More than half of people with arthritis are under 65 years of age, and nearly 6000 children live with juvenile arthritis, according to new research.  Where osteoarthritis is more commonly associated with adults and often intensifies with age, a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that around 160,000 young adults and nearly 1.7 million people aged 35-64 suffer from some form of arthritis. “Most people don’t realise that kids get arthritis too. Nearly 6,000 Australian children have juvenile arthritis, about the same number as those with juvenile diabetes,” said Ainslie Cahill, CEO of Arthritis Australia. Although arthritis is most commonly associated with the elderly, almost one third of Australians have some form musculoskeletal condition. Figures currently suggest that over 3 million people of all ages including children, adolescents and young adults suffer from some form of arthritis, with more than half of those people aged less than 65. “For children with juvenile arthritis and people with rheumatoid arthritis, early diagnosis and treatment, ideally within 12 weeks of symptom onset, is absolutely critical,” said Ms Cahill. Children who develop juvenile arthritis can find the disease to be severe and highly disabling, however appropriate treatment in the early stages of development can reduce severity. “Early treatment has proven to reduce the severity and associated disability by a third, so if you experience sore and swollen joints at any age, it is essential to seek medical advice as soon as possible,” said Ms Cahill. Paediatric rheumatologist Dr Christina Boros from the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide says as many as 1 in 500 children under the age of 18 have the condition. Where the exact cause of childhood arthritis remains a mystery, Dr Boros hopes that this will soon change. “There’s some very exciting new research occurring in Australia and also around the world looking at potential causative genes and environmental factors that affect these genes,” she said. “It’s research that is still in evolution and coming to final answers.” In the meantime, arthritis is currently one of the leading causes of disability and early retirement. On average, is costs around $1.3 billion in Disability Support Pension payments and $9.4 billion in lost GDP each year, however researchers like Ms Cahill and Dr Boros suggest that much of this cost could be avoided by ensuring people with arthritis receive appropriate care early on. Further reading and sources: http://www.arthritisaustralia.com.au/images/stories/documents/news/2014/140516_New_report_shows_kid_and_young_people_get_arthritis_too.pdf http://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2014/11/06/4121416.htm