The term ‘Arthritis’ implies to the disease related to any joint which manifests in various forms including pain, swelling or stiffness but it is not a single disease instead, a broad term that encompasses a number of conditions related to joints. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis which is largely an age-related degenerative joint condition, mostly seen in the old age population however, there is a myth that Arthritis occurs only in the older population when in reality, kids also can get arthritis and it occurs more frequently than we think.
Arthritis in children is termed Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), commonly called Childhood Arthritis. Arthritis in children is said to occur when the body’s immune system attacks its cells and tissues but it’s not known why this happens.
In a small percentage of cases, heredity seems to play a role and the incidence of Childhood Arthritis varies considerably from country to country ranging from 1.6 to 23 per one lakh children. In the United States alone, it is estimated to affect about 1 in 1000 children.
Significance of Childhood Arthritis
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Deepak Gautam, MS, FACS, Consultant Joint Replacement and Director of Orthopedic Disciplines at Medicover Hospitals in Navi Mumbai, warned, “Childhood arthritis should not be taken lightly in the view that it can cause serious joint damage or limit growth if not treated on time. As children are growing, the length of bone also grows and lengthens due to the addition of bone through the growth plate situated near the joint.”
He highlighted, “Childhood arthritis, if not diagnosed and treated on time, may not only lead to permanent damage of the joints due to chronic arthritis but also interfere with the child’s bone growth and end up in loss of joint function. It may last for a limited time ie few months to years, to lifelong in severe cases. When kids age out of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, they’re usually diagnosed with an adult type of Arthritis.”
Symptoms
Dr Deepak Gautam revealed, “Unlike the adults, Childhood Arthritis commonly starts in larger joints like knee, ankle and hip. Severe pain, swelling or stiffness are early signs of this disease. One should have a suspicion if there is involvement of one or more joint(s) in children below 16 years or younger for at least a period of 6 weeks. There are various forms of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis depending on the pattern of joints involved and the involvement of other parts of the body.”
Is Childhood Arthritis Curable?
Answering the same this World Arthritis Day 2022, Dr Deepak Gautam shared, “There is no complete cure for this disease but remission i.e little or no disease activity is possible with early diagnosis and treatment. With modern advancement and development of newer drugs, the disease can be controlled on time by slowing down or stopping the inflammation. The treatment is focused on controlling pain and inflammation, improving function, and preventing damage to the joint.”
He added, “Children in developing countries like ours often report late and are diagnosed late only when the disease has progressed far and the joint has been damaged. Most of them are treated with the suspicion of infection of the joint which later comes out to be a Juvenile Inflammatory type of Arthritis. This is the reason that nowadays more and more younger patients (even in their 20’s and 30’s) are undergoing joint replacement surgeries as they present with end-stage arthritis. Nevertheless, for a young adult presenting with end-stage disabling arthritis, joint replacement is a very successful surgery to relieve pain, and restore the function. However, it is essential to create awareness about childhood arthritis for early diagnosis and treatment, and preventing it from converting to chronic arthritis.”