Aug 6, 2008 4:00 pm US/Eastern
Health: Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
In health, Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl has details on an often misdiagnosed condition that is striking children with horrible pain. It is usually thought of as an "old person's" disease.
For 10-year-old Caitlin Ryan, a simple walk down stairs can be an uphill battle.
"It feels like a sharp rock is hitting my joints really hard, all the time when it's hurting."
When Caitlin was just three, she was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.
"She has arthritis in all of her joints -- her fingers, toes, elbows, knees, shoulders, everything," Caitlin's mom Colleen said.
Arthritis in such a young child? A recent CDC study estimates 294,000 children suffer some form of arthritis.
"It's often a surprise because most people are under the impression that arthritis is mostly a disease of adults and older adults," researcher Norman Ilowite said.
Symptoms are often dismissed as growing pains, infection, or injury.
Caitlin's arthritis first popped up as knee pain.
"We thought it was a fall from a bike," Colleen said.
But then Caitlin spiked a fever and she landed in the ER. There isn't a single test for the disease; other conditions have to be ruled out first.
"Slowly the specialist would say, 'it's not cancer, it's not meningitis, it's not an infectious disease,'" Colleen explained.
Early diagnosis is critical or the effects can be irreversible, including joint erosion and organ damage.
There is no known cure, but there are treatments including medication and exercise.
Swimming and video games help Caitlin keep her joints moving … with big hopes for the future.
"I really wish I could not have arthritis for the rest of my life, that would be so cool," Caitlin said.
Doctors say juvenile arthritis can go into remission, but most children will carry the condition into adulthood.
RELATED LINKS:
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis Info
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