How To Manage Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disease that usually affects adults later in life, however there are many children aged 16 and under living with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). JRA affects children’s bones, which begin to deteriorate with swelling around the joints from an early age. Girls are more likely than boys to be afflicted by JRA. It primarily develops in children between the ages of 2-4, but is also common during the pre-teen and teen years. The exact cause of JRA is unknown, but it may be related to genetics and environmental factors.

Early, Cold-Like Symptoms

Many of the initial symptoms of JRA mimic a cold or flu.