What is involved in low-dose corticosteroid therapy in juvenile idiopathic arthritis?

Hummmmm!: What is involved is simply taking an oral corticosteroid my mouth at a prescribed dose and having good follow up. Steroids are wonder drugs! they are also trecherous, cause injury and have serious side effects. We all have steroids ciruculating in our bodies in various amounts. It is the dosing, need for the drug, judicious use, thorough follow up that make them a success and not a danger.

Steroids in JIA: Unless the child has systemic juvenile arthritis (associated with fevers and rash not due to infection), they should not be on daily steroids unless they have failed many other medications such as low dose weekly methotrexate, several tnf inhibitors (enbrel, remicade. Humira), orencia (abatacept). Sometimes daily oral steroids are needed shot-term for severe flares but long term use can have serious side fx.