Diagnosis
Diagnosis of JIA is difficult because joint pain in children can be from many other causes. There is no single test that can confirm the diagnosis and most physicians use a combination of blood tests, x rays and the clinical presentation to make an initial diagnosis of JIA. The blood tests measure antibodies and the rheumatoid factor. Unfortunately, the rheumatoid factor is not present in all children with JIA. Moreover in some cases the blood work is somewhat normal. X rays are obtained to ensure that the joint pain is not from a fracture, cancer, infection or a congenital abnormality.
In most cases, fluid from the joint is aspirated and analyzed. This test often helps in making a diagnosis of JIA by ruling out other causes of joint pain.
Read more about this topic: Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis