The first 11 months of Mackenzie’s life were like most other children. But as she was on the cusp of learning to walk, her parents Danielle and Victor noticed that she used her baby walker with a bit of a limp. They took her to urgent care, where a doctor ordered X-rays and noticed she […]
Arthritis
Living with Arthritis: Carson’s Story
Seventeen-year-old Carson comes from a close-knit family of athletes and had been playing baseball for a decade when consistent, unexplained pain left his family stumped and looking for answers. Countless physical therapy and orthopedic appointments, plus endless X-rays, filled the next 18 months. When an MRI of his spine lead the radiologist reading his images […]
Chronic Inflammation and What it Means in a Child
“Chronic inflammation can be manifest in many ways,” says Dr. Boon. “Signs parents might see in their child include fatigue, fever, rash, joint pain or swelling, sores in their mouth, chest pains and abdominal pain. Start with your pediatrician. Make sure infection is not the cause. The primary care doctor can run some lab tests and refer you to a specialist as necessary. These symptoms are not specific, but can be early signs of chronic inflammation, including chronic forms of juvenile arthritis, lupus, inflammation of the skin and muscles, or other forms of vasculitis (inflammation that affects the blood vessels).
Living with Juvenile Arthritis
While it can’t be cured, juvenile arthritis can be well managed with long-term medications and therapy, and affected children can live normal lives, a CHOC rheumatologist says. “There are such good medications available and there are some new biologic medications that are targeted and effective for treating most forms of arthritis in children,” says Dr. […]
Growing Pains in Kids
“Growing pains are real because many children experience musculoskeletal pain,” says Dr. Andrew Shulman, a CHOC Pediatric Rheumatologist (Arthritis Specialist). “It’s a very common symptom but not a good name because we don’t think it’s related to growth. We think the most common cause for this type of musculoskeletal pain is flexible joints. This means the ligaments that hold the bones together at the joint are a little bit loose.”
Relieving Aches from Growing Pains
It’s not unusual for kids to feel some aches and pains as they grow up. Joint flexibility is the most common cause of musculoskeletal pain in children and is often responsible for what is known as “growing pains.” Still, it can be just as hard on mom and dad as it is on their child […]
Five Arthritis Myths Busted
Picture a person with arthritis. Do you see someone elderly with gray hair, glasses and knitting in tow? Think again: Arthritis is not just a grandmother’s disease. In fact, one in 10 of every 10,000 children will be diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis every year in the United States, and an estimated 70,000 children have […]
