A 7-Year-Old Boy Has Been Diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

A 7-year-old boy has been diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) , and his parents are anxious to know how his health problem will affect his short-term and longer-term future. What can his health care provider most accurately tell the family?

A) "Because JIA is an autoimmune disease, the long-term prognosis is quite poor and his mobility is likely to decline over time."
B) "The earlier that we can schedule joint replacement surgeries, the better his prognosis will be."
C) "With appropriate use of anti-inflammatory drugs along with lifestyle modifications, your son stands a good chance of leading a normal life."
D) "We can relieve many of the symptoms or JIA and ensure his mobility, but there is a risk he'll develop a systemic immune response beyond his joints."