According to medical statistics, reactive arthritis in children has become increasingly common in recent years. Approximately 80 out of 100 thousand people experience this disease, and the disease more often affects boys. Treatment of arthritis in children has its own nuances and characteristics. In such a situation, the main principle for the doctor should be the rule “Do no harm!” The correct approach to treatment is very important for a fragile child’s body, since a person’s health in the future depends on it. Many medications that are included in the treatment regimen for adults are not used for children because they can cause serious side effects.
Inflammation of the joints in reactive arthritis is caused by infectious diseases provoked by viruses and pathogens. It is very difficult to protect a child from infection, especially if he is in a group and attends a kindergarten or school. Infections are easily transmitted by airborne droplets or contact. In response to the penetration of pathogenic pathogens, the baby’s body begins to produce antibodies to fight them. But the peculiarity of this disease is that after an infection, the immune system begins to perceive its own cells as foreign and “attacks” the joint tissue, causing inflammation. Reactive arthritis in children is dangerous due to complications that can lead to heart damage and loss of joint mobility. We will tell you in this article what signs parents should be wary of and how to treat reactive arthritis in children
Reactive arthritis is an inflammatory process that affects the joints after autoimmune or infectious diseases. Most often, joint disease is caused by pathogens of urogenital, intestinal infections or pathogens that provoke infections of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract.
Pathogens enter a child’s body in different ways: through household contact, airborne droplets; infection can occur through dirty hands, household items, and food products. Often, domestic animals (cats, dogs, birds) become the source of infection. In addition, babies can get the disease even at the stage of intrauterine development. In this case, the disease may not manifest itself for a long time and become more active after a few years, in the presence of favorable factors, for example, when the immune system is weakened.
The clinical picture of the disease in children has its own characteristics. If a child, regardless of age, is diagnosed with urinary tract infections, which are accompanied by damage to the mucous membrane of the eyes (conjunctivitis, keratitis) and inflammation of the joints, the presence of reactive arthritis can be suspected. The inflammatory process often affects the ankle joints, knees, and sacro-lumbar spine. When the small joints of the hands are affected, the skin over them turns red, the fingers swell and take the shape of sausages. If the inflammatory process involves the big toe, then a protruding “bone” becomes noticeable on the foot in this area.
Painful sensations in children do not appear during movement, but when pressing on the joint and the inflamed area around it. Therefore, children retain their inherent activity and mobility. If arthritis occurs in a mild, unexpressed degree, the child may not show any complaints and the development of the pathological process is indicated only by pronounced swelling and hyperemia of the skin.
At the same time, with a tendency to allergic reactions, the disease can occur in an acute form, with fever, swelling, intense pain and involvement of many joints in the inflammatory process. The condition of such children is complicated by digestive tract disorders (vomiting, diarrhea); in severe cases, a life-threatening condition associated with damage to the heart muscle can develop.
Reactive arthritis of the knee joint in children manifests itself with swelling, unpleasant sensations in the knee, aggravated by pressure and after a long walk. The skin over the sore knee appears red and inflamed. In severe cases, the disease leads to impaired joint mobility, tendon damage and the development of lameness.
Reactive arthritis of the hip joint in children has its own characteristics. It may not manifest itself in any way for a long time, while the child experiences symptoms of conjunctivitis, which doctors or parents do not associate in any way with damage to the joints. In the future, the disease manifests itself with pain in the groin and buttocks, which radiates to the knee and foot when moving. In the morning, stiffness of movement may occur; visually, swelling and redness of the skin are noticeable in the area of the hip joint. A local increase in temperature is noted in the inflamed area, and the skin seems hot to the touch.
Another important symptom of reactive arthritis in children is inflammation of the urethra (urethritis), which is further complicated by balanitis in boys and vulvovaginitis in girls.
Joint damage in reactive arthritis is asymmetrical; the painful process may involve just one joint or several at once. In older, teenage years, the disease often progresses and takes the form of juvenile spondyloarthritis, which leads to destruction of joints and damage to the vertebrae in the lumbosacral and cervical spine.
If you seek medical help in a timely manner, childhood reactive arthritis can be completely defeated. This form of arthritis becomes chronic, which follows a person throughout life and threatens disability, in very rare cases.
Therapy for reactive arthritis in children should be comprehensive, based on three areas:
Treatment of reactive arthritis in children is carried out on an outpatient basis; the child is admitted to the hospital only in particularly severe cases, accompanied by complications and damage to internal organs.
Physical therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed on an individual basis during periods of remission. Among the treatment procedures, the most popular are sessions of electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, ultraviolet irradiation and laser treatment. A course of therapeutic exercises for a child is developed individually; its task is to restore mobility of the affected joint.
At home, in consultation with the attending physician, parents can additionally use traditional medicine.
Revitalizing ointment. Homemade ointment is prepared based on the medicinal plant comfrey. This remedy relieves pain well and helps restore cartilage tissue in joints. Fresh comfrey leaves are crushed, a glass of plant material is poured with the same amount of sunflower oil and cooked over low heat for 20 minutes. The finished composition is filtered, cooled, 5 ml of vitamin E and a small spoon of the drug Dimexide are added to it. For the procedure, a gauze napkin is moistened in this composition and applied as a compress to the sore joint for 30 minutes.
Anti-inflammatory infusion . First, prepare a herbal mixture from violets, birch leaves, parsley and nettle seeds, measuring 10 g of each ingredient. Then 1 tbsp. l. collection, brew 200 ml of boiling water and leave for 3 hours. The finished anti-inflammatory infusion is filtered, divided into three doses and drunk throughout the day.
Warming up with sea salt . For the procedure, it is better to use sea salt, which can be bought at the pharmacy. Before the procedure, the salt is heated to a comfortable temperature, wrapped in a cloth and applied to the sore joint. Leave until the compress retains heat. The procedure can be done daily.
From childhood, a child should be taught a healthy lifestyle and personal hygiene. As preventive measures, parents are advised to follow the following recommendations:
The responsibility of every parent is to provide their child with a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle, and preventive measures must be followed not only during periods of illness, but throughout life.
My son is five years old; a few months ago he suffered from a sore throat, but apparently the dose of antibiotics was insufficient and the disease was not completely cured. This is the only way I can explain the fact that a month after the illness, the child developed swelling in the knee area, and when walking, the son began to limp. At the appointment, the pediatrician suggested that the child had simply hit himself and prescribed another course of antibiotics, arguing that the sore throat needed to be treated to the end, after which the swelling on the knee would disappear. But even after the course of treatment there were no positive changes. We consulted a rheumatologist, who, after an examination, diagnosed reactive arthritis. We are now undergoing treatment, the doctor reassured me and said that we came in on time and with proper treatment the baby will fully recover. Now we are taking anti-inflammatory medications and applying Voltaren ointment to the knee. There are already positive dynamics and the baby feels much better.
I have a daughter (10 years old), she was sick a lot this winter, constantly having ARVI, runny nose, cough, fever. And suddenly, literally one day, her gait changed, she began to limp on her left leg. At the same time, she did not complain of pain, but said that in the morning her leg did not want to obey. We went to the orthopedist and took a picture, which showed nothing. It’s good that the specialist turned out to be competent and referred us to a rheumatologist, who made the correct diagnosis. We are currently being treated for arthritis, taking antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. As soon as the condition improves, we will go for electrophoresis.
Last year my son developed conjunctivitis, which he could not cope with. And then it turned out that it was a harbinger of arthritis. Now we are undergoing treatment, the child’s knee is very swollen, the skin is inflamed and red, it happens that it is impossible to straighten the leg at the knee. The doctor says that this is a consequence of colds and gives an encouraging prognosis. We asked for help on time, so we have every chance to defeat the disease and achieve a complete cure.
Arthritis in children is a dangerous rheumatic disease that manifests itself as inflammation of all parts of the joints. It has local manifestations and general symptoms. It develops gradually, so it can only be diagnosed at a certain stage. This is most difficult to do in young children. Arthritis can lead to muscle atrophy, limb immobilization, and ultimately disability.
It is quite difficult to detect arthritis in a child. Young children do not always complain of pain. You can feel something is wrong if the baby suddenly changes in mood, begins to be capricious, does not eat and avoids sudden movements. If you notice this behavior, you should consult a doctor and undergo the necessary examination.
If you notice such signs, consult a doctor as soon as possible and get examined! As a rule, reactive arthritis in children is completely curable if it is diagnosed in time and the necessary therapy is carried out. However, if not treated in a timely manner, it can become chronic.
This type of arthritis occurs when there is acute inflammation of the joints. Children aged five to fifteen years are most susceptible to it.
Inflammation in the hip joint causes discomfort and pain in the thigh area. This type of arthritis is progressive, in other words, it develops slowly and is accompanied by a deterioration in the patient’s condition. Most often, the disease affects older people, but it can also occur in children.
Juvenile arthritis is a disease that occurs in children under sixteen years of age. It is also called Still's disease, childhood chronic arthritis or juvenile chronic arthritis. The period of acute inflammation lasts up to one and a half months.
Inflammation of the knee joint is also called gonitis. When the disease occurs, inflammation of the knee cartilage occurs, and then the soft tissue around it swells, the bones are destroyed and deformed. This type of disease is infectious in nature.
Since the causes of the disease are infections, the main direction in treatment is the fight against it. At the initial stage, the doctor prescribes antibiotics depending on the infectious disease suffered.
In addition, in special cases of acute inflammation, hormones can be administered intra-articularly.
Constant use of medications can lead to the development of various side effects, but you can reduce the dose of drugs and increase effectiveness by supplementing them with physical procedures. Electrophoresis, ultrasound, and magnetic fields are used for treatment.
However, like massage, these types of procedures can only be performed during remission.
How to treat arthritis in children - watch the video:
The quality of arthritis treatment directly depends on timely diagnosis, since if the disease is neglected, it can lead to disability and replacement of the diseased joint. Parents should be extremely attentive to symptoms in children.
Arthritis is a disease of the musculoskeletal system, accompanied by inflammation of the joints. The disease often affects the knees due to heavy loads on them.
It is considered to be a disease of older people, but it also occurs in children up to infancy.
How to diagnose and treat arthritis of the knee joint in children will be discussed in the article.
If in adults and elderly people arthritis of the knee occurs due to excessive stress on the joint (excess weight, “standing” work, etc.), then in children the reasons are completely different. Let's look at the main ones.
The main difficulty in diagnosing a disease in a young child is that he cannot always accurately describe what is bothering him. Due to pain and discomfort, a child may be capricious, refuse to eat, or become passive, but for parents (especially if the child has a complex character) this is not always a signal to visit a doctor.
Knee pain usually occurs in the morning and goes away in the evening. That is why parents, noticing that in the morning the baby is limping and complaining, and in the evening he is running around as if nothing had happened, may mistake the complaints for a child’s simulation and not attach any importance to them.
We list the main symptoms:
It is necessary to take into account any changes in the child’s usual behavior, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, passivity and lethargy.
For treatment, children are prescribed medications, massage, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, and mechanotherapy.
NSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Reduce joint inflammation and relieve pain. The most popular: acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), Diclofenac, Aceclofenac, Ketoprofen, Meloxicam, Celecoxib, Nimesulide and so on.
Antibiotics . Designed to eliminate infection as the main cause of the disease. Mandatory for purulent arthritis, because delay can lead to purulent melting of cartilage and sepsis. Groups of antibiotics used for arthritis: macrolides and fluoroquinolones.
Immunomodulators . Such drugs restore immunity and help the child’s body fight the disease naturally. Immunomodulators are especially necessary for prolonged chronic arthritis. The most popular among them: Polyoxidonium, Imunofan, Imudon, Cycloferon, Taktivin.
Immunosuppressants , on the contrary, suppress the immune system, and are prescribed by a doctor when it is necessary to relieve inflammation and restore mobility to the joint. Examples of such drugs are Sulfasalazine, Azathioprine, Cyclophosphamide, Methotrexate, Leflunomide.
Immunosuppressants have side effects such as the risk of infection, anemia, and impaired production of new blood cells by the body. They are prescribed very rarely, only with a high degree of activity of the inflammatory process.
Glucocorticoids . These are potent steroid hormonal drugs, the purpose of which is to relieve the inflammatory process, restore mobility to the joint, and slow the progression of arthritis.
Glucocortiroids are prescribed together with NSAIDs; they are not used as monotherapy due to severe side effects.
This type of treatment includes electrophoresis, ultraviolet irradiation, amplipulse, laser treatment, and magnetic therapy. The doctor prescribes each method and associated medications to the child individually, depending on the nature of the disease. As a rule, physiotherapeutic treatment is carried out after the acute period of the disease.
A special set of exercises, selected by the doctor individually depending on the age and characteristics of the disease, is aimed at restoring the motor function of the knee joint.
There are no special preventive measures as such. But at the same time, you can provide the child with proper care and reduce the likelihood of illness. To do this you need:
It is important to start treating a child’s arthritis on time to prevent the disease from becoming chronic. Do not self-medicate, remember: only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.
Inflammation of the joints is a pathology not typical for childhood. The most common types of arthritis seen in children are juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and reactive arthritis. The disease occurs in children in the same way as in adults. However, there are some peculiarities. First of all, they are associated with a faster development of complications and deformities of the limbs. This explains the need for treatment as early as possible.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis develops in children aged 3-12 years, boys are more often affected. The main cause of the disease is considered to be hereditary predisposition. The following factors can provoke the inflammatory process:
Taken together, these reasons lead to the body beginning to produce antibodies to its own joint tissues. These antibodies gradually destroy the joint, causing an autoimmune inflammatory process.
Reactive arthritis is a consequence of an infectious process in the body. The cause of hip arthritis in children is chlamydial or mycoplasma infection, initially localized in the genitourinary tract. In response to bacteria, the body produces antibodies, which can settle in tissues and cause inflammation.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis of the hip joint begins suddenly in a child. The baby complains of pain in the legs that appears when running or walking. At first there are no other manifestations of the disease. Externally, the thigh area is not changed. As the disease progresses, the baby experiences pain even at rest. They are aching in nature, of medium intensity. The hip joints may appear slightly swollen and the skin may be red and hot to the touch.
In most cases, arthritis is characterized by an asymptomatic course, so the diagnosis is determined quite late.
A typical symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is morning stiffness that lasts more than half an hour. The child cannot squat completely, raise or move the hip to the side. Characterized by rapid fatigue during physical activity.
The disease is characterized by a progressive course. It is chronic and leads to changes in the shape of the joint. As a result of the deformation, the child's gait changes. She becomes clubfooted, the baby walks, waddling from side to side.
Reactive arthritis of the hip joint in children develops 2-3 weeks after the onset of symptoms of a genitourinary infection. The disease has quite pronounced symptoms. Pain sensations arise sharply. The joint increases in size due to inflammatory swelling, the skin over it turns red and becomes hot to the touch. Attempts to move the joint cause increased pain.
Reactive arthritis in most cases is unilateral, which serves as a distinguishing feature from rheumatoid arthritis, where joint damage is usually symmetrical.
The disease is characterized by an acute course and ends within 10-14 days.
The diagnosis of childhood hip arthritis is made by pediatricians and orthopedists. To do this, they rely on the characteristic clinical picture and laboratory and instrumental diagnostic data.
From laboratory studies, the following methods are informative:
X-ray examination for reactive inflammation reveals swelling of the periarticular tissues and the presence of fluid in the joint capsule.
There are several stages in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, which are determined using x-ray examination:
Additional diagnostic methods are ultrasound and computed tomography of the hip joint.
To treat arthritis of the hip joint in children, a complex of medicinal and non-medicinal methods is used.
During the period of exacerbation, the child is prescribed bed rest, which is necessary to ensure rest for the hip joints. It continues until the pain disappears.
The diet should consist of vegetables and fruits, boiled meat, and lean fish. It is recommended to exclude fatty meats, smoked foods, and canned foods.
Reactive and rheumatoid arthritis are treated with different groups of drugs. To suppress reactive inflammation, it is necessary to eliminate the systemic infectious process. For this purpose, treatment is carried out with antibacterial drugs from the macrolide group - Rovamycin, Clarbact. The course of treatment is three weeks, the daily dosage is determined based on the age and body weight of the child. To suppress the inflammatory process, drugs from the NSAID group are used - Ibuprofen, Diclofenac. They also help reduce pain. Treatment is carried out over several months.
Rheumatoid arthritis is treated with a regimen called basic therapy. The essence of the technique is the sequential prescription of drugs from different pharmacological groups:
Treatment is associated with the development of a large number of side effects, so changing the group of drugs is carried out according to strict indications.
Complex therapy includes methods such as therapeutic exercises, massage, and physiotherapy. They improve blood supply to tissues, increasing the effectiveness of drug therapy. Performing therapeutic exercises slows down the development of deformities.
Reactive arthritis with timely and complete treatment results in complete restoration of the child’s hip joints. The most common complication is purulent arthritis, which occurs as a result of infection entering the joint cavity.
Rheumatoid arthritis of the hip joints in childhood can also result in spontaneous recovery even without treatment. The chronic form of the disease with the development of irreversible deformities is rarely observed.
Arthritis of the joints is an inflammatory process that develops in the joint capsule. Gradually it leads to deformation of the joint and disruption of its function. Damage to the hip joint in childhood can lead to disability. Therefore, treatment should be carried out immediately after diagnosis.
Arthritis in children is a type of rheumatic disease that occurs with an inflammatory process of all elements of the joint. The disease can manifest itself locally - redness, swelling, pain in the joint - or symptomatically: increased body temperature, child's capriciousness, lethargy, refusal of outdoor games. A diagnosis can only be made after laboratory tests, CT, MRI, ultrasound and radiography. Therefore, if you suspect this disease, you should not self-medicate, but should immediately contact a specialist for help.
This disease combines several ailments that occur with articular syndrome and that arose in childhood. According to statistics, currently every thousand child in the country is susceptible to this disease. This means that treating arthritis in children is not only a medical, but also an important social task. After all, this disease leads to a high percentage of disability in young patients.
The most common forms of childhood arthritis are:
The first type of disease is considered a peculiar manifestation of rheumatism in children. This type of arthritis is formed under the influence of streptococcal infection due to a sore throat or pharyngitis. In addition, this particular type of disease affects the joints symmetrically. The disease is accompanied by acute pain and severe limitation of movements.
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Juvenile, or idiopathic, arthritis is chronic arthritis in children. It occurs both locally, affecting only one joint, and systemically, affecting the internal organs of the child. Most often it occurs in adolescents aged 16 years and actively progresses throughout life. The etiology of this type of disease has not yet been identified. Juvenile arthritis is accompanied by a rash and an enlarged liver or spleen.
Reactive arthritis in children develops against the background of a child suffering from an extra-articular infection. This type of disease includes postenterocolitic and urogenital arthritis. Detection of the disease generally occurs early, before the child is 5 years old. The pathology may be accompanied by damage to the eyes and heart, as well as a decrease in hemoglobin.
Infectious arthritis occurs against the background of fungal, viral or bacterial infections that have entered the joint cavity through the blood and lymph flow or as a result of microtrauma.
The following types of arthritis occur in children:
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It is also worth mentioning that there is polyarthritis, characterized by inflammation of two or more joints at once, and monoarthritis, in which the knee or hip joint is most often affected.
Almost nothing can be said about the pathogenesis of the disease, due to the lack of information about the exact causes of its development, but the mechanism of development of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children is based on autoimmune disorders. When conducting research in the body of a child with this diagnosis, an increased content of autoantibodies was discovered, which are capable of forming immunocomplexes that damage the synovial membrane of the joints.
Scientists noted that rheumatoid arthritis in children is characterized by symmetrical damage to articular tissue on the right and left sides of the body. This is the main symptom of the disease and is used to make a primary diagnosis.
Separately, it is worth mentioning that in children there is a disease such as neuro-arthritic diathesis, which is also sometimes called gouty arthritis. In fact, diathesis is not a disease, but a condition of the child’s body, which is transmitted by heredity and is characterized by a predisposition to the development of certain diseases of an allergic, infectious, inflammatory or nervous nature.
A neuro-arthritic diathesis is a condition of the body in which a child has a genetic metabolic disorder, which manifests itself against the background of excessive excitability of the nervous system.
It would be more logical to classify a diathesis of a neuro-arthritic nature as a group of metabolic diseases, but the difficulty lies in the fact that the main symptoms of its manifestation include damage to the joints (in most cases, the hip).
This type of diathesis occurs in only 2% of patients, but it is very difficult to begin its timely treatment. In infants, its diagnosis is very difficult, because the full clinical picture of the disease appears only at school age. The main symptoms of its development (except for joint pain) include:
Doctors say that neuro-arthritic diathesis, which occurs in children under 18 years of age, is a collective concept that includes various undiagnosed (often hereditary) metabolic disorders. For this reason, it is almost impossible to cure such a diathesis, so doctors treat those diseases that arise against its background.
Diagnosing arthritis in children under 16 years of age is very difficult because it can manifest differently in each patient. The main thing is that at the very first symptoms of its manifestation it is necessary to consult a doctor, since the sooner he makes a diagnosis and prescribes appropriate treatment, the greater the chance that the prognosis of therapy will be favorable.
The main diagnostic methods include:
It is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis of a child with this disease. After all, a baby cannot always say that something hurts. Most often, he simply becomes more capricious, tries to move as little as possible, and refuses to eat. It is also not always possible to notice slight swelling in a baby’s joint on time. Therefore, you should know the main signs of the development of arthritis in a child. The main symptom is the child's reluctance to move. It’s as if he’s protecting himself from unnecessary actions. In the morning, you may notice some stiffness in the baby's movements and a slight limp.
The symptoms of the disease in children are largely similar: difficulty moving, increasing pain in the joints after exercise, fever, swelling. If you do not consult a specialist in time, the disease can become chronic within 2 years, and in more severe cases, joint deformation may occur, which, in turn, will lead to disability.
The manifestation of symptoms of arthritis usually begins in a fairly short time, 1-2 weeks after suffering an infectious or viral disease. Therefore, you should be extremely attentive to the child and his behavior in order to start treatment in time.
Arthritis in children can appear for many reasons and have different types that arise as a result of various circumstances. The main reasons for the development of the disease are:
Viral arthritis occurs as a result of diseases such as rubella, hepatitis B, and enterovirus infection. Rheumatoid disease begins with a genetic defect in the immune system. Infectious diseases of the intestines and genitourinary system can cause complications in the form of reactive arthritis of the joints in children. The causes of juvenile disease are not yet clear to doctors, but it often occurs due to a hereditary predisposition.
In addition, poor social and living conditions, unsanitary conditions can contribute to the development of the disease if the room where the child is located is damp, dark, and mold grows.
Each type of arthritis has its own characteristics and symptoms, depending on the cause of the disease and the age of the child. The most difficult disease to diagnose is in infants, since they cannot yet complain of pain in the joints. The problem of diagnosis is complicated by the fact that the child cannot walk yet. All types of arthritis have both common, similar symptoms and certain differences.
As mentioned above, the causes are previous infections of the genitourinary system or intestinal.
The first signs of complications begin to appear a few weeks after the illness, as disturbances occur in the immune system.
The onset of development of reactive arthritis in a child can be determined by the following signs:
Intra-articular symptoms of the development of the disease usually include:
If treatment is not treated in a timely manner, pathological, irreversible changes begin to develop, thus the bone and cartilage tissue is destroyed, and the space between the bones decreases.
Rheumatoid arthritis may be accompanied by extra-articular symptoms:
The main symptoms of hip arthritis in a child:
If treatment is untimely or insufficient, muscles may atrophy, tissues in the adjacent area begin to receive insufficient nutrients, which is why spots and ulcers appear on the skin.
This disease is an autoimmune disease, that is, the child’s own immunity accepts the tissues of its own joints as foreign, and therefore tries to destroy them. The reasons for the occurrence of such disorders are not yet clear to doctors, but often this disease develops against the background of the above reasons.
During illness, a large amount of joint fluid is released in the joint, which subsequently hardens and destroys the cartilage.
The main symptoms of juvenile arthritis:
The development of gonitis in a child can be determined by the following signs:
Once childhood arthritis, the symptoms of which are presented above, has been identified, the patient will be prescribed tests and treatment. The more complete examination the patient undergoes, the more accurate the diagnosis of the disease will be.
So, at the first stage of treatment, the patient is prescribed bed rest and immobilization of the diseased joint. In the latter case, splints, a corset or a plaster cast can be used - this is done in order to maximally protect the damaged joint from further injury as a result of even minor physical activity.
At the second stage, comprehensive medical treatment is carried out. The patient is given non-steroidal drugs that help relieve the symptoms of the disease and stop the inflammatory process.
If acute arthritis, which has an infectious component, is diagnosed, the patient, even a child under 2 years old, is prescribed medications from different pharmacological groups. These will include antibiotics, immunomodulators, and antiallergic drugs.
If the disease is treated on time, then, most likely, surgical intervention will not be required. But in advanced cases, either surgical restoration of the joint tissue or its replacement with an implant can be used.
After the acute course of the disease is relieved, the patient is prescribed therapeutic massage and physiotherapy. In addition, you should definitely go to a sanatorium, where the little patient will be prescribed medicinal baths and balneological procedures, which will not only bring relief, but also help to relax after a difficult period of illness.
The next method of treating arthritis in children is massage. However, this therapy can only be started during the period of remission.
Massage treatment has the following positive effects:
Massage is divided into general and private or segmental. During a general massage, the entire body is treated for an hour. Sessions are held both every day and every other day. Private massage involves treating only sore areas (knees, elbows and other joints). The duration of the procedure is no more than 30 minutes.
The first couple of sessions, the purpose of the massage is to relax the muscles, so stroking and rubbing the surface is used. After the fifth time, direct impact on the sore joint begins, the massage technique becomes more intense.
During the procedure, only stroking and rubbing movements are allowed; under no circumstances should massage be performed by chopping, tapping or squeezing. Most often, a general massage is performed, starting with treatment of the cervicothoracic and lumbar spine. After this, rub in a spiral and knead the muscles around the affected joint, but not the joint itself. This promotes better lymph flow and muscle tone.
Segmental massage is performed less frequently, only during the period of retreat of the disease. The main movements are light stroking and rubbing the joint.
Let's take a closer look at the features of treating arthritis with physiotherapy:
However, like massage, these types of procedures can only be performed during remission.
In folk medicine there are many ways to treat inflammatory processes in the joints. Among the folk remedies that can alleviate the condition of this disease, baths with herbal infusions, rubbing with herbal ointments, and drinking infusions are popular. Typically, improvement after using these methods occurs within 2-3 weeks. But it is worth remembering that traditional medicine is not a panacea, and therefore it should be combined with traditional methods of treatment.
Drinking infusions, taking baths and all other methods should be used even after health improvement occurs. This will help keep the joints in working condition and avoid exacerbation of the disease. And in the autumn-spring period you should definitely start taking infusions and preparations.
It is worth learning the main rule: you can be allergic to any herb, even the most beneficial one, and therefore you should first consult with a specialist to avoid complications.
In addition to traditional methods of treatment, you can increase the effectiveness by supplementing them with non-traditional methods. But they should be carried out only after consultation with your doctor.
Children over six years old can make compresses from thistle decoction. To prepare the decoction you will need 1 tbsp. a spoonful of chopped herbs and 200 ml of boiling water. The resulting mixture is kept on the fire for about 30 minutes, then you need to leave it for 15 minutes, strain and moisten a piece of cloth in the warm infusion. Place it on the sore joint, cover with a warm blanket or woolen blanket.
Pine baths also help with arthritis. Freshly picked spruce branches are brewed with boiling water, left for 15-20 minutes, then take a warm bath for about 30 minutes. Afterwards, they quickly rub themselves and lie in a warm bed for an hour, under a blanket and a woolen blanket.
In addition, you can perform self-massage with essential oils:
Juvenile and rheumatoid arthritis can have serious consequences. It is with these types of disease that secondary coxarthrosis develops, which leads to complete destruction of the hip joint. In addition, against the background of these types of disease, sepsis and infectious-toxic shock can develop.
It is also worth remembering that juvenile arthritis can not only occur locally in one joint, but also affect vital organs. In this case, the sign of the disease will not be pronounced, which leads to late detection of the underlying disease. And this, in turn, is fraught with serious complications and disability for the patient.
In order to prevent the development of arthritis in a child, you should take some preventive measures:
In modern society, this disease is becoming more and more common. Every thousandth child is susceptible to this disease. Therefore, parents should be very attentive to their baby and consult a doctor at the first suspicion of arthritis. Timely treatment will ensure a speedy recovery and avoid more serious consequences. After all, the health of the child is very important and depends on the responsibility of the parents.
The most dangerous childhood arthritis are juvenile (rheumatoid) and rheumatic.
Juvenile arthritis causes systemic organ damage, most often becomes chronic and leads to early disability.
Chronic rheumatoid arthritis in children leads to:
Rheumatism affects almost all heart valves, in a late stage leading to defects and cardiosclerosis - these are its most severe consequences. This is a disease with frequent relapses, with each new one becoming more destructive.
Other complications of rheumatism:
Video: Arthritis in children - advice for parents
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs against the background of acute rheumatic fever (rheumatism). Rheumatism is an inflammation of the joints and individual organs that develops several weeks after suffering an infectious disease caused by streptococcus (pharyngitis, scarlet fever, tonsillitis). Typically, the first attack of rheumatism occurs in children aged 5 to 15 years.
The main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are as follows:
If a child’s body temperature rises, accompanied by inflammation of large joints, it is necessary to promptly consult a specialist. The doctor will examine the child, and if it is necessary to clarify the diagnosis, prescribe additional examinations:
Usually, the meaning of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis comes down to taking anti-inflammatory drugs and maintaining bed rest. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are required to adhere to strict bed rest during the period of fever and for at least another month after the temperature has returned to normal.
To reduce joint inflammation and pain in rheumatism, drugs belonging to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Amidopyrine, Aspirin - are most often prescribed.
If these drugs do not have a positive effect, then they resort to treatment with hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs - Prednisolone. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat streptococcal infections.
The course of the disease is positive, the joints are not destroyed, and after healing their mobility returns. Rheumatoid arthritis is dangerous because in some cases it causes damage to the heart valves, which can lead to heart defects.
Reactive arthritis manifests itself as inflammation of the joints that develops several weeks after getting rid of an infectious disease (usually an intestinal infection or a urinary tract infection), which is associated with a malfunction of the immune system.
The main signs of reactive arthritis in children are:
If a child’s temperature rises, accompanied by joint pain, it is necessary to promptly consult a specialist. To clarify the diagnosis, the following examinations may be prescribed:
Treatment of reactive arthritis includes the following main points:
During the treatment period, it is necessary that the inflamed joints are at rest. To reduce pain and relieve inflammation, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, etc.) are usually prescribed; if necessary, steroid hormones (Prednisolone) can be administered directly into the joint.
In case of severe reactive arthritis, antirheumatic drugs (Metatrexate, Sulfazalin) can be used. If a child is diagnosed with a chlamydial infection, then antiaerial treatment with the drugs Vilprafen, Azithromycin, Azicin, etc. will be required.
Reactive arthritis can last from several weeks to one year. When the disease is mild, the main symptoms may subside within a few days after the start of treatment.
Septic arthritis is a serious disease characterized by inflammation of one (sometimes an entire group) of joints. The cause of the disease is the entry of viruses, bacteria, and fungi into the joint. Infectious arthritis can affect a child of any age, but most often children under three years of age are at risk.
The main cause of the development of infectious arthritis is infectious skin lesions (dermatitis caused by fungi, Staphylococcus aureus), hereditary infections acquired at birth (gonorrhea), and intestinal infections (salmonellosis). The bacteria enter the bloodstream, through which they penetrate into the joints, leading to septic arthritis.
The main symptoms of septic arthritis in children are as follows:
If joint pain occurs against the background of high temperature and fever, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible. To more accurately determine the diagnosis, the following examinations may be required:
Infectious (septic) arthritis is a serious disease that, in the absence of proper and timely treatment, can lead to the death of a child.
With an accurate diagnosis and timely initiation of antibacterial treatment for infectious arthritis, the prognosis is quite favorable. Often the child recovers with complete restoration of the functionality of the affected joints.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammation of the joints, and the cause of this condition has not yet been established. The first attacks of the disease usually develop in children aged 1 to 4 years, but it is quite possible for the disease to manifest itself even in adolescents.
The main symptoms confirming the development of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children:
If you experience joint pain, fever or other indirect manifestations of arthritis, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.
During the examination, the following examinations may be prescribed to more accurately establish the diagnosis:
Given the seriousness of the disease, the treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis should be approached comprehensively.
Diet: taking into account the fact that there is a high probability of calcium being washed out of the bones and the development of osteoporosis, it is necessary to include foods containing calcium in the diet of a sick child - spinach, peas, broccoli, dairy products, cheese, cottage cheese.
It is recommended to maintain an active lifestyle, since in more active children the disease is milder and complications of arthritis are much less likely to occur. Sick children must independently regulate the degree of physical activity, especially when pain appears in the area of the inflamed joints.
Biological drugs (Etanercept, Anakinra, Adalimumab) prevent the destruction of bones and cartilage in the area of inflamed joints, usually used when taking other drugs has not had the desired positive effect.
If the disease is detected early and treatment is started, the course of the disease is usually favorable. In most cases, children suffering from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis lead a normal life.
In the case of a long course of the disease, there is a possibility of impaired joint mobility, their deformation and destruction, which leads to disability.
Just like juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammation of the joints in children, the causes of which are still unknown.
The main symptoms of juvenile ankylosing spondylitis are as follows:
The following additional tests may be used to diagnose juvenile ankylosing spondylitis:
Treatment of juvenile ankylosing spondylitis comes down to regular and timely use of medications and support for physical activity.
With timely diagnosis and timely treatment, the course of juvenile ankylosing spondylitis is favorable. However, with a long course of the disease, there is a possibility of deformation and even destruction of the joints of the spine, resulting in disability.
Children with psoriasis often develop juvenile psoriatic arthritis, and sometimes it can appear even before the skin manifestations of psoriasis typical of this disease appear.
The main symptoms of the disease manifest themselves as follows:
If a child with psoriasis complains of pain in the joints due to their inflammation, then you should immediately contact a specialist who may require the following additional examinations to make a diagnosis:
Treatment of psoriatic arthritis comes down to taking medications in combination with physical therapy. There is no need to follow a diet for this disease.
During exacerbation of psoriatic arthritis, the inflamed joints should be kept at rest. Warm or cold compresses can be used to reduce pain. After reducing the inflammatory process, therapeutic exercises performed under the supervision of a kinetherapist have a significant positive effect.
Anti-inflammatory drugs of non-steroidal origin (Diclofenac, Ibuprofen), drugs of steroid origin injected into the joint (Prednisolone), as well as anti-rheumatic drugs (Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine, Cyclosporine) are used as therapeutic agents.