Arthritis Of Joints In Children

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Arthritis of joints in children

Content:

• Symptoms of arthritis in children
• Causes of arthritis in children
• Types of arthritis in children
• Arthritis treatment in children
• A couple of tips for parents

It is sad to realize that such a terrible disease as arthritis does not bypass even the smallest inhabitants of our planet. But the harsh statistics say that every thousandth child under the age of 3 becomes a victim of this disease. The peak incidence is considered to be age from one to three years, but this is purely individual. What are the symptoms and methods of treating arthritis in children, you will learn from our material further.

Symptoms of arthritis in children

If the child is very young and is not yet able to clearly state his complaints, then it can be quite difficult to determine his arthritis.

Parents should be attentive to their child's behavior. You should be wary of the following signs:

• Unreasonable whims of a child with a possible refusal to eat;
• Lameness while walking or playing (the baby tries to walk less and does not allow touching the sore spot);
• Complaints of pain without any objective reason (there was no fall or bruise);
• Swelling and redness in the joint area;
• Difficulty lifting a handle or leg;
• Changes in the child's gait.

If at least one of the above symptoms was found, you should immediately seek the advice of a medical specialist.

The general symptoms of arthritis in children also include the following series of symptoms:

• Increased body temperature;
• The appearance of itchy spots and rashes on the skin around the sore joint;
• Enlargement of regional lymph nodes located next to the focus of inflammation.

Causes of arthritis in children

Correct treatment of arthritis in children is possible only after establishing the true cause of its occurrence.

The causes of childhood arthritis include:

• Infectious diseases;
• Hereditary predisposition;
• Decreased immunity;
• Violation of metabolic processes in the body;
• Traumatic injury;
• Diseases of the nervous system;
• Exposure to low temperatures.

Diagnosing arthritis in children is often difficult. For example, a child had an infectious disease, which the parents did not attach much importance to, and inflammation of the joints was a complication.

Types of arthritis in children

Among all types of childhood arthritis, the following main forms can be distinguished:

• Reactive arthritis. It is an aseptic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the joints of the lower extremities. The cause of the occurrence is a previously transferred bacterial infection. Reactive forms of arthritis include urogenital and post-enterocolitic arthritis. For example, the urogenital form arises on the basis of an existing infectious process in the organs of the genitourinary system;

• An infectious form of arthritis. Bacterial, viral and fungal infections contribute to the onset of this form of the disease. The place of localization of pathogens is directly the joint cavity, into which they enter with the flow of blood or lymph. The risk of developing infectious arthritis increases after joint injury. Infectious arthritis is most common in children under three;
• Juvenile form of rheumatoid arthritis. The etiology of this disease has not been fully understood to this day. It is believed that the determining factor is the burdened heredity. Children under 16 are at risk for juvenile arthritis. Juvenile arthritis predominantly affects large joints, causing enlargement and deformation. The danger of the disease lies in its rapid and steady progression, and in severe cases, even damage to internal organs is possible. The juvenile form of rheumatoid arthritis can occur with inflammation only of the articular apparatus, and can involve the lungs or heart in the process;
• Bechterew's disease. Most often, this disease debuts at an early age and manifests itself as a chronic inflammatory process in the peripheral joints and the spinal column;

• Rheumatic arthritis. It is a pathognomonic manifestation of childhood rheumatism. Children under the age of 16 are at risk for morbidity. For diseases such as chorea minor, erythema annularis and rheumatism, the common feature is their infectious origin. Most often, the cause of their occurrence is a streptococcal infection (tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis).

Arthritis treatment in children

Treatment of arthritis in children can take a long time, and the approach to it must be comprehensive. Along with drug therapy, special therapeutic massage and physiotherapy are used. If the disease is in the acute phase, outpatient treatment will be ineffective. The child should be in the hospital, where they can put a special splint to immobilize the diseased joint.

Surgery for arthritis in childhood is indicated only in the presence of severe joint deformity, which is corrected with prosthetics.

Drug therapy consists of two sequential stages:

• The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve painful symptoms of the disease;
• Taking drugs that suppress the immune system, if we are talking about rheumatoid arthritis (immunosuppressants);
• Carrying out detoxification therapy;
• Strengthening the drainage function of the body.

The use of the first group of drugs helps to relieve severe pain syndrome, reduce the inflammatory response and improve joint mobility.

For the symptomatic treatment of arthritis in children, the following drugs are used:

• Acetylsalicylic acid. It is a mandatory attribute of conservative drug therapy for arthritis. The advantages of this drug include its effectiveness, but it is categorically contraindicated for existing bleeding disorders;
• Diclofenac. Currently, experts have come to the conclusion that against the background of the use of diclofenac by children, the appearance of erosive changes in the upper parts of the digestive tract is possible. In addition, it is categorically contraindicated in children under 6;
• Indomethacin has established itself as an excellent anti-inflammatory and decongestant agent. Experts have identified it as the drug of choice in the treatment of arthritis in children;
• Naproxen is another anti-inflammatory drug. It is indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid and juvenile arthritis in children. Its only drawback is age restrictions. Naproxen is indicated only for children over 10 years of age.

Detoxification therapy is aimed at activating local and general immunity, harmonizing metabolic processes and normalizing blood circulation in the articular apparatus.

Stimulation of the drainage function is the key to complete elimination of toxins from the focus of the disease and stimulation of nutrition in the joint area.

The specificity of the treatment of reactive arthritis in children consists in the following sequential actions:

• Removal of severe pain syndrome;
• Neutralization of the infectious focus.
• Elimination of the consequences of the disease.

To relieve pain, the above-described non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used. If the child is worried about excruciating pain that cannot be stopped by NSAIDs, you have to resort to intra-articular injections using hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs from the glucocorticoid group (methylprednisolone). Before prescribing corticosteroids, you need to be sure that there are no pathogens in the intra-articular fluid.

To eliminate the infectious focus, in the practice of treating children's arthritis, doctors widely use drugs from the macrolide group. Thanks to their gentle effect, it is possible to avoid serious side effects. Clarithromycin, roxithromycin and josamycin are considered drugs of choice.

If we talk about the intestinal etiology of the reactive form of arthritis, then, by and large, the fight against intestinal infection will be useless due to its absence at the time of diagnosis. The fact is that when arthritis develops, there is no longer any infectious focus in the intestines. It is only before potentially possible immunosuppressive therapy that antibiotic therapy with aminoglycosides should be performed.

If the disease has become chronic, there is a need for pathogenetic treatment. The main components of such therapy are immunomodulatory drugs that ensure the stable functioning of the immune system. These drugs include takvitin, lycopid, and polyoxidonium.

In rheumatoid arthritis, no treatment will bring the expected result if you do not use immunosuppressants. Only these funds are able to stop the process of destruction of the affected joints of the child. Drugs such as cyclosporine, mercaptopurine and leflunomide are widely used.

Treatment of juvenile arthritis is carried out using anti-inflammatory drugs in combination with a special diet. The daily diet of the child should contain foods rich in calcium. In order for the treatment to take place with maximum benefit, it is necessary to properly organize the regimen of physical activity and rest.

Unconventional treatments

Alternative treatments for arthritis in children can be an excellent adjunct to conservative therapy.

One of the most versatile and very effective remedies is white, blue and pink clay. It has a pronounced anti-edema and anti-inflammatory effect. The clay is suitable for external use in the treatment of arthritis in children over 3 years of age. It must be used in the form of a compress, which is applied to the sore joint, covered with cellophane and wrapped in woolen cloth.

For the treatment of children over 6 years old, you can use a decoction of thistle herb in the form of compresses and lotions. It is a good adjunct in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. To prepare the broth, you need to take 1 tablespoon of thistle herb and pour a glass of boiling water. You need to cook the broth for half an hour, then cool and strain. A small piece of gauze is moistened in the resulting broth and applied to the sore joint, cover the compress on top with polyethylene and woolen cloth.

For older children, going to the bathhouse can be a good auxiliary remedy. Exposing joints to heat for a short time will help relieve pain. However, the bath is unacceptable in the acute period of the disease.

It is important to remember that such procedures can only be resorted to after prior consultation with the attending physician.

Recovery Predictions

Unfortunately, arthritis refers to diseases that accompany a person throughout his life. Provided that the correct treatment is prescribed in a timely manner, the child will be able to lead a full-fledged lifestyle without remembering his illness. Of course, physical activity will have to be limited to the level of daily exercise, but professional sports for these children is strictly prohibited.

To prevent frequent relapses of arthritis from bringing the child to disability, you should immediately seek help from a medical specialist immediately after the first signs of the disease appear.

On the subject: Traditional methods of treating arthritis

A couple of tips for parents

To ease the course of arthritis and not provoke new relapses, parents should follow these rules:

• Eliminate fatty foods and foods that contribute to the development of an allergic reaction from the child's diet;
• The child should always be dressed for the weather to avoid hypothermia;
• In the midst of an epidemic of a viral disease, parents should take care of taking adequate preventive measures;
• If a child has a cold, it is necessary to complete the full course of treatment using physiotherapy methods.

Any type of therapy and prescription of medications should be carried out exclusively by a doctor. Only a specialist can make the selection of treatment according to the individual characteristics of the child's body.

Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist

Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.