Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

How is it Treated?

Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment provides children with the best possible opportunity for a favorable outcome. Your child's treatment will be based on the kind of arthritis he/she has and on their specific symptoms.

The goals of any treatment program for juvenile arthritis are: control inflammation, relieve pain, prevent or control joint damage and maximize joint and body function. 

Your child's treatment program will usually include medication, exercise, eye care, dental care and healthy eating practices. Treatments such as surgery may be necessary for special long-term problems. Some physicians have also found that pain can be lessened by combining medical treatment with techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation, meditative breathing and guided imagery.

Because so many techniques are used to treat children with JRA, the ideal type of care is sometimes called team care or coordinated care. Your child's health-care team will include many different specialists who work together to offer your child a complete treatment program. These may include a pediatric rheumatologist, nurse clinician, physical or occupational therapist, dietitian, ophthalmologist, psychologist, nephrologist, neurologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist, dentist, social worker or orthopaedic surgeon.

Pediatric rheumatology centers in many major medical centers offer this care in one location. If you do not live near a pediatric rheumatology center, your child's physician will refer you to the specialists he/she needs.

Medications | Exercise | Splints/Surgery | 
Eye & Dental Care/Diet