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Juvenile idiopathic [id-EE-oh-path-ick] arthritis, or JIA, is a type of autoimmune disorder, or autoinflammatory disease.
The immune system is supposed to protect the body from illness, infection, and disease. Sometimes the immune system makes a mistake and attacks the healthy cells of your child’s body instead of protecting them. When this happens, it is called an autoimmune disease (also called an autoimmune disorder). There are many types of autoimmune disorders, and certain types of JIA are considered to be one.
An autoinflammatory disease is a disease that causes inflammation to happen in the body for no reason. Usually inflammation happens in response to an injury or trauma, but sometimes it can happen without any reason. When this happens, it is called an autoinflammatory disease. Some types of JIA are considered an autoinflammatory disease.
JIA is also known as juvenile rheumatoid [ROO-muh-toid] arthritis and is the most common type of arthritis in children. JIA causes your child’s joints to swell, get stiff, and feel painful. Sometimes these symptoms can last for a short while, or they can last through the rest of your child’s life. Sometimes your child’s JIA can go into remission for a while, and then have symptoms return after some time.
Doctor’s don’t know what causes JIA. While there is no cure for it at this time, JIA is treatable with a plan that focuses on reducing the pain through therapy, orthotics, and medicine.
Sometimes, JIA can cause other complications with your child’s growth, or your child’s eyes. If your child’s doctor finds that your child has JIA, they will work with you to create a plan that helps watch for other problems that often happen with JIA.
There are six different types of JIA:
Symptoms must last for longer than six weeks, and must start before your child turns 16 in order for your child’s condition to be considered JIA.
Signs and symptoms of an autoimmune disease vary, but usually include:
Once your child is diagnosed with JIA, you can treat the symptoms, but the disease doesn’t ever go away. There may be times it flares up and gets worse, and other times when it goes into remission (re-MISH-uhn), a period when the symptoms seem to get better or disappear.
JIA affects each child differently, so it is important to come up with a treatment plan that accounts for your child’s specific situation and needs.
Autoimmune diseases like JIA can be difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are different from person to person and can be caused by many other conditions.
The sooner you and your child’s doctor diagnose your child’s condition, the better. It is important to catch and diagnose JIA as early as possible so that you and your child’s doctor can work together to prevent damage to your child’s joints.
Your doctor may use the following things to help diagnose JIA:
If your doctor thinks your child may have JIA, they might refer your child to a doctor that specializes in JIA, called a pediatric rheumatologist [roo-muh-TOL-oh-jist], for a final diagnosis and follow-up.
Although there is no way to cure JIA, you can treat the symptoms, and your child’s condition may go into remission, meaning that their symptoms get better or disappear. Once your child’s disorder is diagnosed, your child’s doctor can help you manage any pain or inflammation that your child may have. Treatments vary depending on the disease, but doctors usually try to reduce inflammation and pain.
Some of the treatments for JIA include:
Your child may also need to regularly see an eye doctor and/or dentist to make sure that their eyes and teeth are not damaged by JIA. Talk to your doctor about how likely other complications may be, and ask how often you may need to see other doctors. Make sure to ask any questions you may have.