27 Mar Juvenile Arthritis: The Overlooked Childhood Disease Affecting Thousands
Early Diagnosis Can Prevent Lifelong Disability
Juvenile arthritis (JA) is a painful and often misunderstood disease that affects around 30,000 children and young adults under 24 in Australia. Despite being one of the most common chronic childhood conditions, it is frequently overlooked—sometimes even by healthcare professionals—leading to delayed diagnosis and irreversible joint and eye damage.
The Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, is bringing attention to this issue by becoming the Patron of the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia (JAFA). She recently hosted families at Government House in Canberra during Juvenile Arthritis Week (16-23 March), emphasizing the urgent need for earlier diagnosis and better support.
Living with Juvenile Arthritis: A Family’s Story
Alice Hill, mother of seven-year-old Charlie Walter, knows firsthand the challenges of late diagnosis. Charlie began experiencing symptoms at age four, but it took far too long to get a proper diagnosis.
“Our journey to diagnosis was painfully slow,” Alice shares. “There needs to be more funding for healthcare professionals to recognise the signs and more specialist teams to provide the care these children desperately need.”
Since receiving his diagnosis, Charlie’s condition has improved with specialist treatment. However, the family still faces ongoing challenges. “We hope that in the future, other children won’t have to wait as long as Charlie did to get help,” Alice adds.
The Urgent Need for Awareness and Early Intervention
Juvenile arthritis is an incurable autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints but can also impact the eyes, skin, muscles, and organs. It causes chronic pain, disability, and emotional distress:
- 80% of children with JA experience daily pain.
- 53% develop mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.
- School absences are common, with affected children missing 12% of school time on average.
Leading paediatric rheumatologist Dr Jeff Chaitow stresses the importance of early diagnosis: “Early intervention reduces pain and suffering and helps prevent long-term joint damage, improving overall outcomes.”
Professor Ruth Colagiuri AM, JAFA’s founder, highlights JAFA’s efforts to cut the average diagnosis time from 10 months to 10 weeks. “We must rescue these children and their families from the misdiagnosis merry-go-round and get them the care they need.”
With the Governor-General’s support, JAFA hopes to raise awareness and ensure that children with juvenile arthritis receive the timely and effective treatment they deserve.
For more information on juvenile arthritis, visit Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia
