Arthritis, which is inflammation or degeneration of the joints, affects children as well as adults. Arthritis in children is called juvenile arthritis, and July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. Juvenile arthritis can cause permanent joint damage and impact the child’s growth and physical development, so early intervention and treatment is imperative. Read on to learn more. The most common type of childhood arthritis is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The term “idiopathic” means the exact cause for the disorder is unknown.…

It’s probably pretty common for people to equate the term arthritis with osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear form of arthritis that’s common in adults as we get older. But that’s just one type of arthritis. There are many more, including types that specifically affect children. In general terms, that group of disorders is referred to as childhood arthritis or juvenile arthritis. The most common type of juvenile arthritis is juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA. JIA affects approximately one in 1,000 children under…

Arthritis is often associated with age, and when I say “age,” we usually think of people getting arthritis as they get older. But that’s not the complete picture. The Arthritis Foundation reports that an estimated 300,000 children in the US suffer from a form of the disease known as juvenile arthritis. July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. This is a good time to learn more about this childhood affliction. There are many types of juvenile arthritis, but we’ll concentrate on…