Causes of pain in children with arthritis.

Pain in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) is often not fully recognized and is therefore incompletely treated. The use of pain assessment instruments developed specifically for children may enhance recognition by health care providers. Recent studies suggest that coping variables and disease severity are significant predictors of pain in children with JRA. Pain in children with JRA is a complex phenomenon, best managed using a multidisciplinary approach that includes aggressive traditional medical management and addresses psychosocial variables such as coping strategies and perceptions about disease.