I was diagnosed as a child as well and I know what you are going through. You need to find things you can do so you don't sit around feeling left out. A great thing for me was swimming. It is low impact and great for your joints. I am sure your doctor will agree. It is a good way to get your joints moving without a lot of pain and you will meet alot of people in the process. I also went horse back riding and things like that. Anything that did not put strain on my joints and cause me to sit around thinking about the pain. That is important, trust me. It will help you. I know someone mentioned a support group, I wish I had done that too. Lastly, make sure your parents monitor the medications you are put on as they are mostly made for adults and can really wreak havok on children so get a really good doctor that works with people your age. I wish you the best.

i am 64 years old and just been diagonised with arthiritis of the knee and am having a difficult time with it. cannot sleep in my bed because of stiffiness and pain in my knee , i can lay down for a few minutes then i have to get up. hurts to walk, to sit down or get up. tried going to the chiropractor but after 3 treatments it did not help. a support group would help me learn how to deal with the pain and the hardship of getting around, you or someone mentioned getting in the water but i am terrified of the water and do not even at 64 years old cannot swim. was at the beach with my brothers at a young age and with them playing in the water with me i just about drowned and since then have been afraid of getting in the water to do anything other then a shower.

If you go for water therapy or a program that encompasses use of a pool, they won't leave you on your own; there will be trained pros. at your side and they won't "push" you beyond your comfort level.

In the hospitals, at least around my area, they have water therapy in pools that are at settings with graduated levels. Many start appox. 3 feet. But: If in a program for helping arthritis patients, again, you won't be alone, and they understand people have fears and won't make you feel as if you are the only one or isolate you.

I am sorry I didn't reply much earlier. My apology.

Wow you are really young for Arthritis! but all I can say is take some over the counter medicine like Tylenol for Arthritis thats what my mother takes to lessen the pain. Good luck!

It's called Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis when you are young. You can grow out of it but I think it will return at some point in your life. Then it's Rheumatoid Arthritis if in fact it was JRA when you were young. Or maybe it's still called JRA. Here is a site on it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001487/