Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is a disease of the joints
in children. It can effect a child over a long period of time.
JRA often starts before the child is 16 years old. In JRA, the
joint to become red and swollen. It will make the joint painful
and difficult to move. JRA can also lead to long term damage to
the joint. For some, JRA can interfere with the child's growth
and development. There are five major types of JRA: -
Pauciarticular JRA—four or less joints are affected in the first
6 months of illness - Polyarticular JRA—five or more joints are
affected in the first 6 months of illness - Systemic onset JRA
(also called Still’s disease)—affects the entire body, least
common type of JRA - Enthesitis associated arthritis—there is
also swelling of the tendon at the bone - Psoriatic
arthritis—associated with a skin disease called psoriasis JRA
can be a serious condition. Your child will need care from a
doctor. The sooner JRA is treated, the better the outcome. JRA
is caused by a problem of the immune