Pauciarticular Juvenile Arthritis, the Most Common Type

Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis is not a disease of wear & tear, but can be a genetic disease, affecting children whose immune system is prone to viral attack. In fact juvenile arthritis itself is actually a group of diseases which affect children.

There are three main types of Juvenile Arthritis (or juvenile chronic arthritis). Pauciarticular, Polyarticular and Systemic. In this article we'll concentrate on the pauciarticular type.

This is the most common form of the disease. It accounts for more than half the cases of arthritis in children. The disease seems to target girls more than boys and usually affects the larger joints such as the knees, ankles, elbows, and hips, which can become swollen and painful. It typically affects younger children up to the age of four.

Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis can also damage the eyes and should be monitored carefully by an eye specialist to prevent significant vision loss which can occur as a result.

Diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

An accurate diagnosis isn't possible much before six weeks, however medical attention should be sought as soon as there is any suspicion your child may be affected. This is vital to rule out other diseases with similar symptoms such as rheumatic fever.

Watch your child carefully when exercising. If he or she develops a limp, this can be the first sign your child has developed pauciarticular juvenile arthritis.

The treatments typically offered are those that reduce pain and inflammation for example aspirin or Tylenol. Although aspirin is better tolerated by children than it is by adults, it isn't without side effects.

Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis can respond well to natural arthritis treatments. Try Omega 3 oils (found in oily fish or in capsule form) and see if this can lower the dose of your child's medication while still maintaining their comfort level. A good diet with all the main food groups will help too.

It's well worth looking at natural options so that your child needn't have a lifelong dependency on chemical drugs and their dangerous side effects.

Exercise is vital to prevent stiffness and maintain your child's health. Exercise which doesn't further irritate the joints is the best. Swimming is great for this, stretching exercises are fabulous too. If the whole family joins in it can be fun! Exercise releases endorphins into the body which are a natural antidote to pain.

Juvenile arthritis is unique in that a child's joints are still growing and developing. a large part of treatment is making sure this happens as normally as possible and to make sure this growth is monitored.

And finally some good news! Many cases of transient pauciarticular arthritis can spontaneously disappear as you child grows older. This has to be the best outcome of all!

This article is not intended to replace medical advice. Always seek medical advice for any childhood disease.

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