Conventional and Holistic Measures

Usually a doctor will say a couple of things must be done at the same time to treat the child with polyarticular arthritis. One thing that can be done is to take medicine; another is to get exercise; and still another is physical therapy. What one child needs differs from what another child needs.

Drugs

There are different kinds of medications to help these children. Some of these are:

• Analgesics are a kind of fast-acting medicine that helps with pain. It does not treat irritation, which is the cause of pain. However, it will reduce pain for about 6 hours. Some mild analgesics can be bought at the local drug store. These include Tylenol and Motrin.

  You should be careful if you with an analgesic that you buy at the drug store. Make sure to follow the directions on it.

• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs are also called NSAIDs. This kind of medicine will treat both the pain and the irritation that caused the pain. You can buy a mild NSAID at your drug store. One example is Advil (ibuprofen).
• Steroids can reduce irritation and the pain that it causes for awhile. These are available only by prescription.
• Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) can slow down how fast this arthritis progresses. This is because this medication can reduce irritation. By doing so, joints and cartilage will not be destroyed. These drugs will take a long time to work. Only a doctor can give this kind of medicine. It is usually given with a NSAID so that pain can also be controlled.
• Biological Response Modifiers (BRMs) are a new kind of medication. They help to stop the body from destroying its joints. The most common name of such a medication is Enbrel. It is often used when a Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug does not work.

Holistic

Physical therapy can really help these children feel better, in important ways. There are some activities and exercises that these children must do in order to feel better. For example, movements that help them be more flexible. Therapies can also help them to grow strong muscles. Exercise can keep joints moving easily.

Some suggestions physical therapists make to children are to go swimming, go for a walk, or use an indoor stationary bike. The physical therapist will also teach the child how to stretch before doing these exercises. This is important so that the muscles are kept healthy.

Sometimes there are things that they will not be allowed to do. For example: high-impact sports, like football. This is because it can really damage any weak joints and bones.

Natural Remedies

Sometimes these kids also need natural therapy. For instance, they need less stress in their lives so that they will feel better. This is why doctors should teach them how to relax and take care of their stress.

Foods and Dietary Supplements

Doctors may also tell children that they should eat more of certain kinds of foods. They may really tell a child they need a lot of calcium. This is because research has shown that these foods could make them feel better. Some foods that doctors tell these children to eat are:

Doctors also tell children to eat more unsalted nuts and seeds such as:

Usually when children are helped to do these things, they feel better. It may take a lot of work to do this but it is worth it.