You may not have heard of arthritis in children before. In fact, 1 in 1,000 children has juvenile arthritis (JA). Every year about 1 in 10,000 children in Ireland is diagnosed with the condition making it almost as common as childhood diabetes. It can begin at any age, although it most commonly shows up in younger children. It can develop in boys or girls, although most types are more common in girls. For the vast majority of these children, arthritis is not the same as in adults. Having arthritis as a child does not normally mean your child will have arthritis as an adult.

What Causes it:

There are still many gaps in our knowledge about JA. Doctors do not know what causes it or why it occurs in some children and not in others. There is no clear evidence that it is passed down through families, although we do know that a child's genetic make-up has some part to play. There is no clear evidence that it is caused by an infection, although scientists suspect certain illnesses may act as a trigger. The latest thinking is that JA could be caused by an interaction between some aspect of a child's genetic makeup and other factors which act as a trigger.

How it's Diagnosed:

JA can be difficult to diagnose. Usually doctors come to a decision by checking symptoms, examining the child and, when necessary, doing tests which rule out other illnesses. There is no single test which gives a definite diagnosis of JA. Different types of childhood arthritis have different symptoms.

Even though doctors are still unsure what causes it, we do know a great deal about it and how to treat it. With the right management most children with JA lead independent, active lives. Treatment of JA has developed rapidly and new, improved medicines are coming on stream all the time. There is every reason to believe that the treatment of JA will continue to advance. But this is not an illness where parents should sit back and let doctors take control. The best care for your child is achieved through the whole family working together with health professionals and Arthritis Ireland to find the most suitable medicines, keep up the right exercises, and tackle other issues as they arise.

What does the future hold?

Every child has a different illness and responds differently to treatment. So it is very difficult to predict how arthritis will affect your child. Treatment of JA is improving all the time. There is no cure for JA but many children go into what doctors call 'remission', which means their symptoms disappear, often forever. About 3 in 5 children (60%) will have few or no physical problems as adults.

For the remaining children, arthritis can unfortunately cause some longer-term problems. They may have some joint damage which limits daily activities by varying amounts, and could develop thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) when older. Some may continue to need medicines to control their arthritis. A few may need joint replacements in adulthood.

Information on the different types of JA and how it is diagnosed by doctors can be found in Arthritis Ireland's When a Child Has Arthritis information booklet on this website, or you can call the Arthritis Ireland helpline on 1890 252 846.