Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is inflammation (swelling) of one or more of the joints. It first occurs before a child or young person’s 16th birthday. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is slightly more common in girls. It most commonly occurs in pre-school age children or teenagers.
There are different types of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis and symptoms vary between the different types, some children will grow out of some types of Juvenile idiopathic arthritis . Most cases will be well controlled with treatment most of the time.
‘Idiopathic’ means that no one is sure what causes arthritis, but it is an autoimmune disease. The immune system is how the body defends itself against injury, illness or bacteria. The body can defend itself by causing inflammation or swelling, but with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the body creates inflammation in a joint or joints when it doesn’t need to. This inflammation then causes stiffness and pain.
Education Strategies
- Be aware of contagious illnesses which children or young people with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis are more vulnerable to, such as Chicken Pox, and let the family know early.
- Have a plan in place in case of a flare, so the child or young person can still come to school if they are able. Consider: which joints are affected? Can they still hand write? Do they need to type or have a scribe to record work?
- If lower limbs are affected, can they still walk or will they be using a wheelchair? Is the school accessible? How will they access the toilet, can they dress and wash hands etc independently, or will they require assistance? Use our guidance to create model policy and strategy: Intimate care – Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk)
- Ensure PE and playtime activities are safe and accessible. See Top Ten Tips for PE using the following link: Top ten tips for PE – Support for schools and settings (devon.gov.uk) or download Activity Alliance cards to create inclusive and accessible PE lessons: Inclusive PE activity cards (activityalliance.org.uk)
For more information
Use the following links for for information:
Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) | Arthritis Foundation
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) | Symptoms, treatments (versusarthritis.org)