Arthritis in Children: Treatment, Management & Prevention

Arthritis in children is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation of one or more joints of various origins. A rheumatologist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of pathology.

Arthritis is accompanied by pain in the affected parts of the body and is dangerous for its complications. In some cases, the disease leads to the development of deformities in the joints or the formation of contractures. In the future, this can reduce the patient’s ability to work and become the cause of disability.

According to statistics, 1 in 1000 children suffer from arthritis. Boys are faced with joint damage 2-3 times less often than girls. Pathology can occur in children from 0 to 18 years old. However, patients under the age of 5-6 years are most often affected.

How to treat arthritis in children

Arthritis in children is a pathology that requires complex treatment. In addition to relieving pain, the doctor is faced with the task of normalizing the function of the patient’s immune system and preventing the transition of the disease to the chronic stage when possible. For this, predominantly conservative methods of treatment are used.

Conservative treatment

Regardless of the type of arthritis, conservative therapy is aimed at solving the following problems:

• Elimination of pain and inflammation in the affected joints;
• Removal from the body of waste products of microorganisms that caused the disease;
• Optimization of the immune system function;
• Restoration of the function of the affected joint;
• Prevention of contractures and deformations.

Achieving these goals with medication alone is not always possible. Therefore, rheumatologists use an integrated approach that includes the following components:

• Anti-inflammatory drugs. These include both conventional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and hormones. Sometimes patients are prescribed “heavy artillery” drugs – cytostatics. However, in pediatrics, they are avoided due to side effects. If the pain is severe, find a Trust Pharmacy near me and purchase anti-inflammatory drugs for pain relief. This is the first step of your treatment. As soon as you feel better, you should make an appointment with your doctor;
• Physiotherapy. The emphasis is on local anti-inflammatory and restorative procedures – UHF, magnetotherapy, ultrasound;
• Massage and exercise therapy;
• Balneotherapy, rest in resort areas.

The complex effect on the affected joints in particular and the body as a whole contributes to the activation of internal defense mechanisms and, therefore, a faster recovery of the joints. With timely access to a doctor, it is possible to cope with the disease and prevent complications.

Surgery

Surgeries for childhood arthritis are indicated extremely rare. They are indicated only for organic deformation of the joints and persistent contractures.

How to prevent arthritis in children

Prevention of arthritis involves the elimination of provoking factors. Of course, no one can change their own DNA yet. However, you can treat angina on time, avoid contact with people with acute respiratory viral infections, rationalize physical activity, avoiding unbearable overexertion.

If you have relatives with arthritis in the family, it is recommended to visit a rheumatologist at least once a year and take a basic set of tests to identify preclinical changes. This will allow you to start therapy on time if the pathology is diagnosed.

Category: General Issues

Tags: arthritis, children, disease