National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Información en español

Not a rare disease Not a rare disease
Other Names:
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; Arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid; Juvenile chronic arthritis; Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; Arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid; Juvenile chronic arthritis; Juvenile arthritis See More
Subtypes:
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is an autoimmune condition that causes pain and swelling in a child's joints. When the immune system attacks the tissues of the joints, the resulting inflammation can cause joint damage, resulting in the pain and swelling characteristic of the disease. Some children who have juvenile idiopathic arthritis are affected by episodes where the symptoms worsen, called flares. Like most other autoimmune conditions, juvenile idiopathic arthritis is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. To be diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the symptoms must have begun before age 16. Diagnosis of the condition may be based on blood tests, X-rays, and ruling out other similar conditions. Treatment options may include medications and  physical therapy.[1]
Last updated: 1/11/2017

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Arthralgia
Joint pain
0002829
Arthritis
Joint inflammation
0001369
Autoimmunity
Autoimmune disease
Autoimmune disorder
[ more ] 		0002960
Fever 0001945
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abdominal pain
Pain in stomach
Stomach pain
[ more ] 		0002027
Abnormal fingernail morphology
Abnormal fingernails
Abnormality of the fingernails
[ more ] 		0001231
Abnormal pleura morphology 0002103
Abnormality of the sacroiliac joint 0100781
Cartilage destruction 0100773
Generalized hyperkeratosis 0005595
Joint dislocation
Joint dislocations
Recurrent joint dislocations
[ more ] 		0001373
Joint stiffness
Stiff joint
Stiff joints
[ more ] 		0001387
Joint swelling 0001386
Malabsorption
Intestinal malabsorption
0002024
Mediastinal lymphadenopathy
Swollen lymph nodes in center of chest
0100721
Nail pits
Nail pitting
Pitted nails
[ more ] 		0001803
Psoriasiform dermatitis 0003765
Skin rash 0000988
Uveitis 0000554
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Hepatomegaly
Enlarged liver
0002240
Pericardial effusion
Fluid around heart
0001698
Splenomegaly
Increased spleen size
0001744
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

Organizations Providing General Support

Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • Good Days provides help to patients with life-altering conditions. Assistance includes help with the cost of medications and travel.
  • The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) support research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, the training of basic and clinical scientists to carry out this research, and the dissemination of information on research progress in these diseases. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

In-Depth Information

  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Questions and Answers about Juvenile Arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; June 2015; https://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_info/Juv_Arthritis/.