Author: Emily Clark

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic inflammatory rheumatic condition in childhood (Martini et al., 2022) {% https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35087087/ %}. It is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks joint tissues, leading to ongoing inflammation. To be diagnosed with JIA, a child must be under 16 years old and experience joint pain, swelling, and stiffness that persists for at least six weeks (Kim & Kim, 2010) {% https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3012272/ %}. The exact cause remains unknown, but the condition can lead to severe complications if left untreated. These include permanent joint damage, growth disturbances, and eye inflammation such as…

Read More