Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Print Version)

Also called: Also called: Childhood arthritis, JRA, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Still's disease

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is a type of arthritis that happens in children age 16 or younger. It causes joint swelling, stiffness and sometimes reduced motion. It can affect any joint, and in some cases it can affect internal organs as well.

One early sign of JRA may be limping in the morning. Symptoms can come and go. Some children have just one or two flare-ups. Others have symptoms that never go away. JRA causes growth problems in some children.

No one knows exactly what causes JRA. Scientists do know it is an autoimmune disorder, which means your immune system, which normally helps your body fight infection, attacks your body's own tissues. Medicines and physical therapy can help maintain movement and reduce swelling and pain.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Start Here

Arthritis in Children(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/arth_in_children.asp?aud=pat
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/arthritis/jra.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/parent/en_espanol/medicos/jra_esp.html

Overviews

JAMA Patient Page: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis(American Medical Association) - http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/294/13/1722.pdf
Also available in Spanish http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/data/294/13/1722/DC1/1
Juvenile Arthritis(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/disease-center.php?disease_id=38

Latest News

FDA Requires Stronger Fungal Infection Warning for TNF Blockers(09/15/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/tnf091508.html
Drug May Ease Symptoms of Juvenile Arthritis(07/15/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_66978.html
New Estimates on Childhood Arthritis(07/07/2008, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/Features/ChildhoodArthritis/

Diagnosis/Symptoms

ANA (Antinuclear Antibody Test)(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/ana/test.html
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: How Is It Diagnosed?(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/DiseaseCenter/JRA/diagnosed.asp
Rheumatoid Factor(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/rheumatoid/test.html

Treatment

Celebrex Approved to Treat Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis(Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01530.html
Information for Patients about COX-2 Selective NSAIDS(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/nsaids.asp
Juvenile Arthritis Medications(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/ja-medications.php
Surgery(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-surgery.php

Alternative Therapy

Common Therapies to Consider(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/common-therapies-to-consider.php

Nutrition

Diet & Nutrition(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-nutritiondiet.php

Coping

Coping with Juvenile Arthritis(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00075
Dealing with Emotional Issues(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/ja-emotional-issues.php
School Success for Children with Arthritis(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/ja-school-success.php

Disease Management

51 Ways to Be Good to Your Joints -- Lose Weight(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/joints-weight.php
Exercise(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-exercise.php
Kid Power(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-exercise-tips.php
Pain Center: Understanding Your Pain(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/understanding-pain.php
Taking Control: Helping Children Follow Their Medical Treatment Program(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-treatment-plan.php

Specific Conditions

Juvenile Arthritis - Other Types and Related Conditions(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/DiseaseCenter/ja_other.asp
Juvenile Enteropathic Arthritis(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/juvenileenteropathicarthritis.asp
Juvenile Reactive Arthritis(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/juvenilereactivearthritis.asp
Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA)(Spondylitis Association of America) - http://www.spondylitis.org/about/juvenile.aspx
Pauciarticular JRA(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/pauciarticularJRA.asp
Polyarticular JRA(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/polyarticularJRA.asp
Systemic Onset JRA(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/diseasecenter/systemiconsetJRA.asp

Related Issues

How Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Affects the Eyes(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/rheumatoid_arthritis/hic_how_juvenile_rheumatoid_arthritis_affects_the_eyes.aspx
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: Eye Care, Dental Care and Diet(Arthritis Foundation) - http://ww2.arthritis.org/conditions/DiseaseCenter/JRA/treated_eye_dental_diet.asp
What People with Rheumatoid Arthritis Need to Know about Osteoporosis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Conditions_Behaviors/osteoporosis_ra.asp

Financial Issues

Patient Assistance Programs for Rheumatology-Related Drugs(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/acrast.asp?aud=pat

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Arthritis,+Juvenile+Rheumatoid%22
NIH Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Pediatric_Diseases/default.asp

Genetics

Genomics Project to Examine Gene Expression Patterns in Pediatric Arthritis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_And_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2003/gene_ped_arthritis.asp
Heredity and Arthritis(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/heredity.asp
Scientists Find Gene Variant That Increases Susceptibility to Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2004/gene_jra.asp

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: Young people first, juvenile idiopathic arthritis second: transitional care in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18668608&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Development and validation of a preliminary definition of minimal disease... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18668599&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Bone density, structure, and strength in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: importance... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18668565&tool=MedlinePlus
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=arthritis,juvenile+rheumatoid[majr]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

A-Team: A Glossary of Health Professionals(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-team-members.php

Directories

American College of Rheumatology: Geographic Membership Directory(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/directory/geo.asp
Ease of Use(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/ease-of-use.php

Organizations

American College of Rheumatology - http://www.rheumatology.org/
Arthritis Foundation - http://www.arthritis.org/
Also available in Spanish http://ww2.arthritis.org/Espanol/default.asp
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/

Newsletters/Print Publications

Arthritis Today(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/arthritis-today-magazine.php

Law and Policy

Federal Laws That Can Help(Arthritis Foundation) - http://www.arthritis.org/ja-federal-laws.php

Statistics

New Study Uncovers Prevalence, Burden of Pediatric Arthritis in U.S.(Arthritis Foundation) - Links to PDF - http://www.arthritis.org/media/newsroom/news-releases/CDC_peds_press_release_12-4-07.pdf

Children

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bone/juv_rheum_arthritis.html

Teenagers

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/juv_rheumatoid_arthritis.html
Also available in Spanish http://kidshealth.org/teen/en_espanol/enfermedades/juv_rheumatoid_arthritis_esp.html

Adults

Adult Still's Disease(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/adult-stills-disease/DS00792/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Arthritis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/arthritis.html
Rheumatoid Arthritis - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/rheumatoidarthritis.html
Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
Immune System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/immunesystem.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/