Kiddie Wellness: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

LilSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:00:39 -0700

We normally associate aches with elders so sometimes parents dismiss young children's complaints as growing pains. But that isn't always the case. Actress and mother of three, Jennie Garth, recently talked about a three month scare that she and her husband, Peter Facinelli, had with their five-year-old daughter. Lola. She said:

"It turned out to be a form of JRA [Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis] and we treated her and it's in remission," says Garth. "It was tough, but she's better now."

JRA can be caused by an overactive immune system, a virus or infection or genetics. To learn about the symptoms, read more.

According to WebMD, the following are signs of JRA, which causes inflamed, swollen joints.

Joint pain

Joint swelling

Joint stiffness

Trouble sleeping

Problems walking

In some cases these symptoms can be mild and hard for you to see. A young child may be more cranky than normal or may go back to crawling after he or she has started walking. You may notice that your child feels stiff in the morning or has trouble walking.

If your child has these symptoms, consult your pediatrician.
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