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Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Arthritis juvenilis idiopathica · Juvenilní idiopatická artritida

What it is

Arthritis starting before 16 with no known cause; the commonest chronic rheumatic disease of children, and silent eye inflammation can come with it.

Symptoms & signs

  • Swollen joints for over 6 weeks
  • morning stiffness and limping
  • fever and rash (systemic form)
  • tiredness
  • one limb growing unevenly
  • eye inflammation, often found only on screening

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Hot, swollen joint with high fever — rule out infection
  • call 112 / 911 now Fever, rash and a very unwell child on treatment
  • see a doctor soon Red, painful eye or blurred vision
  • see a doctor soon Limp, joint swelling or stiffness lasting over 6 weeks

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • NSAIDs
  • steroid injections into joints
  • methotrexate
  • biologics (etanercept, adalimumab, tocilizumab)
  • regular slit-lamp eye screening
  • JAK inhibitors for polyarticular JIA — tofacitinib (FDA 2020), baricitinib (EMA 2023)

Natural & lifestyle

  • Physiotherapy and swimming
  • school sport kept up
  • vitamin D and calcium

Emerging & experimental

  • Stopping biologics after long remission

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Fish oil — small studies lower pain and drug needs early / small studies
  • Vitamin D — low levels are common; untested for disease activity early / small studies
  • Elimination diets (gluten, dairy) — anecdotal anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes