Children with systemic arthritis must be treated as soon as possible. This is very important, even though there is no cure. Treatment reduces damage. Joints must be kept moving and muscles need to be kept strong. Some doctors will use both medication and exercise in order to do this. Both exercise and medication can give pain relief. They can also slow down or stop joints from being destroyed.
Medications Commonly Prescribed
Doctors may also prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to help a child cope with arthritis. These are called NSAIDs. The most common NSAID for children is Motrin. Motrin can get rid of pain or at least make it manageable.
Sometimes prescription NSAIDs are also used. The most common medications that doctors are writing prescriptions for are Sulfasalazine, Methotrexate, and Enbrel. These medicines can help a child but they cannot be taken for a long time since they will stop a child from growing right and make them have weak bones. These drugs can be taken by mouth or if only one joint is in need of the drug, then the drug can be given by shot in that joint.
There are also drugs used for treating a child’s fever, rash, anemia, and eye problems.
Doctors may suggest that a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) be used if NSAIDs do not work. DMARDs slow down how fast arthritus progresses. These take a long time to start working though. This is why they are most often taken with an NSAID. The most common DMARD that is used is Methotrexate. This is a safe drug since a child only has to take a very small amount of it to have results.
If a child is really having a lot of pain then their doctor may prescribe Corticosteroids. The most common one that is prescribed is Prednisone. This can interfere with a child’s growth though, so a lot of doctors don’t like to use it unless the symptoms are severe enough that it has to be used.
Alternative and Natural Therapies
Specialists also suggest alternative therapy methods. While these are experimental, many of them do work.
There are some natural ways to help a child with systemic arthritis. These are good since they will do no harm. You do need to really pay attention to see what actually works. This is because the symptoms of arthritis come and go. Whatever you decide is best for your child is up to you. One of the most important things to do here is to make sure that your child’s life is as normal as it can be.
Some doctors will recommend changes in your child’s diet so that you can improve their nutrition. These doctors will tell you to not let your child have any casein or gluten. This means that your child will not be allowed to eat milk, milk products, wheat, oats, barley, or rye. While this may sound like it is hard to do, it is not.
There are a lot of foods on the market today that are the same as “normal” products but they do not contain the ingredients that you are trying to avoid. For instance there are noodles, special milk, macaroni n cheese, and even pizza that you can buy that have no milk or gluten in them. These things taste just like they would taste if they did have milk or gluten in them. This will help your child feel “normal.”
Exercise - Good or Harmful?
When a child is feeling good, he or she should be encouraged to exercise. This is important so that they will have strong muscles and grow healthy. A parent should not become so protective of their child that the parent will not let the child run and play. Of course, you may not want to let your child play tackle football, but your child should be allowed to play something like baseball instead.
Physical therapy can also be used. A physical therapist may also suggest splints to help with normal bone and joint growth.
Topical Treatments
There are also some creams on the market today that are said to help with arthritis. Some of these creams do work. You need to be careful though. Most of these creams have been created for adults who have arthritis. So, if you decide to use a cream you will want to ask your doctor how you should use it on your child.
Living With Systemic Juvenile Arthritis
It is important to know that arthritis can vary from day to day. For this reason, a parent should do what works best each day for their child. No matter what it is that you do, you need to make sure a doctor checks your child on a regular basis. Your child will also need to have a doctor keep an eye on their eyes. This is to make sure that your child does not develop an eye irritation.
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