Juvenile Arthritis
Whether you or someone you love was recently diagnosed with juvenile arthritis (JA), or, you just found out about our organization—you ‘ve come to the right place. The Arthritis Foundation, Great West Region is here to help by offering programs and resources to support kids with arthritis and their families. We host fun and educational events throughout the year, provide the most up-to-date information on disease management and arthritis research, and facilitate connections with other JA families.
Learn more about juvenile arthritis:
- Juvenile Arthritis: Disease Basics
- Living with Juvenile Arthritis
- Kids Get Arthritis Too (KGAT) website
JA Welcome Kit
There are many questions and concerns when a child is diagnosed with a rheumatic disease. The Arthritis Foundation’s JA Welcome Kit answers common questions and provides resources to help reduce the worries a family may have about juvenile arthritis. The JA Welcome Kit includes educational articles, informational brochures, upcoming event information and more!
Request your FREE JA Welcome Kit today!
JA Transition Toolkit
Young people with rheumatic diseases have to take on new responsibilities as they enter the world of adult medical care. The Arthritis Foundation Transition Toolkit is designed to help youth and their families develop the skills they need to successfully make the leap to independence.
Take a brief health care skills assessment and create a customized Transition Toolkit that meets YOUR needs. Or check out the resource library to learn more about: Communicating with your doctors, organizing your health care, going to college with arthritis, managing stress, eating well, and much more!
Create your transition toolkit at www.JAtransition.org
Juvenile Arthritis Camps
JA Camps exist to provide education, networking and fun for kids and teens with arthritis, and in some cases, for the whole family! Campers take part in activities designed to help them increase self-confidence, improve arthritis self-management, and develop leadership and communication skills all while making new friends who share similar challenges. At our family camps, parents/caregivers and siblings get to join in the fun too!
Visit the JA Camp Event Pages below to find out more information about each program.
Camp Milagros - Livermore, CA
5 day camp program for kids with JA, ages 8-13
July 10-14, 2013
The Arthritis Foundation, Northern California Chapter would like to recognize
The Taylor Family Foundation for hosting Camp Milagros at Camp Arroyo this year. The Taylor Family Foundation's mission is to preserve the wellness and enhance the quality of life for children in Northern California with life-threatening and chronic 
diseases, disabilities and youth at-risk through unique therapeutic experiences
and support. For more information, please visit ttff.org.
The Arthritis Foundation proudly wears top quality custom embroidered headwear from Wholesale Hats.
Camp Arctic - Camp K on Kenai Lake, AK
4 day camp program for Alaskan kids with JA and a parent/guardian (offered by the Southcentral Foundation)
June 5 - 8, 2013
View the Camp Arctic video
JA Camp - Estes Park, CO
6 day camp program for kids with JA, ages 8 - 16
July 13-18, 2013
Email us to be on the 2014 invite list.
KAT-FISH Camp - Stanwood, WA
3 day camp program for the whole family
July 26-28, 2013
CAMP JAM - Canby, OR
3 day camp program for the whole family
August 9-11, 2013
Camp Limberlimbs Montana - Gold Creek, MT
3 day camp program for kids with JA, ages 7 - 17
September 20-22, 2013
Register Now
Apply as a Volunteer Today!
JA Family Programs
JA Family Programs are fun-filled days for the whole family! Kids and teens enjoy activities and games while parents participate in educational sessions facilitated by pediatric rheumatologists and other health professionals. Educational sessions address topics such as disease management techniques, updates in medication and treatment, parent support, family dynamics, transition and school issues.
JA Family Programs offer the opportunity to meet other families who face similar challenges and to get your questions answered by a health professional in a relaxed, non-clinical setting.
JA Family Day – Menlo Park, CA - April 20, 2013
JA Family Day – Denver, CO - October 26, 2013
Register Now
JA Family Day – Salt Lake City, UT - October 5, 2013
Register Now
Apply as a Volunteer Today
JA Family Day – Boise, ID - November 9, 2013
Parent to Parent Programs
The Arthritis Foundation supports parent-led networking events where families of children with JA can gather to share information and tips while kids get to know each other in a fun, social environment. One-on-one parent connections can also be facilitated by the Arthritis Foundation in more remote areas. Contact us if you are interested in meeting another parent/caregiver in your area, or to request information about Parent to Parent programs.
- Rockies Baseball Game - June 8, 2013, Denver, CO
- Cocoa Party - December 8, 2013, Seattle, WA
- Jingle Bell Run / Walk Decoration & Pizza Party - December 13, 2013, Anchorage, AK
Teen Retreats
The Teen Retreat was started specifically for teens, ages 14-18 and in high school, with juvenile arthritis. The program seeks to give teens information on self-managing their arthritis at a time when independence, self-reliance and peer pressure become important parts of a teenager’s life. The Teen Retreat offers a safe environment for teenagers to get to know one another and grow individually as well. We hope that they will increase valuable life skills, such as utilizing public transportation, staying safe in a new city, and the value of connecting with other teenagers who understand personally the challenges that their peers work through daily. This discovery and personal growth will assist each of these teens in developing lifelong skills in many aspects of life, including self-management of their disease.
Advocacy: Powerful Voices for Change
Juvenile arthritis is a major health concern, yet many people are unaware that juvenile arthritis even exists. Kids with arthritis and their families each have a unique story to tell that can raise awareness about JA and impact policy decisions on a local and national level. The Arthritis Foundation can teach families how to use their voice to educate government officials, school nurses, teachers, health professionals about arthritis and its unacceptable impact. Learn more about our advocacy efforts.
The National Juvenile Arthritis Conference
Save the Date for the 2014 JA Conference!
July 3-6, 2014
Keystone, Colorado
The 2014 National JA Conference will be hosted in Keystone, Colorado on July 3-6 by the Great West Region—that’s us! Please join us for an unforgettable adventure in the gorgeous mountains of Colorado to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the JA Conference and to honor all the kids, teens and young adults who live with arthritis!
My family and I had the wonderful opportunity to attend this year’s JA National Conference. I cannot express how much this conference helped our family grow stronger. The support that was provided by the hundreds of families in attendance, the amazing staff, and all the wonderful volunteers was incredible! We definitely walked away feeling very confident that through the research and hard work of so many wonderful people and the Arthritis Foundation, there will be a cure in the near future! I would like to encourage all JA families to attend next year’s conference and benefit as we did! It will be an experience you will never forget!
-Annie Viola, JA Mom and Co-Leader of Utah P2P JA Family Network
AFamilies E-newsletter
AFamilies is the e-newsletter for kids, teens and young adults affected by juvenile arthritis, their families and all those who support them. This e-newsletter presents stories, perspectives and resources from across the entire Great West Region.
Read current issue
Informative Brochures, Books & Resources
Learn more about childhood rheumatic diseases, arthritis management techniques, school issues and more through the Arthritis Foundation’s print and online resources. Many of these items are free.
Printed resources include:
Arthritis in Children
Juvenile Arthritis Back to School resources
When Your Student Has Arthritis (a guide for teachers)
Raising a Child with Arthritis (book)
Juvenile Arthritis: Disease Basics
Juvenile arthritis (JA) is an umbrella term used to describe the many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that can develop in children ages 16 and younger. Learn more about the disease.
Living with Juvenile Arthritis
Juvenile arthritis affects the whole family and there are many components to proper management of the disease. Read helpful articles about the different types of JA and how it’s diagnosed, possible causes of JA, the effect of JA on your joints and body, treatment options, medications, family life, school issues, the latest research and more!
Kids Get Arthritis Too (KGAT) Website
Check out our virtual community where youngsters can find information on juvenile arthritis and read stories about other children with the disease. Designed for three different age groups – kids (ages 6 to 9), tweens (ages 10 to 13) and teens (ages 14 to 18), the site enables them to learn about symptoms, treatments, doctor visits, growing up with JA and more!
Don’t see what you need? Contact Emma Davis about JA resources and opportunities to connect with other families across the Arthritis Foundation, Great West Region.
