Arthritis, an inflammation of bone joints, is generally characterized as an illness affecting people over the age of 50, so it can come as a great surprise to parents when their children are diagnosed with some form of it. What may be even more surprising is that roughly 300,000 children in the United States alone have arthritis, and the public is largely unaware of this fact.
The most common form of arthritis affecting children is named juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, affecting about 20% of those 300,000 children, and all parents should be educated on this debilitating disease in children. Doctors are not yet entirely sure what causes juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, but they believe that it is linked to autoimmune diseases, where white blood cells are unable to differentiate between normal and foreign cells.
The Familiar Symptoms
If a child has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, parents may immediately begin to notice a limp or other signs of soreness among joints. While not uncommon among children by itself, other symptoms may include rashes and spiking fevers. If any of these symptoms occur for an extended length of time, a doctor should be consulted. The faster the diagnosis, the less damage will occur to cartilage and the joints affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Diagnosis
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is easily diagnosed through a wide array of tests, not all of which need to be performed (although at least several likely will be). Diagnostic tools include blood tests, X-rays, and complete physical examinations. Also, tests for other diseases linked to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis may be performed, in addition to referral to an orthopedic surgeon to take samples of joint fluid for testing and further analysis.
A diagnosis usually takes several days. Once the test come back the pediatrician or doctor will work together with the orthopedic surgeon and any other medical professionals to develop a strategy to cure the child of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Easily Treatable
The good news for parents is that juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is easy to treat. Doctors can prescribe medication to help with the swelling and inflammation and referral to a physical therapist. Physical therapists generally point out exercises to improve the arthritis and improve muscle stamina and joint flexibility. Also, regular exercise is vital to ensuring that the child is protected against further arthritis by protecting bones and joints. Treatment serves two purposes: to protect and repair the joints from damage while reducing or eliminating the inflammation and pain.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can be an unsettling concept for parents, and it can make a child's life miserable. This disease can harm their social skills and make them irritable while hindering their physical development. However, through a quick diagnosis and easy treatment, parents can ensure that their children will never be harmed by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
Although this will abruptly change once they are teenagers, most children crave to be normal in that they want to do and have the experiences that all of the other kids they see having. So, when a child is diagnosed with early rheumatoid arthritis, one of the fears from both child and parent is that they would not be able to live a normal life. Children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can live a relatively normal life in many ways.
Go Out And Play
It might sound like contradictory advice, but a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis still needs active playtime. The best way to get rid of momentary flare-ups is often to get moving. Some kids with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis like to warm up their painful joints first by putting a heating pad on their joints. Then, they go out and play.
Daily activity is important to build the growing body, but to keep the joints supple. The suppler they are, the less painful they will be. If there is doubt as to what play is best or most comfortable, or if the juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is severe, then the child may have to go under the care of a physical therapist to get the body moving.
Alternative Therapies
In addition to taking painkillers and going to their regular doctor or pediatrician, many children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis also get pain relief from such alternative therapies as acupressure and acupuncture. The most pain you feel from a super slender acupuncture needle feels like a mosquito bite. Most kids get sleepy during treatments.
There is also an alternative treatment called hydrotherapy, which is a kind of intensely supervised swimming. Depending on the child and the particulars of his or her illness, they could also have soak in hot tubs or do underwater exercises top help keep the limbs supple. This might be a little more interesting for the child than acupuncture.
Before you and your child plunge into any alternative therapies for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, be sure to check with your doctor and your health insurance. You r doctor and your health insurance should be able to help you find an alternative therapist and recommend payment options. Acupuncture is one of the only alternative therapies that more and more health insurance companies will partially cover.
Other activities said to bring some relief are sculpting, gardening, interacting with animals and walking.
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