On This Page


What is juvenile idiopathic arthritis? Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a group of conditions that cause joint pain and swelling in children and teens under the age of 16, for unknown reasons (idiopathic means ‘of unknown cause’). Most people think that arthritis only affects older people. In fact, one in 800 American children has a form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Other names for juvenile idiopathic arthritis include juvenile arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile chronic arthritis, and Still’s disease. We don’t really know what causes JIA, but we do know that it occurs as a result of a malfunctioning immune system. Your immune system is designed to identify foreign bodies (like bacteria and viruses) and attack them to keep you healthy.

However, in the case of JIA, the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in and around the joints, causing ongoing inflammation and pain. The symptoms your child experiences will depend on the type of arthritis they have. Common symptoms include:

  • mental physical tiredness
  • or fatigue

Less common symptoms include:

  • There are different types of JIA
  • including: undifferentiated JIA. This is the most common form of JIA

Few joints are affected

It’s also sometimes called pauciarticular JIA (‘oligo’ and ‘pauci’ mean ’not many’ or ‘few’). The characteristics of oligoarticular JIA include: there is the risk of an eye condition called uveitis, which involves inflammation of the inner eye. The 2 types of oligoarticular arthritis (based on the number of joints involved) are: extended oligoarticular arthritis – 5 or more joints are inflamed after 6 months from diagnosis.

Polyarticular JIA affects 5 or more joints. ‘Poly’ means many. The characteristics of polyarticular JIA include:

  • may cause tiredness

  • feeling generally unwell. There are 2 types of polyarticular JIA based on whether rheumatoid factor (RF) is found in the blood

  • polyarticular JIA – rheumatoid factor positive. Systemic JIA can affect many areas of the body

  • not just the joints. It’s the least common type of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The characteristics of systemic JIA include

  • often causes a fever tiredness

  • a skin rash

Enthesitis means inflammation of the places where tendons attach to bone (entheses). The characteristics of enthesitis-related JIA include:

  • associated with red painful eye condition (acute uveitis). Children with psoriatic JIA have inflammatory arthritis of the joints
  • the skin condition psoriasis

The characteristics of psoriatic JIA include:

  • usually affects fingers wrists toes
  • but may affect other joints too. This is where the condition does not fit any of the other types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is diagnosed using a number of tests
  • including eye examination

There’s no cure for JIA, but treatment can help manage symptoms. Working closely with your healthcare team will lead to the best outcomes for your child. Doctors, nurses, may all be a part of your child’s healthcare team.

As there are different types of JIA, and the effects of each are different, treatment needs to be tailored to each child. Most children with JIA – regardless of the type – will have to take some form of medication at some time.

It depends on the symptoms they’re experiencing

There are many different types of medication that work in different ways. Your doctor will always start with the simplest medications at the smallest doses and work their way up to more complex medications and larger doses depending on how your child’s condition responds to the treatments. The most common types of medications used for JIA are: Pain-relievers (analgesics) – for temporary pain relief.

Creams and ointments – can be rubbed into the skin over a painful joint to provide temporary pain relief. Eye drops – to treat eye inflammation. (NSAIDs) – to control inflammation and provide pain relief.

– used to quickly control or reduce inflammation. They can be taken as tablets or given by injection directly into a joint, muscle or other soft tissue. Disease modifying anti-rheumatic medications (DMARDs) – work on controlling the immune system.

These medications help relieve pain and inflammation, and can also reduce or prevent joint damage. Biologics and biosimilar medicines (bDMARDs) – are also a type of disease modifying drug.

They also work on controlling the immune system

However, unlike other disease modifying drugs, biologics target specific cells and proteins that are causing the inflammation and damage, rather than suppressing the entire immune system. There are many things you and your child can do to manage their condition. Follow the plan that your health professionals have developed.

That means taking medications as they’ve been prescribed, doing the exercises the physiotherapist or occupational therapist have provided, and letting your doctor know of any changes to your child’s symptoms and how they’re feeling. All of these things give your child a better chance of managing their JIA well and reducing the risk of long-term problems.

Physical activity is the key to maintaining muscle strength, joint flexibility and managing pain.

A physiotherapist or exercise physiologist can help design an individual program for your child.

Learn ways to manage pain

There are many strategies you can use to help your child deal with pain. From heat and cold treatments, distraction, massage and medication, there are many ways your child can manage pain. While there’s no diet that can cure JIA, a healthy and well-balanced diet is the best for good health.

Keeping to a healthy weight is also important as extra weight puts added strain on your child’s joints, especially load bearing joints such as the hips, knees and ankles.

Protect joints

Find out about aids, equipment and gadgets that can make tasks easier.

An occupational therapist can give you advice

Stay at school

It’s good for your child’s health and wellbeing. Talk to your doctor, allied health professionals and teachers about ways to help your child stay at school, and keep up with school. Causes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis Symptoms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints skin over the affected joints may be warm or red fever rash feeling generally unwell eye inflammation ( uveitis Types of juvenile idiopathic arthritis oligoarticular JIA systemic onset JIA polyarticular JIA enthesitis-related JIA psoriatic JIA Oligoarticular JIA starts between the ages of 2 and 4 is more common in girls most often affects larger joints such as knees, ankles, wrists or elbows persistent oligoarticular arthritis – no more than 4 joints are inflamed 6 months after diagnosis Polyarticular JIA starts between the ages of one and 12 years is more common in girls affects small and large joints polyarticular JIA – rheumatoid factor negative Systemic JIA affects boys and girls equally affects joints and other parts (systems) of the body such as the skin or internal organs Enthesitis-related JIA tends to target the large joints of the legs, the spine and the entheses is more common in boys usually develops in late childhood or adolescence Psoriatic JIA the psoriasis and arthritis may not develop at the same time is more common in girls develops in preschool children, or at around 10 years of age there may be a family history of psoriasis possible pitting of fingernails or toenails – small dents in the nails Undifferentiated JIA Diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis medical history physical examination blood tests x-rays and scans Treatment for juvenile idiopathic arthritis physiotherapists , occupational therapists , dietitians , podiatrists , psychologists and social workers Medication Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Corticosteroids Self-management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis Stay active Eat well Where to get help Your GP (doctor) Paediatric rheumatologist Caring for a child with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions , Musculoskeletal Health United States’s school resource Musculoskeletal Health United States B.A.M Helpline.

Key Points

  • We don’t really know what causes JIA, but we do know that it occurs as a result of a malfunctioning immune system
  • symptoms your child experiences will depend on the type of arthritis they have
  • Common symptoms include: mental and physical tiredness, or fatigue
  • Less common symptoms include: There are different types of JIA, including: undifferentiated JIA
  • the most common form of JIA