'My daughter's rheumatology nurse took away all of her fear'

My daughter Isabella was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the age of one. She was unable to walk and in pain constantly.

Sleep quality in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) report poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, fatigue, anxiety, and altered mood. Sleep disturbances in school-aged children are an issue of serious concern. Children are at an age when sleep is of primary importance to physical and intellectual growth, and sleep disturbances that begin in childhood may persist into adulthood. In this article we will review what is currently known about sleep in children with JRA, the influence of medications on sleep quality, the potential impact of poor sleep quality on daily life issues, and complementary/alternative modalities that may be effective in reducing sleep disturbances.

Prevention of nonadherence to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for newly diagnosed patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Adherence to medications for chronic pediatric diseases decreases overtime. This randomized controlled trial evaluated a clinic-based, nurse-administered educational and behavioral intervention to prevent the anticipated drop in adherence to nonsteroidal medications among newly diagnosed patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Thirty-four participants completed the study (mean age = 8.44 years, SD = 3.96), including 19 in the experimental group and 15 in the standard-treatment (education) control group. There were significant group and Group x Time effects for adherence (assessed with an electronic monitor over a 13-month period) favoring the experimental group. In contrast, the groups did not differ significantly in disease activity or functional limitations. Factors that may have prevented detection of differences in these health parameters are dicussed.

Juvenile arthritis: a nursing perspective

Juvenile arthritis is the fifth most common chronic illness in children. When a child is diagnosed with juvenile arthritis, the family must adjust in many ways in order to cope with the demands of this illness. This article provides an overview of the disease, presents the case history of two sisters with polyarticular arthritis, and discusses how nurses and other health team members can empower a family to manage more successfully with this disease and thereby enhance quality of life. Professional resources that aid families coping including educating the family about the disease, providing psychologic support, as well as knowledge and assistance for optimal physical functioning and maintaining energy reserves, and suggesting strategies to sustain self esteem, motivation and hope.

An educational needs assessment of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE

Our objective is to describe the use of the PRECEDE model (predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling causes in educational diagnosis and evaluation) to organize needs assessment data in order to define self-management behaviors and plan an educational intervention for children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and their families.

METHODS

Analysis was done of needs assessment data collected from several sources: 1) literature review, 2) survey of parents of 51 children with JRA, 3) group interview of seven parents of children with JRA, 4) results of pilot programs, and 5) clinical experience of an interdisciplinary pediatric rheumatology team.

RESULTS

Two sets of interrelated behavioral factors were identified through the needs assessment: 1) those related to managing the school environment to facilitate optimal participation and to minimize school-related disability, and 2) those related to treating pain and stiffness, intervening in the disease process, and preserving joint function.

CONCLUSION

Both of these sets of behavioral factors may be related to the optimization of children's mobility, joint function, and autonomy of activities of daily living and should be targets of an educational intervention.

Parents' experience of coming to know the care of a chronically ill child

The family is the primary source of care for a chronically ill child, and it is the parents who must manage the child's illness on a daily basis. This qualitative study was undertaken to investigate the ways in which 10 two-parent families of children with juvenile arthritis experience their child's illness. In this paper the theme of coming to terms with the management of the illness and what it entails for the parents is examined. The data provide evidence of how the parents learn, and their efforts and experience of learning to care for the child on a daily basis. This is a complex process and includes the different phases the parents experience as they move through the learning process. The findings suggest that the parents learn the child's care and make adjustments to the demands of managing the child's illness in a way that works best for them.

Nursing management of a child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable chronic disease of childhood which involves connective tissue in the joints. Treatment aims are supportive and directed toward pain management, alleviation of inflammation, and optimization of joint function. A multidisciplinary team approach is helpful, with nursing care an essential part of the treatment plan.

Methotrexate use in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease of childhood. Methotrexate is an emerging antirheumatic drug in the pediatric population for disease refractory to conventional medications. While observations are encouraging, the toxic side effects can be potentially serious. Toxicity includes gastrointestinal intolerance, ulcerative stomatitis, chemical hepatitis, minor liver fibrosis, infection, hematologic suppression, acute pneumonitis, reversible oligospermia, and cirrhosis. The liver toxicities are of the greatest concern. If proper dosage and monitoring are followed, serious toxic effects can be prevented from occurring.

Impact of juvenile arthritis on families. An educational assessment

State of the art patient education programs have as their goals changes in behaviors, coping styles, health status, and/or costs. The accomplishment of these goals often involves not only the patient but also his or her whole family. This is especially true if the patient is a child. Based on this premise, we undertook an educational needs assessment of 50 children with juvenile arthritis (JA) and their families. Through utilization of a grounded theory methodology, open-ended questionnaires were completed by JA children, their parents, and their siblings. The resulting analysis suggests (1) the need for family-based education, (2) differing needs of various family members, and (3) several hypotheses for further study.

Even children have arthritis

Children experience a number of problems related to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), including pain, stiffness, and loss of mobility that interferes with normal growth and development. Innovative nursing in a variety of settings is needed to manage the child with this chronic illness.