Childrens experiences of living with juvenile idiopathic
arthritis: Thematic synthesis of qualitative studies Arthritis
Care & Research , 05/04/2012 Tong A et al. – Juvenile idiopathic
arthritis disrupts the children's sense of normality and impairs
their capacity for social participation. They have a sense of
being misunderstood and stigmatised, and feel perpetually caught
between having hope and control over their bodies, and
overwhelming pain and despair. To increase their confidence,
ability to manage their pain, and resourcefulness for
self–management, children need ongoing information about
treatments and lifestyle management, strong social support,
community advocacy, and active involvement in their own health
decision making.