JIA Resources
Living with a child who has JIA, you know how important it is to have some place to turn when you need information, answers, or require additional support. Today, people with JIA and their caregivers have a wide range of places to turn to for information and support.
Books and videos can be excellent resources for people wanting to learn more about arthritis. There are many of these resources from which to choose. You can obtain books and videos from a bookstore, over the internet, or from your local library. To learn more about useful books and videos, contact your local office of The Arthritis Society at 1-800-321-1433.
Here are some resources you may find helpful:
Books
I am bRAve.
The Arthritis Society, 2004
This book of drawings and stories, created and written by Canadian children with arthritis, provides a visual voice and expression to childhood experience with Juvenile Arthritis.
It's Not Just Growing Pains: A Guide to Childhood Muscle, Bone and Joint Pain, Rheumatic Diseases, and the Latest Treatments
Thomas J. A. Lehman M.D., Oxford University Press, 2004
This book is written to help the parents of children with joint pain and childhood arthritis, and make sure these children get the proper diagnosis, the best care, and the best possible outcome.
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Closer Look
J. Roger Hollister, 2000
Keeping A Secret: A Story About Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
Elizabeth D. Mellins, April Hartmann,
Elizabeth Murphy-Melas, Health Press (NM), 2001
This is a thoughtful and engaging story of one girl's journey from diagnosis to treatment. Why can't Jennifer play soccer or jump rope? Any child with a chronic disease will relate to this young girl coming to terms with her diagnosis and treatment of JIA, and the way in which she shares this news with her friends.
Nicole's Story
Virginia Totorica Aldape, photographs by Lillian S. Kossacoff. Lerner Publishing Group, 1996.
This picture book promises to inspire any youngster. It is written from the perspective of an 8-year-old girl who lives with JIA.
Parenting a Child with Arthritis: A Practical, Empathetic Guide to Help You and Your Child Live with Arthritis
Earl J. Brewer, Jr., Kathy Cochran Angel, McGraw-Hill, 1992
The Official Patient's Sourcebook on Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Revised and Updated Directory for the Internet Age
by Icon Health Publications, 2002
This reference book for parents and caregivers of children with JIA is organized into three parts. Parts I and II provide information on ways to researching JIA, such as finding guidelines on diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis, followed by a number of topics, including information on how to get in touch with organizations, associations, or other patient networks dedicated to JIA. Part III provides appendices of useful background reading for all patients with JIA.
Your Child with Arthritis: A Family guide for Caregiving
Lori B. Tucker, M.D., Bethany A. Denardo, Judith A. Stebulis, Jane G. Schaller, M.D., Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996
This is a practical reference guide for parents and caregivers on raising a child with a rheumatic illness. It is a parent's companion to understanding and effectively dealing with the issues facing a child with JIA, and looking into medical implications and the impact of illness on a family and in school situations.
Additional resources are available at the Arthritis Society website at www.arthritis.ca.
Amgen and Pfizer-sponsored website
BrainPOP
www.BrainPOP.com
A fun way to learn about JIA, this site features an online movie that explains, in language kids can understand, three types of JIA and how doctors treat it.
Other websites
The Arthritis Society
http://www.arthritis.ca
The Arthritis Society's website offers information, support, tips on living with RA, reviews of helpful products, and news about research. Through their local chapters, you can connect with others who live with RA and keep up on local events and programs near you.
Canadian Health Network
http://www.canadian-health-network.ca
Canadian Health Network (CHN) is a national, non-profit, bilingual web-based health information service. CHN can help you find the information you're looking for on how to stay healthy and prevent disease. CHN works together with Health Canada and national and provincial/territorial non-profit organizations, as well as universities, hospitals, libraries and community organizations to bring health information to you.
Ontario Juvenile Arthritis Association
The Ontario Juvenile Arthritis Association (OJAA) is a support group for parents who have children with juvenile arthritis. Support groups are held at the Grandview Rehabilitation Centre in Oshawa. For further information, e-mail info@on.arthritis.ca or call 1-800-321-1433.
Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com
If you are looking for a detailed overview of arthritis and related conditions, you can find it on this general health information website.
HealthTalk Interactive
http://www.healthtalk.com
This site is a useful source of information and support for people living with JIA. It features articles about arthritis, patient profiles, questions to ask your doctor, a guide to other RA resources, and much more.
InteliHealth
http://www.intelihealth.com
InteliHealth is a comprehensive source of information on healthcare issues, medications, healthy living, and a vast array of medical conditions. A search of "rheumatoid arthritis" produced a 1,600-word article from the Harvard Medical School, and many RA-specific articles.
Patient Support Groups
The Arthritis Society
http://www.arthritis.ca
While on the site, check out the Arthritis Bookstore for links to more Canadian books.
Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance (CAPA)
http://www.arthritis.ca/capa
A national organization that helps connect people living with arthritis and assists them in becoming more effective advocates. CAPA receives support from The Arthritis Society and has no membership fee.
The resources cited above are for readers' information only. They are not endorsed by the manufacturer and marketer of ENBREL.
