Children and adolescents
Reactive arthritis (pediatric)
Arthritis after an enteric or GU infection, usually in the legs and asymmetric.
What to look for
- Lower-limb oligoarthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis
- Follows Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter or Yersinia infection, or Chlamydia in adolescents
What to do
- NSAIDs. Check ESR, CRP and HLA-B27.
- Refer if it lasts more than 6 weeks (it may be JIA or ERA), recurs, or the diagnosis is unclear.
- Septic arthritis must be excluded if a single hot joint is present with fever.
About this urgency level
Specialist evaluation helps, but these are usually less time-sensitive than new inflammatory arthritis or connective tissue disease.
Timeframes are typical targets. Local pathways, capacity and clinical judgment come first.
Sources