THE AGONY OF JUVENILE ARTHRITIS

The pain of swollen joints is usually associated with the elderly, but 12,000 young people live with a version of the condition

More than 10 million people in the UK live with arthritis. That’s one in six of us, including celebrities like Emmerdale’s Claire King, Kerry Katona and Strictly star Adam Thomas. And did you know there are also about 12,000 children living with a lesser-known version of the condition, called juvenile idiopathic arthritis?

About 1,500 children under the age of 16 are diagnosed with the condition every year. It will continue to affect half of them throughout their life, and is still termed JIA even if symptoms persist into adulthood.

JIA is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system becomes unbalanced and attacks the joints, causing pain, swelling and inflammation. Urgent intensive treatment can be required to control and rebalance the sufferer’s immune system.

Experts say more research is needed to determine the causes, which remain unknown. Genetic factors and environmental triggers are thought to be the key.

Consultant rheumatologist Dr Benjamin Ellis is a senior advisor to Versus Arthritis, a charity that supports sufferers. He says, “There’s a strong inherited component to JIA. So siblings and close relatives of someone with JIA are much more likely to develop it.

“It’s hard to have arthritis at any age, but children and young people with JIA can face a real lack of understanding and empathy. They often have to deal with a lot of stigma, too.

“They can really benefit from support from others of their age with similar conditions, and from charities like Versus Arthritis, which runs a children, young people and families service.”

For further information, visit versusarthritis.org or call the helpline on 0800 520 0520