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Patient Education - Arthritis in Children (1438 words) |
 | Children who develop this form of JRA when they are younger than 7 years old have the best chance of having their joint disease subside with time, but are at increased risk of developing an inflammatory eye problem (iritis or uveitis) that may persist independently of the arthritis. |
| JRA may be difficult to diagnose because some children may not complain of pain at first, and joint swelling may not be immediately obvious. |
| Children with polyarticular JRA whose symptoms persist or who test positive for rheumatoid factor (an antibody found in approximately 80% of patients with adult onset rheumatoid arthritis) are more likely to develop joint damage, and may require more aggressive treatments. |
| The Facts about Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (1365 words) |
| JRA is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the body mistakenly identifies some of its own cells and tissues as foreign. |
| JRA is different in each child - some might have just one or two flare-ups and never have symptoms again, while others experience many flare-ups or even have symptoms that never go away. |
| Children with polyarticular JRA who have gotten little relief from other drugs may be given one of a class of drug treatments called "biologic agents." Etanercept (Enbrel), for example, blocks the actions of tumor necrosis factor, a naturally occurring protein in the body that helps cause inflammation. |
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