Arthritis is a disease usually related to old age, but few know that it is not just a matter of the elderly; the children also suffer from it. The juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) or chronic arthritis can appear in childhood and adolescence, causing pain, joint swelling or deformities, and sometimes growth disorders.
The word arthritis means joint inflammation, a condition that causes pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased mobility. The term "idiopathic" means that its cause is not known (although it is known that there is an alteration of the immune system, the body attacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake), while juvenile means that its symptoms appear before the age of 16 .
Most children affected with this disease have periods of time during which symptoms improve or disappear (remission) and periods during which symptoms worsen (crisis).
Until recently it was considered a rare disease, but the increase in cases in recent years, related to earlier diagnoses, is no longer within that group. Currently, about 10 new cases are diagnosed per year for every 100,000 children under 16 years.
The juvenile arthritis is not contagious Y It has no cure. There is no evidence that foods, toxins, allergies or lack of vitamins play a role in the development of this disease. Current research indicates that there may be a genetic predisposition to juvenile arthritis.
Types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis
The Systemic JIA (generalized) It involves joint pain or inflammation, as well as fevers and rashes. This is the least common type.
The Polyarticular JIA It compromises many joints. This form of JIA can become rheumatoid arthritis. It can involve five or more large and small joints of the legs and arms, as well as the jaw and neck joint.
The Pauciarticular JIA It involves 4 or less joints, usually the wrists or knees. It also affects the eyes.
The spondyloarthritis in children it resembles the disorder in adults and often compromises the sacro-iliac joint.
Symptoms of arthritis in children
Most children with arthritis can participate in physical activities and some sports when symptoms are under control. These may appear even before six months and may cause:
- Swelling, pain and stiffness of the joint that do not go away with time: it usually affects the knees, hands and feet and is worse in the morning or after nap
- Limp in the morning because of stiff knee
- Rigidity, pain and limited range of motion in a joint
- Excessive clumsiness
- Fever accompanied by swollen lymph nodes or inflammation of other organs
- Rashes inexplicable
- Swelling of the lymph nodes of the neck and other parts of the body
- May cause eye problems (red eyes, eye pain, photophobia, changes in vision)
Treatment of juvenile arthritis
The main objective of the treatment is that the child can maintain his physical activity, that he can participate in social activities and that have a good quality of life.
Some of the treatments include those that help reduce inflammation, maintain the ability to move the joint and relieve pain.
They will also try to prevent, identify and treat problems that arise as a result of arthritis. Most children with arthritis need a combination of treatments, some of which include medications and others do not.
Toys for children with arthritis
One of the only remedies for arthritis are repetitive movements as a therapy, but repeating the same movement without an "end" can be very boring for children.
Designer Shirley Rodríguez developed a collection of toys that can help children to repeat these movements while having fun. This collection called Monstas is complemented by a digital activity book that helps children exercise their hands.
Each character involves a different exercise: blue are wrist rotations, pink is to press with the knuckles and orange to press with the fingers.
