May is National Arthritis Month and the perfect time to talk about Juvenile Arthritis (JA) and how it can impact young lives. Despite the persisting thought that arthritis is an “old person’s problem,” JA affects thousands of young lives every year and puts a damper on many activities and fun things for these children.
Children suffer from arthritis too
Here are some things you probably didn’t know about Juvenile Arthritis:
- Children diagnosed with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions account for approximately 827,000 doctor visits each year, including an average of 83,000 emergency department room visits.
- 294,000 U.S. children under age 18 (or 1 in 250 children) have been diagnosed with arthritis or other rheumatic conditions.
- Childhood arthritis-related diagnoses range from a low of 500 children in Wyoming to a high of 38,000 children in California.
Living with arthritis can be hard at any age, but especially for young people and children. Children with JA will need to learn a language of terms most of their friends and even most adults will never have to learn.
Although there is no known cause for the disease and no known cure, there are many treatments available. Most treatment plans involve a combination of medication, physical activity, eye care and healthy eating. Medications used to treat JA can be divided into two groups:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, corticosteroids and analgesics that help relieve pain and inflammation
- Disease-modifying (DMARDs) and a newer subset known as biologic response modifiers (biologics). These medicines can alter the course of the disease, put it into remission and prevent joint damage.
Medi-Rents and Sales supports young people with this debilitating condition and carries a wide variety of equipment and supplies for people of all ages living with arthritis in is many forms. If you are living with arthritis at any age, Medi-Rents and Sales has many products available to make life easier and more comfortable. From safety equipment and nutritional supplements to wheelchairs, we can find ways to make your life easier and as normal as possible.
We look forward to helping, and hope to hear from you sometime soon!
Sources: pediatriconcall.com, the CDC, the Arthritis Foundation
Tags: anti-rheumatic drugs, JA, juvenile arthritis