Understanding Juvenile Arthritis: A Rising Concern Among Children

Adults are not the only people being diagnosed with Arthritis.  Juvenile arthritis, also known as Pediatric Rheumatic diseases is a growing concern with over 300,000 children in the US currently diagnosed.

What is Juvenile Arthritis?

Juvenile Arthritis is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks the body.  It primarily develops before a child turns 16¹.

In regards to arthritis, the immune system is attacking the joints mainly the lining.  This causes the bones and joints to erode.

Have you heard how the gut is called the second brain?  It’s true.  If you have leaky gut, inflammation, parasites etc. these can all contribute to other health issues within the body – including arthritis.

According to Arthritis.org² there are several types of Juvenile Arthritis.  These are:

1. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) – this includes juvenile psoriatic arthritis, oligoarthritis, polyarthritis, systemic, undifferentiated and enthesitis-related.
2. Mixed connective tissue disease
3. Fibromyalgia
4. Juvenile dermatomyositis
5. Juvenile lupus
6. Juvenile scleroderma
7. Kawasaki disease

Symptoms

Symptoms vary for each person, especially when children are continually growing and developing. Symptoms also depend on the type of juvenile arthritis the patient has.

The most common symptoms are:

• Joint swelling
• Pain
• Redness & warmth
• Problems with the eyes, skin, muscles and GI tract

Juvenile Arthritis Diagnosis

Just like arthritis in adults, juvenile arthritis is hard to diagnose as there are varying types of the illness.  Some blood tests may be able to confirm a specific diagnosis.  One of our Practitioners will also perform many detailed tests to locate what is the true cause of the condition. This is not an hereditary disorder. It has causes and when they are find the condition can improve.

Conventional Treatment

Children are routinely given steroids, chemotherapy and biologic medication to treat Juvenile Arthritis.  Of course this can add even more symptoms and reactions within the body when a child is still developing.

All of these treatments simply poison the body’s immune response and add another layer of toxicity to an already toxic body. It is like trying to dig out of a hole by digging deeper.

While these medications in emergencies can offer some relief, they do not locate the actual cause of the condition so that it can be handled.

Treatment at LifeWorks Wellness Center

If your child has been diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis we recommend that you schedule an appointment with one of our Practitioners.  Arthritis is an autoimmune disease with a lot of varied symptoms.

At LifeWorks Wellness Center we look at the root cause of these symptoms and create a plan to heal the body as we treat the cause not cover up the symptoms.

It is best to get your child help as soon as possible so they can enjoy their childhood and not be suffering with pain.

Call us today at (727) 466-6789 to schedule an appointment or for more information.

References:

• http://www.kidsgetarthritistoo.org/about-ja/the-basics/understanding-jia.php
• https://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/juvenile-arthritis/