When your child is diagnosed with a disorder involving the musculoskeletal system, you may come across medical terms you’re not familiar with. Some of the most common words you may hear include the following:
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Arthritis – joint inflammation; an umbrella diagnosis for more than 100 related disorders.
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Autoimmune disease – a condition that involves antibodies reacting against the body’s own systems and tissues.
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Immune system – a collection of cells, chemical messengers and proteins that work together to protect the body from harmful micro-organisms, but can also lead to allergy and hypersensitivity problems.
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Immunology – science that deals with the immune system.
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Inflammation – swelling, pain, warmth and redness that result from an infection, injury or other irritation of any body part.
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Musculoskeletal – involving the muscles and skeleton.
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Uveitis – an inflammation of part of the eye called the uvea; sometimes seen in children who have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
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Vascular – involving the blood vessels.
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Vasculitis – inflammation of the blood vessels.