Still's Disease: Affecting Children & Adults

Still’s Disease, discovered by English physician Sir George Frederic Still, which is a form of arthritis characterized by severe fevers and sporadic rashes. Initially, Still’s Disease was thought to only occur in children but is now – though with less frequency – in adults, which is referred to as adult-onset of Still’s Disease.

Though the cause of Still’s Disease is still unknown, there are schools of thought that believe that Still’s Disease is brought on by an auto-immune disorder or micro biotic infection. Still’s Disease is classified as a type of a systemic juvenile arthritis that produces joint inflammation, high fevers, swelling glands, and other types of internal organ discomfort. Other symptoms include extreme bouts of fatigue, fevers that may reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit, a skin rash that looks salmon colored in appearance, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and sore throat.

While these other symptoms tend to make the joint pain overlooked, the polyarticular arthritis can affect any joint in the body. Diagnosis is commonly made when a physician recognizes the arthritis signs as well as elevated white blood count, inflammation, and other tests that are traditionally run for rheumatoid arthritis.