Rehabilitation in juvenile chronic arthritis.

Rehabilitation or, in the case of young children, habilitation, begins with an appraisal of the type of disease process and therefore its possible outcome and the various problems that are likely to be encountered. This will need to be accompanied by a careful assessment of the whole family background, including the ability and willingness of the parents to carry out what is going to be a long, often difficult and very time-consuming programme. The principles of management are maintenance or improvement in position and function of joints, the learning of new skills consistent with the age of the child and the continuation of education so that the young adult is able to enter the world with as little physical and mental scarring as possible.