Rheumatic diseases in childhood and adolescence: importance of early multi-professional care

Abstract

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease in children. Both the disease, which is accompanied by pain and movement restrictions, and its usually complex, long-term therapy, are associated with burdens for those affected until adulthood. Impairments can affect many areas of life. Holistic care that considers the preferences and expressed needs of patients and their families is crucial in order to achieve the desired therapeutic goals of remission and the best possible quality of life. Since JIA begins in avery early phase of life, long-term consequences due to illness and therapy are of considerable importance.The approval of new substances that specifically intervene in the inflammatory process has fundamentally changed the treatment of JIA in recent years. Above all, early effective therapy makes adecisive contribution to an improved prognosis of JIA patients. Meanwhile, JIA patients enter adulthood with good everyday function and quality of life as well as less secondary damage and concomitant diseases, although only about half achieve stable therapy-free remission. In order to support the necessary transition into adult medicine, transition programmes have been developed to prepare young rheumatics for the new form of care and to prevent gaps in care and unfavourable outcomes. Last but not least, the recording of psychological factors is important in order to support the chronically ill in dealing with their illness and the resulting challenges, if necessary.