most lay people and many doctors fail to appreciate that arthritis in children exists. for the children affected and their families education about the condition is essential. many children suffer for months or years before the diagnosis of arthritis is thought of and proper treatment begun. but the problem doesn't end there. children with arthritis frequently experience difficulty because their teachers and schoolmates don't understand that children can develop arthritis. they have no idea what to expect from the child with arthritis or about the nature of the illness. as a result when the child is finally diagnosed with arthritis the family may be told just to put him or her in a wheelchair because "nothing can be done. " this is entirely wrong.
isn't arthritis an old person's disease not a disease in children?