newbie question

[Guest guest]

My daughter Lucy (6) was just diagnosed with JA. Her right wrist has

been completely stiff for over two months. We didn't get referred to a

ped. rheumatologist until early December and he started her on Naproxen

and Prednisone. There was no improvement and so she is on methotrexate

as well. Her wrist is so locked up that he has said that if she

doesn't have range of motion in another 10 days or so we are looking ar

surgery. This doc is the longest practicing ped. rheumatologist in my

area and I have been assured by everyone that she is in very good hands.

Anyway, that's my intro, here's my question. The pain started in her

right wrist. Next she complained of pain in her right knee. Then it

was in her left wrist. Then her jaw. Her jaw is clicking and she is

having trouble opening her mouth very wide. She complains that it is

painful to sleep on her side because her hips hurt and tonight she said

her left ankle hurt and her left big toe.

And here's the thing - she's not a complainer at all. She's the

youngest of four and she has never complained about pain. I had to

tell her that she needed to tell me if something hurts. So now she

comes and casually tells me that her ankle or whatever hurts, but if I

ask her if her knee still hurts she says no.

The PT says she has weakness in her knee joint even though she is

reporting no pain. So is it normal for pain to come and go? Or is she

just adapting to it and then not noticing it?

Any thoughts?

Amy