What to do about joint pain in children

  Joint pain in children is relatively common, and we all have experienced joint pain at one time or another during our growth process. In modern society, more and more attention is paid to children’s health, but many parents still lack the appropriate understanding and knowledge of the situation of children’s joint pain,? Once it happens, do not know what to do, this article briefly introduce the relevant knowledge.  When joint pain occurs, we need to analyze and determine the location of the joint pain, its duration, the presence of accompanying symptoms, and the general condition of the child.  First, we need to confirm that the pain is actually in the joint. This requires the physician to carefully examine the painful area by applying pressure and checking the movement of the joint in all directions, and to carefully observe the child’s expression and reaction during the examination in order to clarify the condition. Determining the site of pain is often the first step in making a clear diagnosis and is important for determining the nature of the disease. For example, in leukemia because leukemia cells? The cells infiltrate the periosteum? and bone cortex and cause pain, but at this time it is often bone pain that is predominant and easily confused in children.  Second, we need to clarify the duration of joint pain. For example, children’s growing pains often come on in the first half of the night and are relieved later; reactive arthritis is often repeated joint pains, which can last for several hours to several days and finally can be relieved by itself; while joint pains caused by bone tumors are often more intense and persist without relief, and ordinary painkillers are ineffective; and rheumatoid arthritis, the pains often last longer and even appear stiff after rest and sleep.  The symptoms that accompany the joint pain are also important in determining the condition. For example, if a single joint is red, swollen, hot or painful, septic arthritis should be ruled out first; if multiple joints of both hands and feet are symmetrically painful with swelling and deformity, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis should be considered; if the joints are sharply enlarged with redness, heat and pain within a short period of time, intra-articular bleeding in hemophilia should be considered.  In addition, the general condition of the body and the condition of other organs should be considered when joint pain occurs. For example, if joint pain is accompanied by flaccid fever lasting more than two weeks and enlarged liver and spleen lymph nodes, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis should be considered; if joint pain is accompanied by low afternoon fever, night sweats, erythema nodosum, and chronic cough, tuberculous arthritis should be considered; if joint pain is accompanied by recurrent abdominal pain, joint pain caused by inflammatory bowel disease should be considered.  In summary, the causes of joint pain in children are complex and can be physiological or pathological, so it is important to choose a specialist hospital and a specialist physician in a timely manner.