Update on my son | Arthritis Information

Hi everyone, i wrote awhile back about my 12 years joint pain and we finally went to the Rhummy last Thursday. She did a huge amount of blood work and stool cultures. We will have to wait about a week for everything to come back. She diagnosed him with JIA, which I later looked up ad JRA. She started him on sulindac 150 1/2 twice a day and zantac 75 twice daily for his stomach. He seemed to be doing ok til I got the dreaded call from school that he was not feeling well. He seems to me to be in a major flare and not even 2 extra stength Tylenol is helping him. My heart is breaking. He just looks sick and he is really complaining. I called the dr. , the nurse says to give it til Monday until that try moist heat and showers. The kid practically lives in the bathtub, that does seem to help him for a while.

My question is for those with kids with arthritis, what do you do when your child is flaring so bad nothing is helping? I am on prednisone ,and enbrel which helps alot compared to what I was like last year at this time. Also I notice the weather change and he seems to be following the pattern...starts hurting right before the rain. Eventhough I am not new to RA, its different when your child has it as some of you know. There is not much activity on the Juvenille site so I thought I would ask for advice here since everyone has been so great to me.

Thanks , Chris

Hi Chris, how unfortunate for your son and yourself, I do not know much about JRA/JIA, but there are a couple of people on here with kids who have it and some adults who had it as kids, so be patient, I am sure you will get the help you need here! Regards Janie. Try the moist heating pad? If his knees hurt maybe rub them? Wonder if you can try Aleve... it is naproxen sodium... might want to call RD to ask about that.

My mom use to rub my knees or ankle until I fell asleep. I cannot give too much advice as when I had it when I was a kid I was given baby aspirin and cried myself to sleep.

Self-care, whatever helps, until Monday, like the nurse said. We had to 'wait it out' in the beginning, too, and it was terrible, but it gets better. If he is still having a hard time Monday, hopefully they will see him. I haven't had any experience with JIA or JRA. You could try rubbing his joints with Aspercreme or any other similar product. The Aspercreme doesn't have an odor and isn't greasy. chrise,

It's so hard to watch your child suffer- sorry you are going thru this- especially since you are ill yourself. I found icy hot gel to be more valuable than the other ointments. You have to be careful not to use it more than it's recommended though. I think your body absorbs it and it can become toxic.