Symptoms generally associated with older adults, such as joint inflammation, chronic pain and vision loss, are affecting thousands of Australian children and young adults. The warning comes amid a push for earlier diagnosis of potentially crippling juvenile arthritis, an incurable childhood autoimmune disease that remains widely misunderstood.1
A diagnosis of juvenile arthritis (correctly termed juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)), takes an average of 10 months, but for some children it can take years – putting them at risk of lifelong pain and disability.
Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia (JAFA), the Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Group and 20 Australian peak health bodies and professional associations are urging Australians to learn the signs of juvenile arthritis and stop telling children to 'push through pain'.
"Despite affecting thousands of children nationwide, including toddlers, JIA is often dismissed as growing pains or mistaken for an injury," said Associate Professor Ruth Colagiuri AM, JAFA's founder and grandparent of a child with juvenile arthritis.
"Kids with arthritis can't wait to be diagnosed. Every day is critical to reducing their risk of a life of pain, disability, social marginalisation and dependence. JAFA is calling for public and health professional awareness to recognise the signs and symptoms of JIA early, so children can be treated and have a fair go at living their best possible lives.
"Juvenile arthritis is a serious and common chronic autoimmune disease. These kids can't wait months or years for help when inflammation is gnawing at their joints and eyes, leaving them with debilitating health issues usually only experienced by people in their senior years."
According to Associate Professor Jonathan Akikusa, a leading Australian paediatric rheumatologist and Chair of the Australian Paediatric Rheumatology Group (APRG), delayed diagnosis of JIA can have significant impacts on children and their families.
"Juvenile arthritis is one of the most common chronic childhood diseases, affecting an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 children under the age of 16 years of age; equivalent to diabetes in the same age group.1
"Untreated inflammation in JIA not only causes pain and reduced physical functioning but can lead to joint and eye damage and, in severe cases, risk ongoing disability.1,2 The earlier we make the diagnosis and start treatment, the better the chance we have of controlling the disease and protecting a child's future."
Many children and young adults living with juvenile arthritis are restricted in performing daily activities, which can compound mental health problems, social isolation and educational diadvantage.3
JAFA's 2024 IMPACT Study, Investigating the Mental, Physical, Social and Financial Costs of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis and Related Childhood Rheumatic Diseases in 0-25year olds1, found that:
- 80% experienced daily pain and suffer high burden of permanent disability
- 53% had a mental health condition, such as anxiety and depression
- 46% required aids for activities of daily living
- 75% had emotional health impacts and for 59% of families, participation in leisure activities and sport were impacted
- students missed an average of 2.6 school days per month (i.e. 12% of school per child in a year)
- children with JIA had very poor quality of life, poorer than their counterparts with comparable chronic conditions
JAFA is working to ensure parents, teachers and allied healthcare professionals have access to resources to help them understand more about the symptoms of juvenile arthritis, so they can act early, because kids can't wait.
