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.