Re: signs of an imminent flare?

[Guest guest]

Hi Lynn,

Robbie shows signs of flaring for a day or two after each prednisolone taper

(moving slower, appetite down, complaints of pain " all over " - but still feels

like playing some. Falls asleep in the car in morning and afternoon commute -

and any other trip - falls asleep on the couch and goes to bed without a fuss,

doesn't want to take a bath because it is too cold - takes his blanket with him

everywhere - no fever but feels warm to touch) thankfully, it resolves itself in

a day or two so he hasn't had a real flare - but everytime time I taper I see

these signs and brace myself. I think the body reacts to the change in dose the

same way it would in a full blown flare.

Rob has always been a finicky eater - but has strange likes for a kid (has loved

cottage cheese since he started eating table food & loves asparagus and corn -

won't touch broccoli - even with cheese which he loves.) He also likes the

regular kid stuff. When first on the steriods he ate ravenously for the first

two months or so - even woke me at 2:00 am starving & I would get up and fix

something. His appetite stayed relatively good until the last month or so (on

steriods since last June)now, he is eating fairly well - but the appetite is

back to his more finicky - " how much vegetables do I have to eat to get more

macaroni and cheese " style of eating. He has never been a breakfast person -

but I wonder if that is my fault - by allowing daycare to provide his breakfast

(so that he was up with me for awhile, then in the car before eating)I don't

know. On weekends he says " let's skip breakfast " even though he wakes hungry

because he does sleep later - but he actually wants lunch or dinner foods for

breakfast (which we often do as long as it keeps his diet fairly balance).

I've rambled on enough! Have a great day!

Val

Rob's Mom (4,systemic)

In a message dated Wed, 5 Jun 2002 8:24:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

llyoung@... writes:

>

>

> Hi everyone:

> I just wondered if anyone else has noticed " particular " signs in their kids

> before an obvious flare? With Mickey (8yrs, systemic onset jra) down at 3mg

> of prednisone a day... well, as you all know, its a worry. She's rarely

> gotten this low before and I know for me, in the past I've realized AFTER

> the fact that there've been warning signs, had I been more alert to them.

> Usually, about a week or two after stuff like this starts happening, she

> ends up in a full-blown flare.

>

> For Mickey, who LOVES to swim, and can normally be in the water for hours,

> she gets chilled within minutes of being in a normal temp. pool. Instead of

> being impossible to get out of the pool, after 10 minutes she's shaking so

> badly she's almost in tears. Feels the cold more, all around, not just in

> the water. She gets tired way more easily, has long naps as soon as she gets

> home from school, and her appetite goes off, even in the evening when she's

> normally ravenous.

>

> There's another question. I don't know if it's just her, her younger sister

> is not like this, but getting Mickey to eat breakfast has always been close

> to impossible. To make certain she gets adequate nutrition for school, I

> have to give her Ensure (wildberry is the only flavor she likes) to drink in

> the morning. By lunch time she'll eat a little, crackers, apples, fruit

> mostly. Starting around 3... she could eat non-stop! Luckily, she's the kind

> of kid who'd always preferred carrot sticks to cookies but its amazing how

> much she can eat in an evening! Anyway, something I've wondered for while,

> is this a reaction to the meds she gets in the morning, or something about

> the arthritis, or just her way? Anyone else notice any weird appetite things

> in their kids?

>

> Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had noticed " particular " warning

> signs? I guess, what I'm wondering, is that when these things start to

> happen, would it help head off a longer, more serious flare to bump the

> prednisone up before the acute flare symptoms start to happen. Has anyone's

> doc ever given that sort of advice?

>

> Lynn

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Lynn,

I don't know how much it will help, but some of the signs I notice with Tas (3yrs old) is she becomes very cranky, starts to withdraw, and won't eat. Not any meal. Ahhh, we are going through it as we speak. and someone mentioned eye color changes...Tas has blue eyes they are normally a beautiful blue grey, now when she is sick they are almost a clear blue, really no color at all.

A question from me now...has anyone noticed that their kids have mood swings. Tas's are getting pretty bad, she will be happy go lucky one minute and crying and whining the next.

Hope everyone is doing well today.

Love to all,

Casaria and Tasie

[Guest guest]

High Lynn,

Going to your last paragraph. has only flaired twice this first year.The

first time was mid nov-mid dec.Symptoms didnt come on strong I just remember he

reverted to like the beginning before the MTX started working.He would crawl all

the time his wrists would hurt,his neck would hurt,he would just hurt.The rash

was back,but the fevers would come and go.I would try to raise the pred 3mg that

would calm things down for about a week,then start up all over again so I would

raise another 3mg the disease still got way out of control to the point of organ

involvement so he was raised to 24mg.The second time he flaired it was very

sudden.He woke up one morning and when I pulled the blanket off the rash on the

inside of his legs was screaming at me.I knew then and there he was fixing to

flair,the rheumy raised his MTX that day but that night he went down with the

fevers and the whole works.The only thing I have noticed with is his eyes

change color.My 6yr old non JRA eats the same way, always has.Very little

breakfast,a little better at lunch time comes home from school starving and

usually is full by dinner only to be hungry again before bed time.She is so

skinny all I care about is that she eats and gets full.As you know Josh flaired

recently and they tried small increases of pred with no luck.The disease got out

of control and Josh had to go to 20mg.So what I am saying is that if a flair is

comming I dont think small increases will help,but if you dont try you dont

know,I think also alot has to do with how early you catch it.When flaired

the second time I immediately raised the pred 4.5mg and called the rheumy the

next day to tell him what I did.That small increase did the trick.I dont know if

this helps,but this is my experiance with my child.

Becki and 3systemic

Lynn Young wrote:

> Hi everyone:

> I just wondered if anyone else has noticed " particular " signs in their kids

> before an obvious flare? With Mickey (8yrs, systemic onset jra) down at 3mg

> of prednisone a day... well, as you all know, its a worry. She's rarely

> gotten this low before and I know for me, in the past I've realized AFTER

> the fact that there've been warning signs, had I been more alert to them.

> Usually, about a week or two after stuff like this starts happening, she

> ends up in a full-blown flare.

>

> For Mickey, who LOVES to swim, and can normally be in the water for hours,

> she gets chilled within minutes of being in a normal temp. pool. Instead of

> being impossible to get out of the pool, after 10 minutes she's shaking so

> badly she's almost in tears. Feels the cold more, all around, not just in

> the water. She gets tired way more easily, has long naps as soon as she gets

> home from school, and her appetite goes off, even in the evening when she's

> normally ravenous.

>

> There's another question. I don't know if it's just her, her younger sister

> is not like this, but getting Mickey to eat breakfast has always been close

> to impossible. To make certain she gets adequate nutrition for school, I

> have to give her Ensure (wildberry is the only flavor she likes) to drink in

> the morning. By lunch time she'll eat a little, crackers, apples, fruit

> mostly. Starting around 3... she could eat non-stop! Luckily, she's the kind

> of kid who'd always preferred carrot sticks to cookies but its amazing how

> much she can eat in an evening! Anyway, something I've wondered for while,

> is this a reaction to the meds she gets in the morning, or something about

> the arthritis, or just her way? Anyone else notice any weird appetite things

> in their kids?

>

> Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had noticed " particular " warning

> signs? I guess, what I'm wondering, is that when these things start to

> happen, would it help head off a longer, more serious flare to bump the

> prednisone up before the acute flare symptoms start to happen. Has anyone's

> doc ever given that sort of advice?

>

> Lynn

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Cassaria! I can tell you for sure >>>not that I want to admit it though lol..... that I can have severe mood swings that will proceed my flares and sometimes hang on throughout the whole flare. Lucky thing is, is I never do the ussual Menstral mood thing or my hubby probably wouldn't still be around lol!!!! I am generally a very very patient and easy going person but even I have to stop and take notice of my reactions to simple things that send me over the edge. I am pretty good now at giving myself a sort of time away from the situation to defuse and examine why I'm reacting this way. It's sometimes very hard to do and I'm sure the younger the child the more they don't and won't understand about why they feel the way they do. I know as a child I had my meany days lol I called them that myself, and my siblings new to steer clear LOL I was capable of some pretty hateful things and was so remorseful after, that I then had all this guilt to work through. I 'm not sure what age I was when I finally was able to understand that when I felt like that , Then I had to look deeper and listen to what my body was trying to tell me and then do what I could to help my body and in effect solving both problems at once . I think all JRA children just grow up having to pay alot of attention to their physical needs and what their body needs on an hourly basis. It's a learning process and I know a definite skill now so see now everything about JRA is negative. I know Tasie is very young but it would help if you used one of the face charts like the doctors have for the small children and used it with her to even help know the level of pain she has or where she is hurting. When I was first diagnosed the childrens hospital here had a poster that was made out of a felt like material and a boy was painted on one side and a girl was on the other side and it had smilely face velcro pieces and sad face velcro pieces to use so the kids could show their ouchies. just a thought !!! I also am a blue eyed person who's eye color changes to green or to a light grey color when in alot of pain. I'm sure if anyone else does this too but I have full pinkish to red lips when I feel well, and whitish or pale pink lips when I have pain. My boss at work was the first one to pick up on that symptom but I don't think I had that until I was in my 20's at least ! Good Luck and bless you all :):)Tree:):) Re: signs of an imminent flare? Lynn, I don't know how much it will help, but some of the signs I notice with Tas (3yrs old) is she becomes very cranky, starts to withdraw, and won't eat. Not any meal. Ahhh, we are going through it as we speak. and someone mentioned eye color changes...Tas has blue eyes they are normally a beautiful blue grey, now when she is sick they are almost a clear blue, really no color at all. A question from me now...has anyone noticed that their kids have mood swings. Tas's are getting pretty bad, she will be happy go lucky one minute and crying and whining the next. Hope everyone is doing well today. Love to all, Casaria and Tasie

[Guest guest]

Val, I don't know what it means if anything but I almost never want breakfast and If I do eat before 10 am ( may day ussually starts at 6 am ) then its lunch or dinner left overs i prefer. or fruit and cottage cheese LOL hmmm think we have something in common or is a JRA thing? I eat a piece of plain dry toast and drink water in the am just to take my meds Funny thing is my son is the same way don't know that its that we just don't like breakfast type foods because we sure go thru alot of cereal but not in the regular way ...we eat it like everyone else would popcorn or chips, like snack food. Matt is allergic to all dairy and does use soy milk but almost never puts it on cereal. About the only way I can get him to eat breakfast type foods is to make french toast with powdered sugar on top , and I generally only fix that when I need him to eat for sure because its not the healthiest breakfast lol Take care :):)Tree:):) JRA VET C0-Leader/Tres. FACES Facing Arthritis with Compassion, Encouragement and Support Re: signs of an imminent flare? Hi Lynn,Robbie shows signs of flaring for a day or two after each prednisolone taper (moving slower, appetite down, complaints of pain "all over" - but still feels like playing some. Falls asleep in the car in morning and afternoon commute - and any other trip - falls asleep on the couch and goes to bed without a fuss, doesn't want to take a bath because it is too cold - takes his blanket with him everywhere - no fever but feels warm to touch) thankfully, it resolves itself in a day or two so he hasn't had a real flare - but everytime time I taper I see these signs and brace myself. I think the body reacts to the change in dose the same way it would in a full blown flare.Rob has always been a finicky eater - but has strange likes for a kid (has loved cottage cheese since he started eating table food & loves asparagus and corn - won't touch broccoli - even with cheese which he loves.) He also likes the regular kid stuff. When first on the steriods he ate ravenously for the first two months or so - even woke me at 2:00 am starving & I would get up and fix something. His appetite stayed relatively good until the last month or so (on steriods since last June)now, he is eating fairly well - but the appetite is back to his more finicky - "how much vegetables do I have to eat to get more macaroni and cheese" style of eating. He has never been a breakfast person - but I wonder if that is my fault - by allowing daycare to provide his breakfast (so that he was up with me for awhile, then in the car before eating)I don't know. On weekends he says "let's skip breakfast" even though he wakes hungry because he does sleep later - but he actually wants lunch or dinner foods for breakfast (which we often do as long as it keeps his diet fairly balance).I've rambled on enough! Have a great day!ValRob's Mom (4,systemic)In a message dated Wed, 5 Jun 2002 8:24:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, llyoung@... writes:>>> Hi everyone:> I just wondered if anyone else has noticed "particular" signs in their kids> before an obvious flare? With Mickey (8yrs, systemic onset jra) down at 3mg> of prednisone a day... well, as you all know, its a worry. She's rarely> gotten this low before and I know for me, in the past I've realized AFTER> the fact that there've been warning signs, had I been more alert to them.> Usually, about a week or two after stuff like this starts happening, she> ends up in a full-blown flare.>> For Mickey, who LOVES to swim, and can normally be in the water for hours,> she gets chilled within minutes of being in a normal temp. pool. Instead of> being impossible to get out of the pool, after 10 minutes she's shaking so> badly she's almost in tears. Feels the cold more, all around, not just in> the water. She gets tired way more easily, has long naps as soon as she gets> home from school, and her appetite goes off, even in the evening when she's> normally ravenous.>> There's another question. I don't know if it's just her, her younger sister> is not like this, but getting Mickey to eat breakfast has always been close> to impossible. To make certain she gets adequate nutrition for school, I> have to give her Ensure (wildberry is the only flavor she likes) to drink in> the morning. By lunch time she'll eat a little, crackers, apples, fruit> mostly. Starting around 3... she could eat non-stop! Luckily, she's the kind> of kid who'd always preferred carrot sticks to cookies but its amazing how> much she can eat in an evening! Anyway, something I've wondered for while,> is this a reaction to the meds she gets in the morning, or something about> the arthritis, or just her way? Anyone else notice any weird appetite things> in their kids?>> Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had noticed "particular" warning> signs? I guess, what I'm wondering, is that when these things start to> happen, would it help head off a longer, more serious flare to bump the> prednisone up before the acute flare symptoms start to happen. Has anyone's> doc ever given that sort of advice?>> Lynn>>>>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tree!! Robbie will not eat cereal with milk on it - but he does eat it like

snack food or chips - cute coincidence. The morning is really a challenge

because he has to have food with his meds - For a long time he was drinking a

cup of milk or chocolate milk on the way to school so I could give him his meds

- but started leaving too much in the cup - so I had to start feeding him in the

morning (I already have an 45 min to an hour commute - so whew!) Now he eats

cottage cheese or yogurt in the am with his meds and sometimes a peanut butter

sandwhich. (He said for awhile that Jelly is for girls - but finally told me

he just wants his peanut butter plain.) Robbie will sometimes eat a pancake or

waffle - but he isn't even interested in that too often - which is a good thing.

For awhile there Robbie would eat mac and cheese three times a day if I let him

(I didn't) - but now he seems to have gotten over that for awhile. Interesting.

Val

Rob's Mom (4,systemic)

In a message dated Thu, 6 Jun 2002 3:49:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

treesap0@... writes:

> Val, I don't know what it means if anything but I almost never want breakfast

and If I do eat before 10 am ( may day ussually starts at 6 am ) then its lunch

or dinner left overs i prefer. or fruit and cottage cheese LOL hmmm think we

have something in common or is a JRA thing? I eat a piece of plain dry toast and

drink water in the am just to take my meds

> Funny thing is my son is the same way don't know that its that we just don't

like breakfast type foods because we sure go thru alot of cereal but not in the

regular way ...we eat it like everyone else would popcorn or chips, like snack

food. Matt is allergic to all dairy and does use soy milk but almost never puts

it on cereal. About the only way I can get him to eat breakfast type foods is to

make french toast with powdered sugar on top , and I generally only fix that

when I need him to eat for sure because its not the healthiest breakfast lol

Take care :):)Tree:):)

> JRA VET

> C0-Leader/Tres. FACES

> Facing Arthritis with Compassion, Encouragement and Support

>

> Re: signs of an imminent flare?

>

> Hi Lynn,

> Robbie shows signs of flaring for a day or two after each prednisolone taper

(moving slower, appetite down, complaints of pain " all over " - but still feels

like playing some. Falls asleep in the car in morning and afternoon commute -

and any other trip - falls asleep on the couch and goes to bed without a fuss,

doesn't want to take a bath because it is too cold - takes his blanket with him

everywhere - no fever but feels warm to touch) thankfully, it resolves itself in

a day or two so he hasn't had a real flare - but everytime time I taper I see

these signs and brace myself. I think the body reacts to the change in dose the

same way it would in a full blown flare.

>

> Rob has always been a finicky eater - but has strange likes for a kid (has

loved cottage cheese since he started eating table food & loves asparagus and

corn - won't touch broccoli - even with cheese which he loves.) He also likes

the regular kid stuff. When first on the steriods he ate ravenously for the

first two months or so - even woke me at 2:00 am starving & I would get up and

fix something. His appetite stayed relatively good until the last month or so

(on steriods since last June)now, he is eating fairly well - but the appetite is

back to his more finicky - " how much vegetables do I have to eat to get more

macaroni and cheese " style of eating. He has never been a breakfast person -

but I wonder if that is my fault - by allowing daycare to provide his breakfast

(so that he was up with me for awhile, then in the car before eating)I don't

know. On weekends he says " let's skip breakfast " even though he wakes hungry

because he does sleep later - but he actually wants lunch or dinner foods for

breakfast (which we often do as long as it keeps his diet fairly balance).

>

> I've rambled on enough! Have a great day!

> Val

> Rob's Mom (4,systemic)

>

> In a message dated Wed, 5 Jun 2002 8:24:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

llyoung@... writes:

>

> >

> >

> > Hi everyone:

> > I just wondered if anyone else has noticed " particular " signs in their kids

> > before an obvious flare? With Mickey (8yrs, systemic onset jra) down at 3mg

> > of prednisone a day... well, as you all know, its a worry. She's rarely

> > gotten this low before and I know for me, in the past I've realized AFTER

> > the fact that there've been warning signs, had I been more alert to them.

> > Usually, about a week or two after stuff like this starts happening, she

> > ends up in a full-blown flare.

> >

> > For Mickey, who LOVES to swim, and can normally be in the water for hours,

> > she gets chilled within minutes of being in a normal temp. pool. Instead of

> > being impossible to get out of the pool, after 10 minutes she's shaking so

> > badly she's almost in tears. Feels the cold more, all around, not just in

> > the water. She gets tired way more easily, has long naps as soon as she gets

> > home from school, and her appetite goes off, even in the evening when she's

> > normally ravenous.

> >

> > There's another question. I don't know if it's just her, her younger sister

> > is not like this, but getting Mickey to eat breakfast has always been close

> > to impossible. To make certain she gets adequate nutrition for school, I

> > have to give her Ensure (wildberry is the only flavor she likes) to drink in

> > the morning. By lunch time she'll eat a little, crackers, apples, fruit

> > mostly. Starting around 3... she could eat non-stop! Luckily, she's the kind

> > of kid who'd always preferred carrot sticks to cookies but its amazing how

> > much she can eat in an evening! Anyway, something I've wondered for while,

> > is this a reaction to the meds she gets in the morning, or something about

> > the arthritis, or just her way? Anyone else notice any weird appetite things

> > in their kids?

> >

> > Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had noticed " particular " warning

> > signs? I guess, what I'm wondering, is that when these things start to

> > happen, would it help head off a longer, more serious flare to bump the

> > prednisone up before the acute flare symptoms start to happen. Has anyone's

> > doc ever given that sort of advice?

> >

> > Lynn

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

that's funny you say that about the mac and cheese its like one of my comfort foods , when I feel the worse I can eat it and it sitts well no matter how many pills I've had and I fix it just for me becasue Matt can't have any dairy so If i fix it he wants some too lol so I'm a closet mac and cheese eater lol ( oh my that sounds queer ) lol but seriously and a cup of mac a cheese will do me all day long and I eat cottage cheese and cereal dry and I eat dry toast with meds. Did u ever have Robbie try the carnation instant breakfast drinks My nephew is immuno deficient and asthmatic and she has so much trouble keeping weight on this child because all he east is raw vegies well he gets this instant breakfast every morning and every night at night she even puts in scoops of ice cream and calls them a milk shake lol In the morn she has a commute as well and she has those 160z. tupperware cups that you can get sippy lids to fit and she makes the carnation breakfast and he sips it the whole way. He even likes it warm on cold mornings lol he's slowly gaining if only he would stop getting so tall so the rest of him could catch up lol :):)Tree:):) I used to eat peanut butter with a small amount of sugar sprinkled on top instaed of jelly and that was my breakfast lol Re: signs of an imminent flare?>> Hi Lynn,> Robbie shows signs of flaring for a day or two after each prednisolone taper (moving slower, appetite down, complaints of pain "all over" - but still feels like playing some. Falls asleep in the car in morning and afternoon commute - and any other trip - falls asleep on the couch and goes to bed without a fuss, doesn't want to take a bath because it is too cold - takes his blanket with him everywhere - no fever but feels warm to touch) thankfully, it resolves itself in a day or two so he hasn't had a real flare - but everytime time I taper I see these signs and brace myself. I think the body reacts to the change in dose the same way it would in a full blown flare.>> Rob has always been a finicky eater - but has strange likes for a kid (has loved cottage cheese since he started eating table food & loves asparagus and corn - won't touch broccoli - even with cheese which he loves.) He also likes the regular kid stuff. When first on the steriods he ate ravenously for the first two months or so - even woke me at 2:00 am starving & I would get up and fix something. His appetite stayed relatively good until the last month or so (on steriods since last June)now, he is eating fairly well - but the appetite is back to his more finicky - "how much vegetables do I have to eat to get more macaroni and cheese" style of eating. He has never been a breakfast person - but I wonder if that is my fault - by allowing daycare to provide his breakfast (so that he was up with me for awhile, then in the car before eating)I don't know. On weekends he says "let's skip breakfast" even though he wakes hungry because he does sleep later - but he actually wants lunch or dinner foods for breakfast (which we often do as long as it keeps his diet fairly balance).>> I've rambled on enough! Have a great day!> Val> Rob's Mom (4,systemic)>> In a message dated Wed, 5 Jun 2002 8:24:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time, llyoung@... writes:>> >> >> > Hi everyone:> > I just wondered if anyone else has noticed "particular" signs in their kids> > before an obvious flare? With Mickey (8yrs, systemic onset jra) down at 3mg> > of prednisone a day... well, as you all know, its a worry. She's rarely> > gotten this low before and I know for me, in the past I've realized AFTER> > the fact that there've been warning signs, had I been more alert to them.> > Usually, about a week or two after stuff like this starts happening, she> > ends up in a full-blown flare.> >> > For Mickey, who LOVES to swim, and can normally be in the water for hours,> > she gets chilled within minutes of being in a normal temp. pool. Instead of> > being impossible to get out of the pool, after 10 minutes she's shaking so> > badly she's almost in tears. Feels the cold more, all around, not just in> > the water. She gets tired way more easily, has long naps as soon as she gets> > home from school, and her appetite goes off, even in the evening when she's> > normally ravenous.> >> > There's another question. I don't know if it's just her, her younger sister> > is not like this, but getting Mickey to eat breakfast has always been close> > to impossible. To make certain she gets adequate nutrition for school, I> > have to give her Ensure (wildberry is the only flavor she likes) to drink in> > the morning. By lunch time she'll eat a little, crackers, apples, fruit> > mostly. Starting around 3... she could eat non-stop! Luckily, she's the kind> > of kid who'd always preferred carrot sticks to cookies but its amazing how> > much she can eat in an evening! Anyway, something I've wondered for while,> > is this a reaction to the meds she gets in the morning, or something about> > the arthritis, or just her way? Anyone else notice any weird appetite things> > in their kids?> >> > Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had noticed "particular" warning> > signs? I guess, what I'm wondering, is that when these things start to> > happen, would it help head off a longer, more serious flare to bump the> > prednisone up before the acute flare symptoms start to happen. Has anyone's> > doc ever given that sort of advice?> >> > Lynn> >> >> >> >

[Guest guest]

Funny Lynn I resemble MIckey alot in eating and everthing you said. I even get medrol dose packs from Rhummy before I go to AJAO one because stress of travel (change in pressure s on flights can start a flare ) also stress of how emotional it can get and stress of doing more walking and sitting sometimes in rooms that are air conditioned a bit more than I prefer and sitting in some cases too long lol So I know I always vacation with a just incase dose pack. I'd make a list and talk to rhummy and see if you can come up with a plan like if she show 5 of seven then start her but I'd definitely talk to rhummy and tell him you'd like to try it. I keep prednisone and muscle relaxers and pain meds. that are prn , taken as I see they are needed but then I've been at this for over 32 years. And don't take me wrong I'm not a pillaholic I use alternative therapies before I take any or those prn meds and ussually chat with doc once before I start the pred. and I go back off as soon as possible. I hate to have more meds than I asbolutely need but in saying that I also believe that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Donna and I talk often about how we almost never take pain meds. and we know its that we have built up a pain threshold that is quite amazing as my internist says signs of an imminent flare? Hi everyone:I just wondered if anyone else has noticed "particular" signs in their kidsbefore an obvious flare? With Mickey (8yrs, systemic onset jra) down at 3mgof prednisone a day... well, as you all know, its a worry. She's rarelygotten this low before and I know for me, in the past I've realized AFTERthe fact that there've been warning signs, had I been more alert to them.Usually, about a week or two after stuff like this starts happening, sheends up in a full-blown flare.For Mickey, who LOVES to swim, and can normally be in the water for hours,she gets chilled within minutes of being in a normal temp. pool. Instead ofbeing impossible to get out of the pool, after 10 minutes she's shaking sobadly she's almost in tears. Feels the cold more, all around, not just inthe water. She gets tired way more easily, has long naps as soon as she getshome from school, and her appetite goes off, even in the evening when she'snormally ravenous.There's another question. I don't know if it's just her, her younger sisteris not like this, but getting Mickey to eat breakfast has always been closeto impossible. To make certain she gets adequate nutrition for school, Ihave to give her Ensure (wildberry is the only flavor she likes) to drink inthe morning. By lunch time she'll eat a little, crackers, apples, fruitmostly. Starting around 3... she could eat non-stop! Luckily, she's the kindof kid who'd always preferred carrot sticks to cookies but its amazing howmuch she can eat in an evening! Anyway, something I've wondered for while,is this a reaction to the meds she gets in the morning, or something aboutthe arthritis, or just her way? Anyone else notice any weird appetite thingsin their kids?Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had noticed "particular" warningsigns? I guess, what I'm wondering, is that when these things start tohappen, would it help head off a longer, more serious flare to bump theprednisone up before the acute flare symptoms start to happen. Has anyone'sdoc ever given that sort of advice?Lynn