“How to treat lupus?”

Obviously he needs to see a pediatric rheumatologist and be evaluated. I am certain that he will be started on hydroxychloroquine and then, depending on if he has any organ involvement, he might be started on prednisone, and or azathioprine. The prognosis for lupus, now is much better than in years past as there is biologic therapy that can put the disease into remission.

I am sorry your son is ill but I hope that he can see a pediatric rheumatologist and get a treatment plan As you know, lupus can cause many different signs and symptoms. These can include fever, weight loss, lymph node enlargement, mouth ulcers, pleurisy and pericarditis, Raynauds phenomenon , neurological, kidney involvement ( different forms ), anemia and low platelet counts, etcetera The treatment really depends on what we call the manifestation; in other words we will treat the patient based on what organ systems are involved If someone has a rash and arthritis, we might use a drug called hydroxychloroquine or Plaquenil For more serious involvement, prednisone may need to be used and other immunosuppressive medication ( methotrexate, Imuran, CellCept, leflunomide, Benlysta, Saphnelo ) The outlook for patients with lupus today is better than it was 25 to 30 years ago I hope your son does well. Best wishes! Thomas P. Olenginski, M.D., FACP Staff Attending Physician - Geisinger Medical Center, Danville PA Department Rheumatology HiROC FLS Physician Champion BMD Committee Chairperson 570-271-6416 Fax: 570-214-2924

When treating lupus in children, a combination of medications and lifestyle adjustments is typically employed:

Medication:

Antimalarial drugs like hydroxychloroquine can be prescribed to prevent and manage symptoms.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) aid in addressing symptoms like pain, swelling, and stiffness.
In severe cases with organ involvement, cyclophosphamide might be used.

Lifestyle Changes:

The management focuses on controlling symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and inflammation.

Here are some websites that have really good resources; I hope this helps!

https://nyulangone.org/conditions/lupus-in-children/treatments/medication-for-lupus-in-children
https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/pediatric-lupus
https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions/lupus
https://www.childrensnational.org/get-care/health-library/systemic-lupus-erythematosus
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/s/systemic-lupus-erythematosus
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5127968/

Every patient's Lupus is different. I encourage you to speak to your child's rheumatologist further about this. Treatment is based on the different organ systems involved.

Consider a TV consultant. Gather all the lab data and see if your local Rheumatologist will do this.. there is a consultation cost.