1. Put Your Child on Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medication
Your child's doctor will probably prescribe a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication (NSAID) after diagnosing juvenile arthritis. This medication eases pain while reducing swelling and inflammation. Many children do well taking only the NSAID. These drugs usually need to be taken with food or they may irritate the stomach.
2. Try Disease-Modifying, Anti-Rheumatic Drugs on Your Child
Methotrexate is probably the first secondary drug your child's doctor will prescribe. It's a disease-modifying, anti-rheumatic drug that affects the actual disease process at its most basic level. Within a few weeks of taking methotrexate, many children go into remission, during which their arthritis symptoms completely vanish for a period. Most doctors prescribe small doses for children to minimize any side effects. However, some studies have indicated that aggressively treating juvenile arthritis with massive doses of methotrexate at the first sign of the disease greatly increases the chances of achieveing permanent remission.
Other disease-modifying, anti-rheumatic drugs can be used if your doctor is reluctant to try methotrexate. Gold salts, hydroxychloroquinine and penicillamine are all disease-modifying, anti-rheumatic drugs that have been used on children for decades. However, since methotrexate can produce such quick, dramatic results, more doctors use it as a first or second drug rather than a final option.
3. Use Corticosteroids as a Last Resort
Corticosteroids may be prescribed to your child if his arthritis symptoms aren't being controlled by other medications or if he develops inflammation of the internal organs (especially the lining around the heart). Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs, but they are associated with several side effects, such as weakened bones, increased susceptibility to bruising and a round (or "moon") face. Treatment with corticosteroids in juvenile arthritis is usually short term, and your child will be tapered off these drugs as soon as the arthritis symptoms are under control.
