JIA Update

We met with an occupational therapist (OT), a physical therapist (PT) and C-ling's rheumatologist this morning.

The OT fitted C-ling with some splints to hold her legs straight while she is sleeping. I believe it will be a bit of a battle to get C-ling to keep these on through the night, but we'll have to give it a try.

The PT gave us some exercises to do with C-ling, mostly to push down on her legs for the full extension for ten seconds at a time, and then push down for the full flexion.

The rheumatologist then checked out all of her joints, still (thankfully) it is only the knees. Her knees have not gone down in swelling so it looks like the naproxen is not being as effective as it has been in others. We are to continue with the naproxen, exercises and splint until early November at which point C-ling will be brought to the hospital for what is called a clinical visit. All members of her medical team (the OT, PT, rheumatologist and an orthopedic surgeon) will evaluate C-ling at the same time, and the rheumatologist will recommend (if C-ling's swelling has still not improved) a cortisone injection directly into the knees which is something the orthopedic surgeon would do under a general anaesthetic.

With respect to the uvueitis, C-ling's eyes have gotten better, we met with the ophthalmologist two weeks ago. We were instructed to reduce her eye drops from three times a day to two times a day for one week, then one time a day for one week, then every other day for a week, and then once a week until we meet with the ophthalmologist again.

C-ling continues to be joyful, have fun, run around and play but very occasionally has a bout of stiffness that reduces her mobility for half a day to a day.