There are seven subtypes of JIA, each with slightly different symptoms. The most common symptoms across all subtypes include joint swelling, stiffness, and pain. Other common symptoms include skin rashes, fatigue, and fevers.

Here are some common symptoms to have investigated if they last for longer than a week:

• Is your child slow to get moving in the mornings or after sitting for a long time? Arthritic joints can be difficult to move but ‘warm up’ after a while.
• Is your child limping, or have they changed the way they use their bodies? Do they avoid any activities, or have they stopped doing things?
• Does your child complain of pain or have joints that are warm to the touch?
• Rashes and fevers can come and go with no apparent cause.
• Is your child tired despite getting enough sleep? Are they getting enough sleep, or do they wake up a lot and seem uncomfortable or in pain?
• Does your child complain of painful eyes and lights being too bright?

TIP: Joints that are stiff in the mornings can appear entirely normal later in the day. This is because movement helps loosen joints, but it can make doctor visits frustrating – without witnessing the symptoms themselves, doctors can find it hard to diagnose the disease. It is a good idea to take videos and photos of your child’s symptoms when you notice them so that you can show these to your doctor during the consultation.

Autoimmune diseases are characterised by symptoms that come and go in waves, so your may have a child who is running around one afternoon and be too sore to move the next day. This is another reason why documenting your child’s symptoms is important.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Arthritic pain in children is sometimes dismissed as growing pains. Growing pains do sometimes occur in young children from around five and then again in the last stage of teenage growth. However, growing pains only ever happen at night and are limited to large joints, like the knee. Growing pains will never result in swelling, inflammation, or an inability to use a limb.