Children can also suffer from arthritis, don’t consider it just the pain of growing age, know the symptoms and preventive measures.

News India Live, Digital Desk: Often we ignore arthritis considering it a disease of old age, but the latest information from the medical world may surprise you. Doctors have warned that now even children are suffering from ‘Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis’ (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis – JIA) are falling prey to. If your child often complains of joint pain or difficulty walking, mistaking it for normal ‘growing pains’ can prove costly. If not identified in time, this disease can stunt the child’s growth and cause permanent damage to organs.

What is Juvenile Arthritis (JIA)?

According to experts, this is a autoimmune disease Is. In this, the body’s immune system mistakenly starts attacking its own joint tissues. Due to this, there is swelling, pain and stiffness in the joints. Generally this problem is seen in children below 16 years of age.

Do not ignore these symptoms

Arthritis symptoms in children may be slightly different and confusing than those in adults:

Joint pain and swelling: Feeling more pain or stiffness in the joints after waking up in the morning.

limping: The child suddenly starts limping while walking, especially in the morning.

Persistent fever: Recurrent fever without any infection accompanied by rashes on the body.

Lethargy and fatigue: The child starts taking less interest in sports and gets tired quickly.

Eye problems: In some cases, redness or blurriness in the eyes can also be a sign.

Main causes of arthritis in children

Doctors believe that no single exact cause of JIA is yet clear, but certain factors increase the risk:

Genetics: The risk increases if someone in the family has an autoimmune disease.

environmental factors: Some viruses or external infections can trigger this disease.

Deteriorating lifestyle: Lack of physical activity and unbalanced eating habits are also affecting the immune system of children.

Treatment and Management: What should parents do?

The matter of relief is that if detected early, it can be completely controlled through medicines and therapy:

Early diagnosis: If symptoms appear, immediately contact a pediatric rheumatologist (children’s arthritis specialist).

Physical Therapy: Special exercises and physiotherapy are very effective in keeping joints flexible.

nutritious food: Give children food containing Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin-D which is helpful in reducing inflammation.

Mental Support: The child may become irritable due to illness, in such a situation support him mentally.