When a young person has arthritis: a guide for teachers

What is juvenile idiopathic arthritis?

• Juvenile means that the arthritis begins before the age of 16.
• Idiopathic means that we don’t yet know what cause it.
• Arthritis means that one or more joints are inflamed.

JIA is really a group of illnesses, put under the same name because they share similar symptoms. There are several different types of JIA: oligoarthritis, polyarthritis JIA, systemic-onset JIA, psoriatic arthritis and enthesitis-related JIA.

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Will treatments affect school life?

The best treatment is a combination of drugs and an active, regular programme of exercises. Some of the treatments for JIA may have an affect on a child's school day or may lead to them being absent for short periods.

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How will JIA affect a young person in school?

Problems may include:

• mobility (e.g. getting to and from school, moving around the premises)
• hand function (e.g. difficulties in writing, using tools or doing physical tasks)
• pain, which may cause tiredness, irritability and loss of concentration
• stiffness, which characteristically occurs after prolonged sitting and in the mornings
• fatigue
• confidence and friendships
• missing school days
• difficulty with vision.

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Discussing a young person's needs

You'll probably need to discuss the following with the pupil, their parents and any relevant medical professionals:

• Learning mentors
• Pastoral support plan (PSP)
• Individual education plan (IEP)
• Common assessment framework (CAF)
• Shared timetables
• Statement of special educational needs

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Working with schools – who can help?

All staff members can help to make the young person’s school life easier. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and the school nurse may have very important roles in supporting the young person to get any medical, academic or emotional help they need.

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What else can schools do to help?

All members of staff can help with the following issues:

• mobility issues
• improving had function
• managing pain
• joining in with PE and sports
• emotional issues
• falling behind with school work
• problems mixing with others
• worries about the future.

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