The pictures show fluid on both knees, with a pretty significant amount in the left knee.  I've noticed that he does favor the left knee as far as never leading with it on stairs and things like that.  I am curious as to what this might meant treatment wise.  I know the rheum will call me tomorrow or the next day, but I'm making myself crazy in the meantime. 

Has anyone been through this?  Is is typically a more or different meds situation or do they have to drain that fluid off somehow?  The idea of him going through a procedure like that breaks my heart...he sobbed and cried today getting the u/s because he thought it was going to be labs.  I have so much helpless anger toward this disease and I struggle to remember to thank God that we have a wonderful children's hospital where he is getting excellent care.  I just need some hope here.

I can offer some hope...at least in our case.  My son woke up in mid-March with a huge swollen right knee...we took him to both the pedi and the pedi othro surgeon the next day.  Infection was ruled out and we saw the pedi rheumy ten days later...he was given an informal diagnosis of JIA that day and put on naproxen.  In the beginning of May we added methotrexate injections and while the swelling was helped somewhat by the naproxen...the mtx did make a much bigger difference.  His knee is now almost 'normal.'  So he did not have to have the fluid drained...and his knee was huge!  My son was 5 at the time...but he's very, very thin...so it was very obvious and scary looking.

We just added Enbrel to his med mix to hopefully get this flare under control...

Try not to worry...too much.  Ya, I know much easier said than done. 

All the best,

Karen and Alex, 6, poly (04/09)

The rheum called last night and presented me with the options of either starting a combo of mtx and prednisone or kineret.  We were able to verify the kineret will be covered by my insurance and I've opted to go that route.  It will mean a daily injection, but I feel more comfortable with the side effects situation that with mtx/pred.  They are putting the order in and we should have the meds in a week or so. 

I pray that we will both quickly get used to these injections and that my son will find some relief.