Idiopathic

At some point, I don't know when, someone, don't know who, decided that we should call this crap disease Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis rather than Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have heard and read that the reason behind this is to better separate the adult disease from the childhood disease. Wouldn't the term JUVENILE in the name do that?? I suppose that I understand that if a child doesn't actually test positive for the rheumatoid factor than in fact it shouldn't be termed JRA. But does anyone really know what idiopathic means? Doesn't it make an already confusing disease a little MORE confusing?? About a week ago I was watching something on TV and the doctor used the word idiopathic when referring to the disease he was talking about. He went on to explain that idiopathic simply indicates that there is "no known cause or origin". HUH? THAT'S what it means?! Boy did I feel ignorant. I accepted a term for the chronic illness that my child battles without even knowing what it means?! *smacksforehead* I have been thinking on this, stewing on it since that day and decided to post this. I mean, I can't be the ONLY one....can I??

id·i·o·path·ic

   [id-ee-uh-path-ik]  Show IPA

–adjective Pathology .

of unknown cause, as a disease.