[Complex functional test in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis]

The Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a special form of rheumatoid arthritis which occurs in childhood and adolescence (before the age of sixteen). The disease primarily affects the joints, but can also cause heavy damages to organs and systems such as the heart, blood vessels, skin, epidermis, eyes, peripheral nerves etc. The disease occurs more often with girls. In the therapeutic sense, viewed from the physical medicine and rehabilitation aspect, lying in bed is needed during the acute phase of the disease, and when the inflammation ceases, normal body activities should be encouraged. Rehabilitation with standard methods of physical therapy includes enhancement of daily activities and quality of life, adaptation of patient to the new conditions and prevention of complications. At the Physical medicine and rehabilitation department of the Pediatric clinic CCU Sarajevo, during year 2001 and 2002, fourteen children were observed. All children were treated with kinezitherapy, after which everyday life activities were observed as well as the mobility. In these everyday life activities we were observing whether child can use spoon, fork and knife, whether or not a child can dress his/her upper or lower part of the body with or without buttoning, whether or not it can bathe without someone's help. While observing mobility we evaluated general mobility with changing the body's position from lying to sitting and also from sitting to standing position, climbing onto and getting of a bed, ascending and descending stairs, ability to crouch down or not. These methods are used to prevent inability or decrease it as much as possible. It is accomplished by preventing the forming of muscular atrophies, preventing the development of contractions of joints, as well as preventing the development of osteoporosis and bone destruction due to the inactivity. The imperative of a good rehabilitation is "active movement".