Can kids under the age of ten have arthritis?

Unfortunately yes a person can have Rheumatoid arthritis, RA at any age.

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) is the most common form of arthritis found in children. It can present as a mild condition causing few problems over time, but it can also be a very serious problem causing joint and tissue damage in children. JRA can bring about serious complications in more severe cases.

For the most part there are 3 types of JRA

1. Oligoarticular; Four or fewer joints are affected. Usually the larger joints such as a knee or ankle.
2. Polyarticular; five or more joints are affected. This usually affects the large joints, such as knees, wrists, elbows, and ankles, However the small joints of the hands and feet are also become involved. The joints of the neck (cervical spine) and jaw (temporomandibular joints) may also be affected.
3. Systemic; Affects many parts of the body, A child with systemic JRA may have swelling, pain, and limited motion in joints, as well as other symptoms such as rashes and high fevers that come and go can happen for weeks at a time. Other organs, such as the heart, lungs, and liver, may also be affected.

I am 13 and could possibly have it How? The scientists are still trying to work that out.

It is an auto immune disease, you might want to look for an alternative non drug way to deal with the pain Emergency Essence and see their joint and immune section in the repertory they have in the book "Australian Bush Flower Healing" by Ian White

ISBN-10: 073380 Yahoo email group discussing Australian Bush Flower Essences

When you get RA at 12 years old or as a young person it is called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and in most ways is similar to adult onset RA. Neither of them can be cured. They however can be managed with a wide variety of medications that help control everything from pain and swelling to slowing down the progression of the damage the disease does on the body. There are natural supplements that help as well as physical therapy. Once damage has occurred to a joint it cannot be reversed, but surgery is very helpful in many cases and for various parts of the body. There is at present no cure for RA or for that matter JRA the best you can hope for is that the inflammatory stages of the disease go into or stay in remission and that other treatments are able to control damaging inflammation