Juvenile arthritis (JA) is not a disease in itself. Also known as pediatric rheumatic disease, JA is an umbrella term used to describe the many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions or pediatric rheumatic diseases that can develop in children under the age of 16. Juvenile arthritis affects nearly 300,000 children in the United States.

Although the various types of juvenile arthritis share many common symptoms, like pain, joint swelling, redness and warmth, each type of JA is distinct and has its own special concerns and symptoms

Types of Juvenile Arthritis

• Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Considered the most common form of arthritis, JIA includes six subtypes: oligoarthritis, polyarthritis, systemic, enthesitis-related, juvenile psoriatic arthritis or undifferentiated.
• Juvenile dermatomyositis. An inflammatory disease, juvenile dermatomyositis causes muscle weakness and a skin rash on the eyelids and knuckles. 
• Juvenile lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune disease. The most common form is systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE. Lupus can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, blood and other areas of the body. 
• Juvenile scleroderma. Scleroderma, which literally means “hard skin,” describes a group of conditions that causes the skin to tighten and harden.
• Kawasaki disease. This disease causes blood-vessel inflammation that can lead to heart complications. 
• Mixed connective tissue disease. This disease may include features of arthritis, lupus dermatomyositis and scleroderma, and is associated with very high levels of a particular antinuclear antibody called anti-RNP. 
• Fibromyalgia. This chronic pain syndrome is an arthritis-related condition, which can cause stiffness and aching, along with fatigue, disrupted sleep and other symptoms. More common in girls, fibromyalgia is seldom diagnosed before puberty. No known cause has been pinpointed for most forms of juvenile arthritis, nor is there evidence to suggest that toxins, foods or allergies cause children to develop JA. Some research points toward a genetic predisposition to juvenile arthritis, which means the combination of genes a child receives from his or her parents may cause the onset of JA when triggered by other factors.pain or stiffness when moving joints Swelling in the jointsUnfortunately it is not a simple one or two tests to diagnose. The diagnostic process can be long and detailed. There is no single blood test that confirms any type of JA. In children, the key to diagnosis is a careful physical exam, along with a thorough medical history.

How Juvenile Arthritis is diagnosed:

• In the morning or after resting Warm or tender joints Limited range of motion (your child’s ability to move his or her joints)
• Juvenile Arthritis symptoms:
• Causes of these arthritis illnesses:

What is Juvenile Arthritis Treatment?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for juvenile arthritis, although with early diagnosis and aggressive treatment, remission is possible. The goal of treatment is to relieve inflammation, control pain and improve the child’s quality of life. Most treatment plans involve a combination of medication, physical activity, eye care and healthy eating.

Juvenile Arthritis Self Care

An important part of JA treatment is teaching the child the importance of how to follow the treatment prescribed by the healthcare team. Self care also involves helping the child address the emotional and social effects of the disease. Self management encompasses the choices made each day to live well and stay healthy and happy.

“1. Don’t Forget to Drink Water – One of the best things you can do for your health is to drink optimal amounts of water every day. Water plays a big part and it can keep you healthy during the winter.
2. Avoid Stress Situations – Studies have linked high stress levels to making a person more susceptible to catching colds and flu. Try to minimize your stress by working reasonable hours at your job and use your free time to rest and relax alone or with friends and family. Develop healthy habits and avoid stress!
3. Eat Healthy – Eat food which is rich with vitamin C. It will help you keep your immune system strong and healthy during the winter. Try to include more fruit and veggies such as lemons, kiwifruit, capsicum and broccoli in your everyday meals.
4. Sleep Well – The average person needs 6-8 hours of sleep per night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your body is extremely vulnerable to illness. Sleep is very much like fuel that recharges your batteries!”

PREMIER MEDICAL GROUP (https://www.premiermedicalhv.com/news/7-steps-to-a-healthy-winter-season/)

A woman walks her dog along a lane after a snowfall in Elham, south east England February 11, 2013. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor (BRITAIN – Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY ANIMALS)

ARROWHEAD0125c2 — Duluth Todd McFadden (left) and an unidentified competitor ride side by side during the 2012 Arrowhead 135 ultramarathon. Todd McFadden photo

So what’s the solution?

For starters here are four simple ways to avoid winter weight gain:

1. Stock up your kitchen cupboards

Keep your store cupboard stocked with staples such as cans of tomatoes, spices, beans and pulses, dried wholewheat pasta, wholewheat cereals, noodles, couscous and dried fruit. Keep some extra bread in the freezer if there’s space. That way, you’ll be able to create a quick and nutritious evening meal, such as a lentil or vegetable soup or stew, at short notice. You’ll save money and avoid the temptation to order a high-calorie takeaway.

2. Exercise more

When the outside temperature drops, it’s easy to give up on outdoor exercise. In winter, we stop doing calorie-burning outdoor activities like short walks and gardening. But reducing the amount of physical activity you do is one of the biggest contributors to winter weight gain.

Cold weather and shorter days don’t mean you have to abandon exercise completely. Instead, rearrange your schedule to fit in what you can. You don’t need formal exercise to burn calories.

A brisk walk can be revitalising after being indoors with the central heating on, and it’ll also help boost your circulation. Put on some warm clothes and jog around the neighbourhood or start a snowball fight with the kids. Most leisure centres have heated swimming pools and indoor tennis and badminton courts. If you’d rather stay at home, buy some dance or workout DVDs, and always walk up the stairs at work rather than using the lift. “These little things can make all the difference when it comes to avoiding that pound of weight gain over winter,” says Porter.

3. Drink smart

It’s important to consume hot drinks throughout winter as it will help you keep warm. However, some hot beverages are high in calories. Milky, syrupy coffee shop drinks and hot chocolate with whipped cream can add a lot of calories to your diet. A Starbucks medium caffe mocha, for instance, contains more than 360 calories. Stick to regular coffee or tea, or ask for your drink to be “skinny” (made with skimmed milk). Also, limit your alcohol intake as much as possible.

4. Get your winter greens

Eating a wide variety of foods ensures you get a range of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Don’t get stuck eating the same food every day.

Look out for root vegetables, such as swedes, parsnips and turnips, and winter veggies such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale and artichokes. They’re filling as well as nutritious so will help you to resist a second helping of trifle.

Other ways you can create a winter wellness plan that works for you:

1. Bring out the crock pot! Emphasis slow cooked, warm, moist meals this season.
2. Soups are a perfect match for the cold, dry days.
3. We gravitate toward richer foods in the winter for good reason — we need to stay warm, lubricated and healthy.  Allow yourself to indulge in high quality dairy, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, organic meats, and healthy fats — you can feel satisfied without jumping on the sugar train.
4. With the increase in heavier foods, be sure to increase spices and foods that help keep digestion lively. Many of these foods and spices have the added benefit of boosting your immune system because they are antibacterial. Try adding dark leafy greens, berries, garlic, onions, ginger, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon to your recipes whenever you can.
5. Pay attention if your skin feels tighter these days; you may need to switch to a hardier natural moisturizer like cocoa butter.
6. Use humidifiers to keep the air you are breathing moist.
7. If you use a neti pot to help keep your sinuses clear,  swab your inner noise with a q-tip dabbed in coconut oil or olive oil when you are done to be sure you don’t over dry that area.
8. Be proactive about preventing ear infections.  Warm up garlic oil (sold in natural health food stores) to body temperature and put a dropper full into each ear canal.
9. We breathe a lot more indoor air in the winter, so be especially careful to keep it clean and free of toxins. Rotate an air purifier into different rooms.
10. Let indoor green plants help keep your air clean and fresh.
11. Diffuse essential oils to increase the negative ion count in your air (shown to help mitigate the effects of seasonal affective disorder).
12. Prioritize sleep and follow the sun’s lead. As the days get shorter, shift your sleep routine toward going to bed earlier and to allow your body more hours to rest and repair.
13. Keep physically active during the winter to bolster mental health and physical immunity.
14. If you are a walker or runner, invest in a set of cold weather workout clothes so your can keep up your routine as the temperature dips.
15. Shift to indoor activities : yoga, stretching, dance, toning and aerobics can all be done via a DVD in your living room.
16. Join a gym or group workout class to keep connected and accountable to getting your workout in.
17. Get social! Stay connected to others, even as your activities shift more and more indoors. Join a moms’ group or book club that meets regularly.
18. Replace outdoor kid’s outings with indoor ones, like book time at the library or trips to the museum.
19. Strengthen your body’s defenses by keeping your gut healthy.  Consume foods that have natural probiotics (like yogurt, kefir, miso soup, cultured vegetables, sauerkraut), or take a high quality supplement.
20. If you take fish oil supplements, shift to cod liver oil supplements for the winter. These have the added benefit of vitamin A and D (great for months when our access to vitamin D producing sunshine is limited).
21. Finally, make a Feel Good menu specifically for winter. Take a moment to brainstorm all the things you can do in winter that you enjoy, that feel indulgent, and that make you happy. Keep this list posted and draw from it to make your days more special and when you need a little extra pampering

A better diet, a little more exercise – healthy living is easy if you take it one tip at a time.  ALWAYS check with your doctor before making changes in your diet, exercise and any other activities of your daily living to prevent any injuries.  Prevention to accidents or injury are always are part of prevention and going to the doctor always help to make change for any changes we make in our lives especially with diseases we might be dealing with.

“Is your car ready for winter travel? It’s not too late to winterize your car. Check out these car care tips to prepare you for winter driving:

“January is National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month. Harsh winter days offer thrill-seekers a playground of opportunity to participate in extreme sports, such as snowboarding, skiing, heli-skiing, and snowmobiling. The high velocity, living on the edge sense of adventure makes these sports appealing. There are physical risks associated with such activities, injuries, especially concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Sports and recreational activities contribute to about 21% of all traumatic brain injuries among American children and adolescents.”

DOC Direct Orthopedic Care (https://www.directorthocare.com/january-national-winter-sports-traumatic-brain-injury-tbi-awareness-month/)

“You can’t see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. In fact, the EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General urge all Americans to protect their health by testing their homes, schools and other buildings for radon.

Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. If a high radon level is detected in your home, you can take steps to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family.”

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

“About 1 out of 100 Americans ages 12 years and older have hyperthyroidism.  Hyperthyroidism is more common in women and people older than 60.  You are more likely to have hyperthyroidism if you have a family history of thyroid disease, have other health problems like pernicious anemia or Type 1 or 2 diabetes, primary adrenal insufficiency, eating large amounts of food with iodine, uses iodine products and pregnant in the last 6 months.”

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/hyperthyroidism#common)

“Both are disorders of the thyroid gland, but each are completely different in the affect on the organ causing opposite problems.

Confused about the difference between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism? You’re not alone. The similar-sounding terms can easily be mistaken for one another, but they have very different—actually opposite—meanings:

Hyperthyroidism (“hyper,” meaning “more”) is when there is too much thyroid hormone in the body.

Hypothyroidism (“hypo,” meaning “less”) is when there is not enough thyroid hormone in the body.”

endocrineweb (https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/thyroid/hyperthyroidism-vs-hypothyroidism)

“January is National Thyroid Awareness Month. According to the American Thyroid Association, 1 in 10 people suffer from a thyroid disorder. They also found that at least 1 in 8 women will develop a thyroid disorder during her lifetime.

Did you know, more than half of the people in America that suffer from a thyroid disorder are undiagnosed? Raising awareness about the thyroid is important because it plays a significant role in the human body.

The thyroid is a small butterfly shaped gland located just above your collarbone and in front of the windpipe. This gland controls numerous important functions in the human body.”

The Surgical Clinic (https://thesurgicalclinics.com/national-thyroid-awareness-month/)

“The damage caused by glaucoma can’t be reversed. But treatment and regular checkups can help slow or prevent vision loss, especially if you catch the disease in its early stages.

Glaucoma is treated by lowering intraocular pressure. There are treatment options.  Glaucoma treatment often starts with prescription eye drops. ”

MAYO CLINIC (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/glaucoma/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372846)