| Juvenile arthritis, also known as juvenile chronic | | | | diagnosed after age 10 and they may test positive |
| arthritis, childhood arthritis and juvenile idiopathic | | | | for rheumatoid factor. This is a marker found in other |
| arthritis, has five different subtypes, or classifications, | | | | autoimmune disorders, including adult rheumatoid |
| depending on the symptoms found within the first six | | | | arthritis. If a child does test positive for this marker, |
| months of diagnosis. These classifications are | | | | they are more likely to develop deformed joints and |
| pauciarticular, polyarticular, systemic onset, | | | | many doctors consider this subtype of juvenile |
| spondyloarthropathy and psoriatic juvenile arthritis. | | | | arthritis adult rheumatoid arthritis that occurs at an |
| Juvenile arthritis was once referred to as juvenile | | | | early age. |
| rheumatoid arthritis but the 'rheumatoid' was dropped | | | | Systemic onset juvenile arthritis is sometimes called |
| as part of the name because it leads people to | | | | Still disease after the doctor who first described it. |
| believe this disease is similar to rheumatoid arthritis in | | | | This subtype of juvenile arthritis occurs in |
| adults, which it is very different from in terms of | | | | approximately 10% of juvenile arthritis patients and |
| symptoms, course of the disease and future outlook | | | | affects boys and girls equally. Primary diagnosis is |
| of the disease. | | | | usually made between 5 and 10 years of age and |
| Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis affects less than four | | | | may be difficult to diagnose accurately because the |
| joints, usually the ankle, knee, elbow, or wrist and is | | | | initial symptoms do not affect the joints. The initial |
| the most common type of juvenile arthritis. This | | | | symptoms are usually found with some type of |
| particular subtype affects around 45% of children | | | | infection, high fever, swollen lymph nodes, rash, loss |
| diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, very few of which | | | | of appetite and subsequent weight loss. Occasionally |
| develop general, or body-wide, symptoms. | | | | children with this subtype of juvenile arthritis will |
| Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis sufferers rarely | | | | develop more serious complications, inflammation of |
| experience bone growth problems or deformed | | | | the sac surrounding the heart (pericarditis), |
| joints, which may be associated with other types of | | | | inflammation of the heart itself (myocarditis) and |
| juvenile arthritis. Some children with juvenile arthritis | | | | inflammation of the tissue lining the chest cavity and |
| develop inflammation of the eye, known as uveitis, | | | | lungs (pleuritis). However, systemic onset juvenile |
| which can lead to blindness if it isn't treated promptly. | | | | arthritis rarely includes inflammation of the eye as |
| Pauciarticular juvenile arthritis will sometimes disappear | | | | seen in pauciarticular juvenile arthritis. When arthritis |
| within a few years, but many children will experience | | | | symptoms do begin to appear, often later in the |
| cycles of remission and flares for the rest of their | | | | course of this disease, they usually affect the wrists |
| life. | | | | or ankles. Many of the children diagnosed with |
| Polyarticular juvenile arthritis affects about 40% of | | | | systemic onset juvenile arthritis will experience cycles |
| children diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and it affects | | | | of remissions and flares of the systemic symptoms |
| more girls than boys. This subtype of juvenile arthritis | | | | throughout their childhood. Systemic onset juvenile |
| affects children with a huge age gap and it is rarely | | | | arthritis sufferers will go on to develop polyarticular |
| first diagnosed between age three and ten. | | | | juvenile arthritis. |
| Polyarticular juvenile arthritis affects at least five | | | | The final two subtypes of juvenile arthritis, |
| joints at the same time, usually the small joints of the | | | | spondyloarthropathy and psoriatic juvenile arthritis are |
| hands and feet, although the knee has been known | | | | rare. Spondyloarthropathy usually affects boys over |
| to be affected as well. When the knee is affected | | | | the age of eight. It begins in the knees and ankles, |
| by juvenile arthritis, the bones in the leg will begin to | | | | slowly moving to include the lower spine and hips. |
| grow at different rates and one leg will become | | | | Sometimes uveitis occurs, but resolves on its own. |
| longer than the other. This can lead to arthritis in the | | | | Psoriatic juvenile arthritis affects less than four joints |
| hip or spine, which around half of all children | | | | in the beginning, but soon advances to other joints. |
| diagnosed with this subtype of juvenile arthritis will | | | | The toes, hips, spine and fingers are the main joints |
| develop. Polyarticular juvenile arthritis presents with | | | | affected by this subtype of juvenile arthritis. Children |
| general symptoms, such as decreased appetite, slight | | | | with this subtype of juvenile arthritis often suffer |
| fever and a slight rash. Polyarticular juvenile arthritis is | | | | from psoriasis and have pits or ridges on their |
| usually most severe in children who were primarily | | | | fingernails. This arthritis often disables the child. |