Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Facts and Tips

• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis that occurs in children younger than 16 years old.
• JRA is the most common type of childhood arthritis (1).
• JRA is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the immune system turns against the body and starts to attack healthy tissues.
• There are three types of JRA: pauciarticular, polyarticular, and systemic.
• About 300,000 children in North America are affected by JRA or other rheumatoid conditions (2).
• JRA can cause eye inflammation, such as iritis.
• JRA is also called juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

References

1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis/DS00018. Accessed 26 January 2009.
2. Sacks, J., Helmick, C., Yao-Hua L., Ilowite N., & Bowyer S. Prevalence of and Annual ambulatory Health Care Visits for Pediatric Arthritis and Other Rheumatologic Conditions in the US in 2001-2004. Arthritis Rheum. 2007 Dec 15;57(8):1439-45.