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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your pediatrician or family doctor suspects that your child has juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, he or she may refer you to a doctor who specializes in arthritis (rheumatologist) to confirm the diagnosis and explore treatment.
What you can do
Before the appointment, you might want to write a list that includes:
- Detailed descriptions of your child's symptoms
- Information about medical problems your child has had in the past
- Information about the medical problems that tend to run in your family
- All the medications and dietary supplements your child takes
- Questions you want to ask the doctor
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor may ask some of the following questions:
- Which joints appear to be affected?
- When did the symptoms begin? Do they seem to come and go?
- Does anything make the symptoms better or worse?
- Is the joint stiffness worse after a period of rest?
- Questions and answers about juvenile arthritis. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Juv_Arthritis/default.asp. Accessed Aug. 24, 2011.
- Wu EY, et al. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Aug. 24, 2011.
- Arthritis in children. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/juvenilearthritis.asp. Accessed Aug. 24, 2011.
- Juvenile arthritis. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00075. Accessed Aug. 25, 2011.
- Mason TG (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 26, 2011.
- Lehman TJ. Polyarticular onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 25, 2011.
- What is life with juvenile arthritis like? Arthritis Foundation. http://www.arthritis.org/life-with-juvenile-arthritis.php. Accessed Aug. 25, 2011.
- Juvenile Arthritis Alliance. Arthritis Foundation. http://www.arthritis.org/juvenile-arthritis-alliance.php. Accessed Aug. 25, 2011.
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