Treating the Symptoms of Juvenile Arthritis
Filed Under (Gain Muscle) by Brad Morgan on 13-03-2010
Tagged Under : arthritis, disease, diseases, Gain Muscle, joint pain, Juvenile Arthritis
As we age, our bodies have many more twinges and creaks and groans.
Doing yard work can make you sore for days; exercising makes you aware of joint and muscles that you did not know you had. Doing routine chores is a bit more difficult, and it takes our bodies longer to recover. While this is normal for aging bodies, many children also feel this frustrating physical pain or discomfort.
What starts as discomfort or minor irritation can become severe pain. For some, juvenile arthritis can be debilitating.
Juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disease that affects the joints. They become inflamed and range of motion is severely limited. This disease strikes at a crucial stage of development, and children who suffer from it may not grow at the same pace as other children or reach their full height potential.
A typical symptom of juvenile arthritis is stiffness in the joints. It is common to wake up in the morning with this pain.
This and other signs may indicate that a child has juvenile arthritis. Since there is no one single test for this disease, doctors must rule out other possible causes for joint stiffness and pain. Barring other conditions, and providing the symptoms last for six weeks or more, then the child is usually diagnosed with juvenile arthritis.
Pediatric rheumotologists are specialists in this form of arthritis. Often, a primary care physician will refer children to a pediatric rheumotologist for final diagnosis.
Joint pain is difficult for anyone to handle, especially children. Juvenile arthritis can limit their physical growth or participation in certain activities. Parents and care providers are a key component in helping children deal with this disease and its effects.
The severity and scope of juvenile arthritis differs depending on the type of arthritis. Children with polyarticular juvenile arthritis suffer from inflamation in five or more joints. Those with pauciarticular juvenile arthritis are affected in four joints or fewer, and children with systemic onset juvenile arthritis experience joint pain or inflammation in at one or more joints as well as internal organs.
Treatment of juvenile arthritis is aimed at reliving the pain, not curing the disease. The goal is to control the inflammation and try to prevent joint damage. Treatment also seeks to expand and retain the range of motion for joints and their functionality.
Exercising to keep the joints from tensing and becoming inflamed will be an element of a child’s therapy.
Yoga is one such exercise that is good for minimizing stress in the joints. In addition, meditation and other relaxation methods can be used. Splints, when worn at night, also help reduce the stiffness and pain that children with juvenile arthritis experience in the morning.
If the type and presentation of juvenile arthritis is especially severe or debilitating, the child may need to see additional specialists.
Pediatric rheumatologists and primary care physicians are important members of the health team. Any and all signs of inflammation should be checked because juvenile arthritis can affect bodily functions.
Psychologists are commonly employed, as the child’s inability to perform age specific tasks without assistance may trigger depression.
For parents and caregivers, it is important to acknowledge the child’s feelings, and yet help the child focus on what they can do instead of what they cannot.
Stress is detrimental to health and serves no purpose in the treatment of juvenile arthritis. Therefore be sure to reassure the child in a way the causes them the least amount of stress.
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