Gout Facts for Kids

Gout presenting as slight redness in the metatarsal–phalangeal joint of the big toe

Gout is a very painful medical condition. It is a red, tender, hot, swollen joint. The attacks happen most often in the joint at the base of the big toe. It is caused by crystals getting deposited from the blood. This happens when the level of uric acid in the blood is too high. The crystals then stay in joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues.

Inflammatory arthritis happens in about 50% of all cases of gout. The disease may also appear as kidney disease due to urate crystals. People with gout often have more than one attack of gout.

Doctors decide a patient has gout if they find crystals in the joint fluid. Treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, or colchicine improves symptoms. Once an attack goes away, the patient can change his or her lifestyle to reduce levels of uric acid.

Images for kids

Black-and-white photograph of the arms and hands of a 50-year-old man, showing large tophi of sodium urate affecting the elbow, knuckles, and finger joints.
Antonie van Leeuwenhoek described the microscopic appearance of uric acid crystals in 1679.
Light microscopy of a touch preparation of a gout tophus, showing needle-shaped crystals.
Uric acid crystals in polarized light, showing negative birefringence, with yellow color when aligned parallel to the axis of the red compensator, and blue when aligned perpendicularly to it.
In contrast, CPPD (pseudogout) displays rhombus-shaped crystals with positive birefringence.
Gout on X-rays of a left foot in the metatarsal-phalangeal joint of the big toe. Note also the soft tissue swelling at the lateral border of the foot.
Tophus of the knee
Gout complicated by ruptured tophi, the exudate of which tested positive for uric acid crystals
Gout in the big toe of left foot, compared to the healthy right foot
Gout in the joint of the big toe

Gout facts for kids

Images for kids

See also