What are the other therapies that children with arthritis would need?
Physiotherapy: Forms an integral part of treatment of children with arthritis. In the acute stages when there is excessive inflammation, the joint is rested. Once the inflammation is reduced, range movement exercises and, strengthening exercises are advised.

Orthotics and appliances: Children with deformities need assessment with a view to providing appliances and splints that would help lessen the disability.

Emotional needs: The amount of impact a chronic disease like arthritis has on a growing child is large. Children may have difficulties in schooling, interaction with other children, interaction with parents and relatives. All these should not be ignored and if needed the help of a child psychologist should be sought.

What role do climate and food have on arthritis?
There is no scientific proof to say that either hot /cold weather is the cause of arthritis. However sudden changes in temperature especially from hot to cold could worsen a pre-existing arthritis. Further since the level of activity goes down during cold weather the joint stiffness increases. When the disease is well controlled with appropriate medications one finds no relationship between the weather and the joint disease.

The kind of food eaten by and large does not affect the joints. Infact when the arthritis is active there is loss of weight and appetite. Hence there is no logic in doing any kind of dieting/food restriction. Less than 5% of children with arthritis have what is termed food allergy. This could be allergy to any kind of food including wheat-based food like chappati/ bread. These patients are told to avoid only that specific food.

What is the prognosis?
Prognosis depends upon the severity of arthritis, the delay in undertaking proper treatment and the efficacy & tolerability of medications.

The most important factor is early diagnosis and proper treatment. The first few years in this disorder is called a window period when, there is inflammation but no damage to the underlying joints. It during this crucial period that treatment is effective in retarding the joint damage.

What is the cause?
The exact cause of these disorders has not yet been clearly defined. However it is thought that in the presence of genetic predisposition an undefined environmental insult perpetuates a chronic inflammation causing the arthritis.

What is the role of other other systems of medicine like Ayurveda/ Homeopathy in these diseases?
Although an allopath is not qualified to comment on other forms of medications the following guidelines may be useful:

Adhere to one form of medicine at a time.
Give a fair trial of at-least 6 months on any system of medication before judging its efficacy or otherwise.

In chronic diseases like arthritis it is quite likely that there are subgroups of patients who find benefit with one specific system of medication.

Last updated on 24-12-2001