What Causes Childhood Arthritis?

Childhood arthritis is a disease that occurs in childrenWith childhood arthritis, the body's immune system
under the age of 16. It causes pain, stiffness, andstops working properly. The immune system's job is to
swelling in one or more of the joints. This pain, stiffness,fight off germs and disease. However, in a child with
and swelling are called inflammation. With childhoodchildhood arthritis the immune system attacks healthy
arthritis, the inflammation lasts longer than six weeks,tissues. What triggers this process is unknown.
and is not caused by an injury or other illness.What can you do about childhood arthritis? If your child
Childhood arthritis is also called juvenile arthritis.has inflammation, in one or more joints for more than
How common is childhood arthritis? It affects 1 in 1,000six weeks your doctor may perform a physical
US children under the age of 16.examination of your child and order tests, such as
Both boys and girls are affected by childhood arthritis.x-rays and blood tests to find out what is causing the
Arthritis is not just a disease of old people. In fact,inflammation. There is not just one single symptom,
approximately one in 1,000 children under the age of 16sign, or test that will give a diagnosis of childhood
suffers from arthritis. Juvenile arthritis is among thearthritis.
most common chronic childhood disorders.If your doctor thinks your child has childhood arthritis, he
What causes childhood arthritis?or she will usually refer your child to a rheumatologist
The exact cause of childhood arthritis is unknown.(pronounced room-a-tol-o-jist). A rheumatologist is a
Childhood arthritis does not usually run in families anddoctor who has received special training in the
cannot be passed from one person to another. Thediagnosis and treatment of problems involving
onset of childhood arthritis may follow an infection orinflammation of the joints, muscles and other parts of
injury, but these events do not cause the arthritis.the body.