UNC Health’s Post

Did you know that Down Syndrome-Associated Arthritis (DA) is more prevalent than Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, which is the most common pediatric rheumatologic disease*? This revelation highlights the importance of raising awareness about conditions like DA and ensuring early diagnosis and treatment for individuals with Down Syndrome. Let's spread the word and support those affected! #WorldDownSyndromeDay #PediatricRheumatology #Awareness #Health   *Jordan T Jones .Down Syndrome-Associated Arthritis (DA): Diagnostic and Management Challenges Pediatric Health Med Ther. 2022; 13: 53–62.

“Children do not just outgrow JIA. They need ongoing rheumatologic care throughout adolescence which includes into the transition/transfer process to adult care.” It is common to think that arthritis only affects older people however one in 1,000 Canadian children 15 years and younger live with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), a term that encompasses a number of chronic inflammatory joint diseases that start before the age 16. JIA often first appears in the joints and surrounding tissues, and presents as joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. In some cases, it can affect other organs, such as the eyes, skin, lungs, heart or gastrointestinal tract. Researchers are unsure why kids develop JIA (idiopathic means unknown). While there is no cure for JIA, an effective management strategy can help improve an individual's functional ability and productivity in daily life. https://lnkd.in/e3pbC6if

July is National Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness about juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and other rheumatic diseases that affect children. In this spotlight, Dr. Misha Balmuri shares insight about JIA and the importance of this observance 💙 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙅𝙄𝘼? 𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩? JIA is an umbrella term used to describe seven different arthritis entities that affect children and teens, due to the immune system becoming overactive and attacking healthy tissues in the joints. Pain, swelling and range of motion limitation in the affected joints are the main symptoms. Often, patients will describe joint stiffness, especially in the morning. Parents might notice a morning limp that improves over the course of the day or with activity, as well. Anti-inflammatories are used to treat JIA in the beginning. Often, medications that lower the immune system are started as well...It is also really important that we not only treat the disease but also screen for depression and anxiety, very prominent symptoms children and teens report feeling with chronic disease such as JIA. 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩? Untreated JIA is one of the most common causes for acquired disability among children in the United States. JIA Awareness Month allows families, affected children, and medical teams to learn more about this disease and support research efforts exploring JIA and its treatment. These discussions help us promote the early diagnosis and subsequent treatment of this aggressive disease. 𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙝𝙚𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙨 𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧? The best part about the Children’s Center is how patient-and-family focused it is. In addition, my amazing colleagues really help me deliver the cutting-edge care that my patients and their families deserve. #StrongerThanJA #KidsHealth

More often than not, we get the question 'Do children really get arthritis?' Let us demystify childhood arthritis also known as JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis). Read more on our blog by Dr. ANGELA MIGOWA: https://lnkd.in/eSCKEnwC #arthritisawareness #beatchildhoodarthritis

Cauda equina syndrome ("CES"). Critique of Recent Case Law in an article by a neurosurgeon. Mr Nicholas Todd, Consultant Neurosurgeon, has written a very interesting article in the recent edition of JPIL (available on Westlaw) analysing a number of previous decisions in CES cases. He was expert for the claimant in some of the cases but cogently argues that in light of more recent literature (particularly that radiological findings cannot rule out CES, as CES is a clinical not a radiological diagnosis) and guidance (particularly GIRFT guidance) findings in those cases cannot now withstand logical scrutiny. This is a useful article and highlights the care that should be taken when trying to draw conclusions from authoritative judgments in CES cases even from recent years. Jarman was described to me by a neurosurgeon (not Mr Todd) as "a travesty" and this article provides some support for that view. Other judgments coming in for criticism are Pomphrey (2019), Hewes (2020 which was unsuccessfully appealed) and Hussain (2011). The article helpfully discusses material contribution as it applies to CES cases concluding, quite rightly, that CES is a dose-related injury not a trigger injury (utilising the somewhat outmoded distinctions contained in Sienkiewicz). This means that material contribution should be a live issue even in CES retention cases.

Pediatric Stroke

Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) is a complex and multifaceted condition that affects children and adolescents, posing unique challenges for both patients and their families. In this comprehensive and accessible exploration, we delve into the world of JIA, unraveling its various subtypes, diagnostic journey, emotional impact, and strategies for effective management. #arthritis #juvenilearthritis #juvenilearthritisawareness

Primary aldosteronism (Conns syndrome) in a cat; a case report and review of comparative aspects https://t.co/U3Ak5ssqVi #EurekaMag

The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill that will defund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Injury Center. They could vote as soon as Wednesday! Three vital brain injury related programs will be eliminated: * HEADS UP * National Concussion Surveillance System * Core State Injury Prevention Program These programs provide vital education and prevention resources to the public and offer important data sets to clinicians, practitioners, and researchers. Eliminating the few prevention and surveillance programs we have will have far-reaching implications. I encourage you to learn more about traumatic brain injury, these necessary programs, and to write your representative asking them to support the brain injury community. Clink this link from Brain Injury Association of America and Brain Injury Association of Ohio to learn how to help and to write your representative ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Sdf8v4 Why is this close to my heart? When I was 11 years old, my then 21 year old brother, Bobby, was in a horrific car accident that changed the trajectory of our family’s lives. A head-on collision with a flatbed truck at 70mph during a diabetic seizure left my brother clinging to life. The nearly 28 years that followed brought challenges I still struggle to articulate. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are different for everyone. But like many, Bobby’s TBI was devastating for him and those of us who loved him. TBI’s are one of the few injuries where the clinical explanation is possibly easier to comprehend than the reality of it. Grab a box of tissues and watch the documentary COMA on HBO Max if you want to see the raw reality for some. I consider a few of their stories a close representation of our family’s early experiences with TBI. TBI families and advocates know “if you’ve seen one brain injury, you’ve seen one brain injury.” Even today, so little is known. There’s a broad spectrum of severity and for some, TBI’s can be invisible to outsiders. My brother passed away in 2019 at 49 years old but the Brain Injury Association of America’s mission will always be close to my heart. I still feel the effects of TBI as the caregiver to my elderly mother, who has complicated cognitive impairments from strokes, small vessel ischemic disease, and a subarachnoid hemorrhage from a fall years ago that we also believe caused brain injury. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Injury Center is a critical resource in brain injury prevention and surveillance. Please click the link above to send a letter to your representative in Congress urging them to support the brain injury community. Share the message!

Check out pediatric research papers like “Application of PainDETECT in pediatric chronic pain: how well does it identify neuropathic pain and its characteristics?” in PAIN Reports https://bit.ly/47WumKs