Lori's Story
As a pediatric rheumatologist at BC's Women's and Children's hospitals, Dr. Lori Tucker has firsthand experience with the serious effect arthritis has on the lives of children and their families.
"The biggest issue we face is public perception — the majority of people are simply completely unaware that children get arthritis" states Dr. Tucker. "Parents are often shocked by the diagnosis; they don't realize it is one of the most common chronic diseases in children. It's more common than a diagnosis of cancer or cystic fibrosis."
Of the public's understanding of arthritis, Dr. Tucker says, "One of the things that is most difficult, is that children with juvenile arthritis don't look obviously different from other children, but their bodies and their skeletal development can be seriously damaged without early diagnosis and treatment."
Physicians lacking the appropriate training present another serious challenge. Children may not receive a timely diagnosis if their doctor does not feel confident to perform a musculoskeletal exam on children. Part of the problem is that it can be very difficult to determine whether pain and swelling are related to the usual bumps and scrapes that children experience or whether the pain is related to arthritis. Also, arthritis can present differently in children than it does in adults.
"We are very fortunate in BC to have a multi-disciplinary care team for children with arthritis here at the British Columbia's Children's Hospital" says Dr. Tucker. Once a child is diagnosed with arthritis, the child and their family can see a treatment team of specialists including a rheumatologist, specialized nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and social workers who work together for a comprehensive model of care. "It's an excellent model of care that most adults in BC do not have access to, and should."
On the other hand, children often do not have the same access to arthritis medications that adults do - and some newer medications can make an enormous difference in getting control of the disease and ensuring children maintain a high quality of life as they grow older.
Dr. Tucker recalls looking at 10 year-old photos of an arthritis summer camp in BC where children were commonly on crutches and wheelchairs. Of camp photos from today, Dr. Tucker says "we have fewer children disabled for life by their arthritis than in the past - we can prove that providing the right mix of treatments and medication to manage arthritis reduces permanent disability."
Lori has shared her story as part of the Where is Arthritis? provincial tour, which is traveling the province during National Arthritis Month in September. "It important to me that people understand children can get arthritis, it's a serious disease, and we need to take action to ensure children can access the right medication and the best treatment."