Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a chronic disease with no known cause. There are different forms of the condition, which can affect one or more joints at a time and may also affect the skin and eyes.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis causes:

• Joint inflammation
• Swelling in the joints and/or the eyes
• Pain
• Limited movement
• Skin rash
• Fever

There is no cure for juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Treatments focus on reducing and controlling symptoms and allowing your child to live life as normally as possible.

Treatments include:

• Medicines to reduce inflammations, such as corticosteroids and anti-inflammatories. Medicines may be taken orally or given as joint injections.
• Orthopedic surgery to replace joints if needed
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation to keep joints flexible, and to strengthen bones and muscles to support joints. Therapy is also used after surgery to regain mobility.