juvenile idiopathic arthritis diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask questions about your child’s symptoms and past health and will do a physical exam. Your child may also have blood tests and a urine test to look for signs of the disease. If your child has the disease, these tests can help your doctor find out which type it is.

How is it treated?

Your child’s treatment will be based on the type of arthritis he or she has and how serious it is. The most common treatment includes medicines to reduce pain and swelling (NSAIDs), along with physical therapy and often occupational therapy. Your child may also get shots of steroid medicine into a joint to relieve swelling and pain.

If these treatments don't help, then your child may be given other medicines. Surgery to correct joint problems is only done in rare cases.

Exercise is an important part of your child’s treatment. Physical therapists can teach you and your child exercises to keep your child’s muscles flexible and strong. Moving your child's painful joints through their full range of motion keeps them from getting stiff or deformed. Many children with the disease don't want to move painful joints. Your child may need your help to keep doing daily physical therapy.

Even when juvenile idiopathic arthritis is not a severe type, your child may still need long-term treatment. To make sure that treatment is right for your child, work closely with the medical team. Learn as much as you can about your child’s disease and treatments. Stay on a schedule with your child’s medicines and exercise.

How do you cope with juvenile idiopathic arthritis?

Exercise, medicine, and assistive devices will help your child get through each day as normally as possible. Assistive devices are things that can help your child hold onto, open, or close things more easily. A doorknob extender, used to open a door without twisting a wrist, is one such device.

Children who have this disease need to balance exercise and rest. They may need extra rest during the day to relax their joints and keep up their energy. But be sure that your child gets enough exercise. This will help keep joints strong and flexible.