Chronic arthritis in children and young people

Arthritis affects 1 in 1000 children and young people and is a major cause of potential morbidity, with significant long-term consequences, joint damage and disability if undiagnosed and not treated appropriately. Diagnosing juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can be challenging and relies on suspicion, careful clinical assessment and judicious interpretation of investigations, which although helpful to exclude other conditions, can be normal in JIA. The clinical history can be vague, and the child may be too young to verbalize symptoms; detailed probing for inflammatory symptoms and a comprehensive examination of the child's joints are therefore essential.
Source: Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Juvenile arthritis Source Type: research