Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), sometimes called juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis or juvenile chronic arthritis, is a childhood disease that
causes inflamed, swollen joints that are often stiff and painful. Symptoms
common to all forms of JIA include joint pain, a disturbance in the way a child
walks (abnormal gait), and joint stiffness that lasts longer than 1 hour in the
The cause of JIA is not well understood. Most experts believe it is
caused by a combination of factors, including an overly active immune
There are several types of JIA. Each type is based on how many
joints are affected during the first 6 months of active disease, whether the child
has other symptoms, and which parts of the body are affected.
Several types of JIA can also include serious eye inflammation.
June 5, 2012
Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics & John Pope, MD - Pediatrics
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