Children Developing Joint Disease: Symptoms, Causes, Prevention
Do you wonder why a child full of energy might suddenly start experiencing joint pain and swelling? This is because children can develop a joint disease called juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). This is a dangerous condition that can even affect the eyes, skin, heart, and lungs.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease where the child’s immune system attacks the joints. This causes inflammation, pain, and stiffness. It affects children aged 16 and below. The symptoms include swelling, stiffness, and pain.
The cause of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (joint disease in children) is not known, but some risk factors may be involved. These include:
- Genetics: The tendency of a child to develop juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a two-step process. First, a child inherits genes from parents that increase the risk of developing JIA. Subsequently, if the child is exposed to a virus, it can activate the genes inherited from the parents and cause the disease to develop.
- Infections: Some infections caused by viruses like mumps and rubella, as well as bacteria, can trigger the development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. This is because, as JIA develops during an inflammatory process, infections caused by inflammation can induce JIA in children.
- Gender: Just like women are more prone to developing rheumatoid arthritis than men, female children are also more likely to have juvenile idiopathic arthritis than male children. The hormonal composition and easily activated immune system in the female gender are also contributing factors.
- Exposure to toxins: The environment is full of harmful pollutants, which play a huge role in triggering JIA. Exposing an unborn child to smoking or smoking by the mother increases the chances of the child getting JIA.
- Use of antibiotics at an early age: The bad thing about antibiotics is that they kill both good and bad bacteria in the body. This can result in an imbalance of microorganisms.  This renders the body vulnerable to different disease conditions such as autoimmune diseases, JIA, and digestive issues.
How to Reduce the Risk of Developing JIA in Children
- Getting regular exercise: Exercise is essential for a child with or without JIA. It helps to promote both muscle strength and joint flexibility.
- Eating well: A healthy diet can help maintain an appropriate body weight, which reduces stress on the bones and joints. Also, eating foods rich in calcium can reduce the occurrence of JIA.
- Using a joint health-promoting supplement: Using a top-quality supplement that boosts joint health is another great option. This is particularly recommended if the supplement contains magnesium glycinate, which helps to reduce inflammation and eases the tension exerted upon joints, which addresses the pain response. This mineral, plus other essential compounds like Vitamin D and Calcium, are found in NATURE’SFIELD HEALTHY YOU KIDS.
Delays in detecting and treating JIA results in devastating and irreversible consequences such as inflammation of the eyes, which can lead to blindness, pain amplification syndrome, and other health conditions that can affect the quality of life at a young age. Enhancing the joint health of your child or children with NATURE’SFIELD HEALTHY YOU KIDS will guarantee you have one less thing to worry about.