Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Juvenile Arthritis Week Planned For March 3-9

March 3-9 is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Week. During this week the Arthritis Foundation is launching a nationwide educational campaign to tell America that kids get arthritis, too.

According to the foundation, if a child avoids using a particular limb, shows signs of stiffness or complains about aching joints, it may not be just growing pains -- it may be arthritis.

Juvenile arthritis (JA) is a painful, sometimes debilitating condition that affects as many as 285,000 American children. But with early diagnosis and proper support, children and their families can learn to cope with JA and enjoy a full range of activiites.

"People don't expect to see arthritis in young adults, much less in children," Doyt Conn, M.D., senior vice president, medical affairs for the Arthritis Foundation, said. "But, the fact is that no one is immune to it. Many younger people and their families must cope with the significant impact of daily arthritis pain. And, although growing up is tough, growing up with arthritis is even tougher.

According to Conn, a child who has arthritis might find climbing steps, throwing a ball, opening a door or even walking very difficult or impossible.

Along with the pain, arthritis brings fatigue. Some children may have difficulties at school or with the rigorous activities of a field trip. Arthritis can be worse on some days than others, flaring up when least expected.

Using the theme, `Kids Get Arthritis, Too,' the Arthritis Foundation week-long awareness efforts will focus on elementary, junior high and high schools by offering lesson plans for teachers.

"Sometimes it's difficult for parents, teachers and schoolmates to come to grips with the special challenges faced by young people who have arthritis," Conn said. "But these problems are very real and very painful even if there are no outward signs of the illness, as is frequently the case. This is why education and awareness are so important."

The good news is that the outlook for children with JA is optimistic, even though there is no cure. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can go a long way in preventing significant disability in later years.

For free information about JA and other forms of arthritis, contact your local Arthritis Foundation at 1-800-482-8858.

The Arthritis Foundation is the source of help and hope for the nearly 40 million Americans who have arthritis. The foundation supports research to find ways to cure and prevent arthritis diseases, and it seeks to improve the quality of life for those affected by arthritis.