Controlling Arthritis in Children

Not too many years ago, a child under age 16 diagnosed with juvenile arthritis was told to take aspirin - period. But today, treatment options for children with arthritis are numerous and include many of the same drugs prescribed for adult rheumatoid arthritis. And thanks to an increased interest in juvenile arthritis research, a number of new treatments are being studied for safety and effectiveness in children.

Following are some of the drugs used most commonly for juvenile arthritis. For some children, doctors use experimental drugs or prescribe drugs that are approved for adults.

Drugs Commonly Used for Children Now:

• NSAIDs specifically approved for children, including celecoxib (Celebrex), meloxicam (Mobic), naproxen (Naprosyn), diclofenac sodium (Voltaren) and ibuprofen (Motrin)
• Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall), a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)
• Biologic response modifiers such as etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade)
• Corticosteroids and intra-articular steroid injections

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