Rheumatoid Arthritis Health Center

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Gold salts were one of the first treatments used for joint inflammation, and you may still hear about them. But injected gold salts have been replaced by methotrexate for the treatment of JIA. Gold salts taken by mouth (oral) have not been shown to be effective for JIA.⁶

Medications used to treat inflammatory eye disease

Corticosteroid eyedrops

Methotrexate and cyclosporine A

Mydriatics, which are eyedrops that dilate the pupil and keep the iris from sticking to the cornea or lens

Biologics

What To Think About

Annual flu shots are recommended for children who are on long-term aspirin therapy. Children on long-term aspirin therapy who get chickenpox or influenza (flu) are at risk for getting Reye syndrome. Although there is a risk, Reye syndrome is very rare. Very few cases of Reye syndrome have been reported in children with chronic arthritis who were being treated with aspirin. If your child has been exposed to chickenpox or flu, talk to the doctor about giving your child acetaminophen to control pain and relieve fever until the incubation period, or the illness itself, has passed.

Combination therapy-such as using methotrexate with sulfasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, or etanercept-has been used on a limited basis to treat JIA. Most medical experience with combination therapy is with adults. Only children with severe JIA that has not improved with methotrexate or sulfasalazine are considered for combination treatment.

It is impossible to predict whether a child will improve with a certain medicine. Several different medicines may be tried before one is found that controls symptoms and doesn't cause side effects. It can also take weeks to months for a medicine to show effect, and symptoms may continue during that time.