A 13-year-old girl from Coleraine in County Londonderry uses baking to cope with juvenile idiopathic arthritis diagnosed in 2024. Lyla first noticed wrist pain in winter 2023 after receiving rollerblades for Christmas. Doctors initially thought it was a fracture.

Her symptoms worsened as she started secondary school, making writing difficult. Teachers provided a laptop to assist with schoolwork. The pain led to a diagnosis of JIA, a condition affecting children under 16.

About 12,000 children and young people in the UK have JIA, or 1 in every 1,000 under 16. Northern Ireland lacks a managed pathway from paediatric to adult rheumatology services, unlike other UK regions.

Lyla appeared on Channel 4's Junior Bake Off this year. She credits baking with helping her relax and manage stress from the condition. She aims to raise awareness that JIA should not prevent pursuing interests.

An event at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Wednesday marked World Rheumatic Diseases Day. Young people with arthritis shared diagnosis experiences and transition challenges with elected representatives.

Lyla expects to move to adult services in three years. She expressed concern about leaving familiar paediatric staff.