children s health issues
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
Classification of JIA
There are several forms of JIA. Although each form has different characteristics, they share similar features. The form is determined by results of a doctor's examination and laboratory tests. Forms include the following: Oligoarticular JIA Polyarticular JIA (rheumatoid factor negative or positive) Enthesitis-related arthritis Psoriatic JIA Undifferentiated JIA Systemic JIA Children may have one form when they are first diagnosed but sometimes develop a different form during the course of their illness. Oligoarticular JIAis the most common form and usually affects young girls. In this form, four or fewer ("oligo" means "few") joints are affected during the first 6 months of the disease. The knee is the most frequently affected joint. is the second most common form and begins in late childhood. In this form, five or more ("poly" means "many") joints are affected. This form is divided into two types: rheumatoid factor negative and rheumatoid factor positive. Rheumatoid factor is an antibody in the blood. High levels of rheumatoid factor can occur in people who have Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) but can also occur in people who have other Children who are rheumatoid factor positive have the rheumatoid factor antibody in their blood. The rheumatoid factor-positive type of JIA typically occurs in adolescent girls and is the same as adult rheumatoid arthritis. In both types, arthritis can affect the same joint on both sides of the body (for example, both knees or both hands) and frequently affects the small joints of the hands and feet. Enthesitis-related arthritisinvolves arthritis and enthesitis (painful inflammation in areas where tendons and ligaments attach to bone). The arthritis often affects joints on only one side of the lower part of the body (such as the hip, knee, ankle, and foot). It is more common among older boys, and they may also develop arthritis in their lower spine. typically occurs in young girls but also occurs in older males and females (who are equally affected). Affected people may have the skin disease Psoriasis or a family history of psoriasis in a parent or sibling. Undifferentiated JIAis diagnosed when children do not meet criteria for any one form or meet criteria for more than one. Systemic JIA(Still disease) involves arthritis along with symptoms outside of the joints, including fever, rash, lymph node swelling, and inflammation around the heart and lungs. 