Help and hope highlight Juvenile Arthritis Month

All too many diseases, syndromes, disorders and other illnesses afflict people every day. These can range from debilitating to life threatening, and our concern is always heightened when the word “juvenile” is placed in front. Our hearts go out most to the youngest and most vulnerable among us whenever they suffer. And on the treatment side, juvenile ailments often prove the most difficult to manage due to challenges ranging from proper diagnosis to proper, effective methods of treatment.

Such is the case with Juvenile Arthritis, which affects 300,000 American children under the age of 18, according to the Arthritis Foundation. A particular challenge with diagnosing Juvenile Arthritis is that it is not a disease in and of itself. Instead, the term applies to a host of more than half a dozen conditions and sets of symptoms, each with its own causes and triggers. These include Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Juvenile Lupus and Fibromyalgia. Each is a complicated condition, and diagnosis and treatment can be time consuming and costly.

One of the biggest challenges is that the actual cause of arthritis in kids remains elusive. Many forms of juvenile arthritis are thought to stem from genetic factors that result in autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, but this is just the general trend in current thinking. What they all have in common though is they are painful, uncomfortable and, in many cases, crippling. The juxtaposition of these symptoms with the ages of its victims — kids who should be in the prime of health — is, needless to say, heartbreaking.

There is at this time no cure for Juvenile Arthritis. Treatment options, depending on the specific diagnosis, run the gamut from medications to physical therapy to dietary programs. More community awareness means more of us working to raise money for research. It also means that more of us are connecting with these kids, and their families, so they know they are not alone in this fight.
The good news is there are many ways to get involved, from donating to volunteering. Please learn about all the good you can do at Kids Get Arthritis Too, the Arthritis Foundation’s online home for Juvenile Arthritis awareness and support.