Charitable Involvement
Joseph Karsner has dedicated time to charitable causes, such as the American Arthritis Foundation. While arthritis affects millions of adults each year, Mr. Karsner’s efforts were directed at a smaller portion of those affected with the illness: children. Mr. Karsner was instrumental in “Kids get arthritis, too” campaign in the early 1990’s, and is still a champion of the cause today. The “Kids get arthritis too” campaign worked to help shed light on the lesser known Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA). It is estimated that JRA affects roughly 50,000 children in America, with no known cause or cure, and that over 300,000 children in America suffer from some form of juvenile arthritis.
Arthritis is characterized as a painful swelling of the joints, which is most commonly associated with older adults. While arthritis in adults is most likely chronic, the good news is that in the case of juvenile arthritis, it may only be temporary, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a few years, eventually going away on its own. Still, it is possible for juvenile arthritis to last a lifetime.
While the exact cause of juvenile arthritis is not yet known, medical professionals believe it is probably related to an autoimmune disease. Their theory is that because in autoimmune diseases the body’s white blood cells lose their ability to differentiate between healthy cells and unhealthy cells or foreign matter like viruses and bacteria, the body actually attacks all cells- including healthy ones. This releases chemicals into the bloodstream that can cause damage to healthy tissue and joints, causing swelling and pain.
JRA often begins as a high fever, rash, or swollen joint, and progresses from there. There are three different types of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: Polyarticular Arthritis, Pauciarticular JRA, and Systemic JRA.
Polyarticular Arthritis is more common in girls. Children with Polyarticular Arthritis typically have painful swelling in five or more joints, such as those in the hands, knees, hips, ankles and feet. Children affected may also suffer from bumps or nodules on the body in areas affected by the strain of the joints.
Pauciarticular JRA usually occurs in fewer joints than Polyarticular Arthritis- usually less than 4. The joints most commonly afflicted are the knee and wrist. Another side affect, only found in Pauciarticular JRA is an inflammation of the iris of the eye called Irisitis or Uveitis. The presence of Irisitis or Uveitis can actually help diagnose Pauciarticular JRA.
Like its name, Systemic JRA affects the entire body system. Patients with Systemic JRA may also exhibit fever and rash, as well as enlarged lymph nodes and/or spleen.
While there is no cure for JRA, there are many treatments which aim to ease pain and limit or eliminate permanent damage to joints, all the while restoring usability to affected joints. Some of the treatments may include corticosteroid injections (to reduce inflammation), the use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (or NSAID’s) (including over-the-counter brands like Advil, and physical therapy. Physical therapy is also crucial in the care of adults with arthritis, as it helps keeps patients muscles strong in an effort to aid and protect the joints.