Thousands of children in Alabama being treated for juvenile arthritis
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Arthritis is usually associated with older people, but each year, thousands of children are diagnosed with a juvenile form of the disorder. That's why July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month.
Unlike grandma's aches and pains, a child diagnosed with Arthritis has an immune system disorder.
"They go from being able to run and play one day to a month later can barely move," said Lendria Glass with the Arthritis Foundation. "I know of one child who was diagnosed at age of 3 and she was healthy and active, and by age 10 she was in a wheelchair."
There are more than 5,000 children in the state of Alabama with juvenile arthritis and more than 300,000 cases diagnosed across the United States.
Many in the Southern United States travel to Children's of Alabama in Birmingham, one of the few hospitals to offer specialized treatment.
"The problem is the immune system actually attacks the lining of the joints, the synovium, and causes inflammation, it causes swelling, pain, difficulty with motion, stiffness and it could lead to joint damage and joint destruction," said Melissa Mannion, a pediatric rheumatologist at Children's of Alabama.
If left untreated, that joint destruction can lead to loss of mobility, blindness and even death.
Joint pain and swelling are the two most common symptoms.
"They'll often get a giant swollen knee or a swollen ankle and they'll limp," Mannion said. "so they run, they play, they do everything that their brothers and sisters and friends are doing but they do it a little off kilter."
And remember, a child born with arthritis won't know something's wrong. Parents are key to finding and treating the disorder.
Doctors say if you think your child may have arthritis, you should see a pediatrician first and receive a referral before taking your child to a specialist.
You can find more information on juvenile arthritis by visiting the Arthritis Foundation HERE.
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