Signs and symptoms
... If you''re a parent or caretaker, watch for signs of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, particularly in young children. The main categories of JRA are: Pauciarticular JRA. This affects four or fewer joint...

Causes
... Doctors believe that juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body attacks its own cells and tissues. It''s unknown why this happens, but both heredity and environm...

When to seek medical advice
... If your child shows signs of joint swelling, stiffness or pain or just limps for no obvious reason, take your child to your family doctor. Also, if your child has a fever of 102 F that persists for lo...

Screening and diagnosis
... If your child''s pediatrician or family doctor suspects that your child has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, he or she will refer you to a doctor who specializes in arthritis (rheumatologist) to confirm...