Helpful tips

  Critical Issues in Juvenile Arthritis: Advances in Treatment & Research, Managing Pain, Uveitis UPDATE JAFA Online Symposium Sunday 11 October  7pm to 9pm (Sydney / Melbourne) Program 7:00pm  Welcome and Introduction Convenor:  Ruth Colgiuri 7:05pm  A Word from the JAFA Board on World Arthritis Day 7:15pm  Advances in Treatment and Research “Armchair…

The Juvenile Arthritis Foundation of Australia (JAFA) organised a symposium for families of children with rheumatologic conditions.  A panel of paediatric rheumatology clinicians tackled some of the common issues/topics of parental concern.  The JAFA Board have kindly shared the recording of the symposium with PRN. The topics discussed were: Demystifying Methotrexate – Dr Ben…

Excessive and uneven distribution of load can lead to poor posture and pain, especially in the back and shoulders, says Debra Grech, Physiotherapist at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick. Here are some tips on choosing the correct pack for your child. * Backpacks with wide, contoured shoulder straps are best. Avoid those with narrow webbed straps.

Hydrotherapy is a form of physiotherapy that uses the body’s natural buoyancy, warmth and the water’s resistance to bring about therapeutic effects. In children with rheumatologic conditions, hydrotherapy can alleviate symptoms associated with juvenile arthritis, juvenile dermatomyositis and other inflammatory conditions.

Some children with rheumatologic problems such as JIA require injections of steroid into the joint. It’s usually effective because it does three things at once: treats the inflammation, decreases the damage to the joint and provides pain relief. The medical term for a joint injection is intra-articular injection. The procedure involves inserting a needle into…

With summer holidays fast approaching, we will be spending more time outdoors, it seems like a good time to remind everyone all about sun safety. Parents often ask us here at PRN, “now our child has been diagnosed with a rheumatologic disease, how vigilant do we have to be with sun safety?”. In Australia, while…