JRA or not | Arthritis Information

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How do you know if it is JRA or not. Cd it be Fybromyalgia or Amplified Pain Syndrome?My 13 year old son was diagnosed with RA last year , Tests are normal I often wonder the sameDocs use diagnostic criteria to identify diseases that aren't cut and dry. There are several types of JA, each one has slightly different criteria.

 
"Criteria include (1) onset before age 16 years; (2) arthritis involving one or more joints or presence of at least two of the following findings: (a) limitation in range of motion (ROM), (b) tenderness or pain with joint movement, (c) fever; (3) disease persisting 6 weeks or longer; (4) clinical features of (a) polyarthritis: inflammation in five or more joints, (b) oligoarthritis: inflammation in fewer than five joints, (c) systemic: characteristic arthritis that develops with fever; and (5) exclusion of other juvenile arthritis and other disorders like lupus, lyme disease, cancer and infections."
 
If the answers are "Yes" to most or all of the criteria (and bloodwork rules out things like cancer, lyme, lupus and infections) then they diagnose JA. Notice that while they do have blood tests for JA (ESR or SED rate, Rheumatoid factor, etc), none are listed in the criteria - because, while helpful, they are not specific enough to actually diagnose.
 
 
 
Hi I'm new here. I have two children ANA positive. My 7yr old girl has Systemic JRA (April 2003)/ Severe Uveitis (Feb 2006) since she is 15 months old. My 3yr old boy has Pauci/JRA and was diagnosed in Feb with scleritis.  Emmie (my 7yr old) is having a really hard time with her Uveitis. We have been on Pred Forte since Feb 2006. We got it quite and since last year it's been horrible. Last March we had to have kenalog injections..that helped for a while but since she caught the flu twice this year it has relapsed her Uveitis. We had kenalog injected April 1 and it's still not clearing up. Her neuro-optha is going back in her eye in two weeks. We are cosidering Remicade. We have taken her to Boston to see Dr.Foster.  We did not follow his recommendations due to the side effects of Remicade. Now I think we have no choice. Does anyone out there have sibilings with JRA like me ? Anyone has any positive information on Remicade from using it ? Me and my husband are so lost and frustrated... Any advice or help would be great. Emmie is presently on Enbrel/Cellcept but apparently it's not working??? Hi Krissy,

Maybe now that your daughter is older, she could tolerate the Remicade better.  The older my daughter gets, the more comfortable I am considering more meds.  Does the Enbrel help her JRA?  Have you tried it with mtx?  That is supposed to help eyes, too.

I only have one anecdotal comment about uveitis - I have seen posted that erythomycin ointment has helped uveitis.  It is just a gel that goes in the eye.  My daughter used it when she had discharge that never was explained; it was the last thing the ped opth tried after tons of drops, and it worked.

At that time, I told him what I had seen about the ointment and uveitis.  He said he heard that, too.  He said, "It's not supposed to work, but I've heard that, too."

'First do no harm'  - you could ask your opth about it.
Suzanne2009-04-16 08:25:34[QUOTE=Neuse1]How do you know if it is JRA or not. Cd it be Fybromyalgia or Amplified Pain Syndrome?[/QUOTE]
forty years ago I was DX'd with JRA>
ALL my tests were normal.... nothing indicated RA by blood.
I was finally diagnosed by the fluids in my swollen knees that my RD drew. 
 
Same DX was made when I flared up as an adult.. no blood markers.. fluid in knees was tested and proclaimed RA.
 
Sorry your child may have this disease, but I can state that as a 50 year old.. I had very few limitations on my life after JRA... I couldn't play sports but that was as far as my prohibitions from the disease until I turned 50.... So, grieve some, but help your child live the best life possible.
 
Best to you!
Babs
How do you feel Babs now that you have had arthritis for so many years?  I have had it 35 years and just had my hip done.  I work as a nurse and have damaged my knees, feet.  It is now beginning to restrict me a little bit. So I am adjusting to that.  
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