At least one child in 1000 in Australia has Juvenile Arthritis.
Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not a just disease of the elderly. In fact, Juvenile Arthritis is one of the most common, as well as serious, persistent medical conditions of childhood.
Juvenile Arthritis, also known as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis or JIA, refers to all types of arthritis that affect young people less than 16 years of age.
While some forms of JIA appear to be similar to some forms of adult arthritis, how it develops, parts of the body affected, and ways in which it is treated can be quite different.
Even though it’s not possible to tell how long JIA will last, its severity, or how often it might swing between being almost symptom-free to quite disabling, the good news is that many children or adolescents with JIA do not develop lasting complications. Some instances of JIA last a few months, others years.
More girls than boys have JIA and it is rare for more than one child in any family to be affected.
Finding our your child has arthritis can be a worrying and stressful time for parents and families. Arthritis NSW has produced a booklet for parents, families and carers that deals with some of the key challenges for people who are affected by JIA. Please contact our office to request your copy.
Alternatively, you may like to download the PDFs below.
Please note that these documents may have AONT’s previous address listed. We are no longer at Caryota Court, Coconut Grove. We are now located at Shop 18 Rapid Creek Business Village, 40 Trower Road, Millner.
Victoria’s Royal Children’s Hospital website has a comprehensive list of resources specific for children with rheumatological conditions. Their website can be located at:
The word arthritis comes from Greek, and literally means inflammation of the joint.
