Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

overview

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, formerly known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, is the most common form of arthritis in children under 16 years of age.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can cause persistent joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Some children experience symptoms for just a few months, while others experience them for many years.

Some types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis can cause serious complications such as growth problems, joint damage, and eye inflammation. Treatment focuses on controlling pain and inflammation, improving function, and preventing damage.

Symptoms

The most common signs and symptoms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis are:

• Schmerzen. Während Ihr Kind möglicherweise nicht über Gelenkschmerzen klagt, bemerken Sie vielleicht, dass es hinkt – besonders morgens oder nach einem Nickerchen.
• Schwellung. Gelenkschwellungen sind häufig, werden aber oft zuerst in größeren Gelenken wie dem Knie bemerkt.
• Steifheit. Möglicherweise stellen Sie fest, dass Ihr Kind ungeschickter wirkt als sonst, besonders morgens oder nach dem Mittagsschlaf.
• Fieber, geschwollene Lymphknoten und Hautausschlag. In einigen Fällen können hohes Fieber, geschwollene Lymphknoten oder ein Hautausschlag am Rumpf auftreten – der abends meist schlimmer ist.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis can affect one or more joints. There are several different subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but the main ones are systemic, oligoarticular, and polyarticular. Which type your child has depends on the symptoms, the number of joints affected, and whether fever and rashes are prominent.

Like other forms of arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis is characterized by periods when symptoms flare up and periods when symptoms may be minimal.

When to go to the doctor?

Take your child to the doctor if they have joint pain, swelling, or stiffness for more than a week - especially if they also have a fever.

Causes

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own cells and tissues. It is not known why this happens, but both heredity and environment appear to play a role.

Risk factors

Some forms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis are more common in girls.

Complications

Several serious complications can result from juvenile idiopathic arthritis. But if you carefully monitor your child's condition and seek appropriate medical help, the risk of these complications can be significantly reduced:

• Eye problems.Some forms can cause eye inflammation. If left untreated, this condition can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, and even blindness.

  Eye inflammation often occurs without symptoms, so it is important that children with this condition be examined regularly by an ophthalmologist.

• Wachstumsprobleme. Juvenile idiopathische Arthritis kann das Wachstum und die Knochenentwicklung Ihres Kindes beeinträchtigen. Einige zur Behandlung eingesetzte Medikamente, hauptsächlich Kortikosteroide, können ebenfalls das Wachstum hemmen.

Sources:

1. Ferri FF. Juvenile idiopathische Arthritis. In: Ferri’s Clinical Advisor 2021. Elsevier, 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Abgerufen am 29. Oktober 2020.
2. Fragen und Antworten zur juvenilen Arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/juv_arthritis/. Abgerufen am 29. Oktober 2020.
3. Juvenile Arthritis. Amerikanisches College für Rheumatologie. https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Cargiver/Diseases-Conditions/Juvenile-Arthritis. Abgerufen am 29. Oktober 2020.
4. Juvenile Arthritis. Amerikanische Akademie der orthopädischen Chirurgen. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00075. Abgerufen am 29. Oktober 2020.
5. 6 Möglichkeiten, wie Arthritis Ihre Augen beeinträchtigen kann Arthritis-Stiftung. http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/comorbidities/eye-conditions/eye-arthritis.php. Abgerufen am 29. Oktober 2020.
6. Ringold S. et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation Guideline for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Therapeutic approach for non-systemic polyarthritis, sacroiliitis and enthesitis. Arthritispflege und -forschung. 2019; doi:10.1002/acr.23870.
7. Momah T. et al. Juvenile idiopathische Arthritis: Alte Krankheit, neue Taktik. Zeitschrift für Familienpraxis. 2019; https://www.mdedge.com/familymedicine/article/196058/rheumatology/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis-old-disease-new-tactics. Abgerufen am 29. Oktober 2020.