Juvenile Arthritis.
Last updated Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Prognosis and impactsHow serious is juvenile arthritis? Is juvenile arthritis chronic? Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease--one that may
last for many years. Eventually, there are good chances that your child
will get well and experience no serious, permanent disability. Children
with JRA can usually keep up with school and many social activities.
Some changes may need to be made when the child is in a flare or if
there has been joint damage.
Sometimes, the signs and symptoms of JRA may go away. When this
happens, it is called a remission. A remission may last for months, or
years, or even forever. But no one can be sure this will happen in your
child.
While most children with JRA do well in the long run, parents should
be aware of possible long-term consequences. Children with
pauciarticular JRA have a higher risk of chronic eye inflammation. Some
children with polyarticular or systemic JRA may have serious joint
problems or develop other long-term complications, such as decreased
growth.
There is no fast and simple solution to JRA. The most important
thing you can do is work with your doctor and other health
professionals to manage the disease and keep it under control.
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