Shining a Light on Juvenile Arthritis

By Anthony Williams | March 18, 2024

Every year on March 18, the Arthritis Foundation is proud to salute kids, teens and their families who live with the many challenges that often accompany juvenile arthritis (JA). While we spotlight JA year-round, World Juvenile Arthritis Day on March 18 is a special moment to pause and recognize juvenile arthritis as a serious health issue, as well as lift awareness about this little-known disease and what’s being done to come up with solutions.

Arthritis is stereotyped as “an old person’s disease,” merely an inevitable part of aging that people just have to live with. Yet more kids in the U.S. battle JA — which affects children aged 16 and younger — than do those with leukemia, juvenile diabetes and cystic fibrosis combined. And it’s more complicated than most people realize, often affecting vital organs and disrupting family life in many ways.

Globally, according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine, approximately 3 million children and young adults are estimated to suffer from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), the most common form of childhood rheumatic diseases. And that may well be an underestimate because reliable data isn’t available from everywhere. In the United States, hundreds of thousands of kids and teens have been diagnosed with at least one form of rheumatic disease.

Basic Facts About Juvenile Arthritis

• The various types of JA share common symptoms, like pain, joint swelling, redness and warmth; each type is distinct and has its own symptoms and concerns.
• Besides JIA, there are many other types of JA and related conditions: lupus, juvenile dermatomyositis, scleroderma, fibromyalgia and psoriatic arthritis, to name just a few.
• While many types of JA affect the musculoskeletal system, joint symptoms may be minor or nonexistent. JA can affect the eyes, skin, gastrointestinal tract and many other organs and systems.
• A child can develop JA at any age up to 16, even younger than a year old.
• Childhood arthritis can make it hard to take part in social and after-school activities — and make schoolwork more difficult.
• The emotional aspects of JA make many kids feel isolated. It’s important to be alert for bullying, as well as feelings of low self-esteem and self-worth.

Our Commitment to Fighting JA Is Stronger Than Ever

At the Arthritis Foundation, children with arthritis and their families have been at the heart of our work for nearly eight decades. Today, in partnership with the Childhood and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA), our commitment to those families is even stronger.

• In 2024, we marked the 40^th anniversary of the Arthritis Foundation’s JA Family Summit.
• Arthritis Foundation JA camps nationwide can help boost your kid’s self-confidence, foster independence and help them know they’re not alone.
• Connect with other parents through our Live Yes! Connect Groups for JA Parents, online and in person, based on age groups of children.
• Your free JA Power Pack comes packed with useful information and more resources to help take control of JA.
• We also have guidance for kids with JA transitioning from childhood to adulthood.
• Our joint research with CARRA promises to make personalized medicine a reality.

We’re in awe of every kid, their parents and other family members who are working through the many challenges of navigating life with JA. Kudos for your resilience and determination!

Learn more about JA and how the Arthritis Foundation can help.