“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).
Dr. Sheryl Boon
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. […]
