[Characteristics of chronic joint diseases in childhood and adolescence]

After dealing briefly with aspects of nomenclature and classification, the author describes the multifarious picture presented by juvenile chronic arthropathies (JCA). Special emphasis is given to the way in which these differ from adult arthropathies, including the clinical syndromes, paraclinical findings, complications, sequels and social integration of patients. A short reference is made to the Morbus Kashin-Beck in view of similarities to JCA polyarthritis.