Causes of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
Material provided by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. You may visit their website at www.nih.com.
JRA is an autoimmune disorder, which means that the body mistakenly identifies some of its own cells and tissues as foreign. The immune system, which normally helps to fight off harmful, foreign substances such as bacteria or viruses, begins to attack healthy cells and tissues. The result is inflammation—marked by redness, heat, pain, and swelling.
Doctors do not know why the immune system goes awry in children who develop JRA.
Scientists suspect that it is a two-step process. First, something in a child's genetic make-up gives them a tendency to develop JRA; and then an environmental factor, such as a virus, triggers the development of JRA.
Updated on: 12/10/09
