& Madison: Walk helps arthritis sufferers - both the young and the old

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Walk helps arthritis sufferers — both the young and the old

http://www.thekansan.com/stories/042407/topstories_042407015.shtml

When most people hear the word arthritis, they think of a disease that comes with old age. However, for at least two local families, the realization that arthritis can be diagnosed in children became very real in the last couple of years.

A little more than a year ago, Madison, 2-year-old daughter of Zach and Tracey Weaver, was diagnosed with systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at 13-months of age. Last year, just a month after Madison’s diagnosis, the Weaver’s became involved with the Arthritis Foundation’s annual nationwide event, the Arthritis Walk to help raise awareness of arthritis and funds for research.

Veri Stroud and her 13-year-old daughter, , share a moment together Monday afternoon in their Newton home. Stroud was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis just before her 12th birthday. “Once we heard about the walk, we signed up,” Tracey said. “We decided to take a more proactive roll in making people aware of the disease and helping research to continue.” According to the Arthritis Foundation, nearly 300,000 children younger than 17 are affected by(juvenile arthritis) with 50,000 children affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The type of arthritis Madison has symptoms that include high, spiking fevers of 103 degrees or higher which can last for weeks or even months; rashes consisting of pale, red spots on the child’s chest, thighs and sometimes other body parts; and arthritis that affects the small joints of the hands, wrists, knees and ankles. “With Madison’s type of JRA, not just joints are affected but damage can be done to organs, as well, during high spiking fevers,” Tracey said. A fever that just won’t go down, was what led the Weaver’s to be directed to a pediatric rheumatologist in Kansas City, who diagnosed her with the systemic onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The Weaver’s will be participating Saturday in the Arthritis Walk, for the second year. “Last year, we were introduced to other parents with small children that have JA,” Tracey said. “After thinking we were the only ones who are dealing with this disease it was comforting to meet other families who can relate with each other.” When Madison was first diagnosed, the family of five, was worried about how to care for her. But in the past year, Tracey said, the family has adjusted well to the limitations that Madison has. The family is careful about taking her out in public and what toys she plays with because she is more susceptible to illness and stays sick longer because of the type of arthritis she has. Veri Stroud’s 13-year-old daughter Stroud, was diagnosed with JA just before her 12th birthday. Veri remembers thinking she and her daughter, who reside in Newton, were the only ones dealing with juvenile arthritis. However, after an adult friend gave Veri the Arthritis Foundation’s Web site address, she realized she wasn’t alone. After calling the foundation and asking question after question, she has been in contact with other parents with children that have JA. The type of JA that was diagnosed with is Polyarticular JRA. This type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects five or more joints and affects girls more than boys, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The arthritis symptoms most commonly affect the knees, wrists and ankles and can affect weight-bearing and other joints, including hips, neck, shoulders and jaw. Symptoms often affect the same joint on both sides of the body. first saw symptoms of the JRA, with the stiffening and swelling of an ankle. It took three months to get the swelling to decline, but within two weeks of the on set of the first symptoms she was diagnosed with the chronic disease. “We were blessed that the diagnosis came so quickly for ,” Veri said. “Some families wait months and even more than a year to receive the correct diagnosis of the juvenile arthritis symptoms.” Veri has given funds to support teams that are walking in Saturday’s event for the Arthritis Foundation at the Sedgwick County Zoo. The Arthritis Walk is in it’s third year in Wichita. The event is organized in hopes to bring more awareness and raise funds to fight arthritis. For more information about the Arthritis Walk or the Arthritis Foundation visit the Web site at www.arthritis.org.