Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis in Children: Natural Pain Relief That Works

Most of us think of arthritis as a condition that affects older adults—maybe our grandparents. But what happens when arthritis shows up in a 6-year-old child? Or a 12-year-old who just wants to play basketball, not battle daily pain?

This isn’t a rare occurrence. Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA)—also called Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)—affects thousands of Australian children. And many go undiagnosed for far too long.

At Dr Kez Chirolab®, we’re passionate about helping families heal faster at home with natural solutions that reduce pain, inflammation and worry. Let’s unpack what JRA is, how it affects families, and what you can do—without relying on medication alone.

JRA is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, leading to chronic inflammation, stiffness, swelling, and pain. It often starts before age 16 and can affect one or multiple joints—and sometimes the eyes or organs too.

Signs to Watch For:

• Morning stiffness or joint locking
• Limping or difficulty moving
• Swollen, warm, or red joints
• Low energy or irritability
• Recurring fevers or rashes

Early diagnosis and management are essential. But so is the approach—because long-term medication use isn’t the only way.

The first-line treatment in many cases of JRA involves anti-inflammatories or immune suppressants. While these can be useful in certain stages, relying on them long-term can come with risks—especially for growing bodies.

Steroids and strong NSAIDs may:

• Impact growth and bone density
• Increase risk of gut and liver issues
• Weaken the immune system over time
• Disrupt hormonal development

That’s why many parents are now looking for safe, effective, and natural ways to help manage their child’s inflammation and pain. It’s not about avoiding medical treatment altogether—it’s about supporting the body alongside it.

Sophie was only 8 when her knees and ankles began to swell, occasionally at first and then it became more and more regularly. Her parents initially thought it was just growing pains, but when she started to refuse to go to school and the teachers reported that she would often sit at lunch time by herself and not run around with her friends, they realised it was more serious.  After many appointments with their local GP and a rheumatologist, Sophie was eventually diagnosed with oligoarticular JIA.  Although they took on board all the suggestions and prescriptions from their medical specialists, Sophie’s family wanted more than just painkillers.

Online, they discovered the Trio of Creams from Dr Kez Chirolab® and began using them as a daily routine.

Using the Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief every morning on waking, followed by an application of Heativate® Relief Cream just before she put her socks on for school became their morning ritual.  This alone had a significant impact on her swelling and stiffness and resulted in Sophie walking around with her friends at lunch time. 

After reaching out to us to let us know the great results Sophie was experiencing using the trio of creams, I recommended that she increase the application of the trio of creams to include another application after school and then again before bed.  Sophie’s Mum also thought it would be a good idea to bring her to Melbourne for a treatment. 

Amongst several things that we needed to adjust, we also discovered that Sophie had flat feet, so I fitted her with remouldable orthotics.  A month later Sophie’s mum reported that Sophie was back to school full-time and had even joined a local netball team!

Topical creams deliver therapeutic ingredients directly to the site of inflammation, bypassing the gut and reducing the need for oral medication—making them a great option for kids.

At 13, Max was already tired of being in pain. He always complained about having to write for too long in class and as a result started to fall behind in his schoolwork.  His elbows and wrists would lock up in the morning, and his doctor eventually diagnosed “early arthritis.” Although they trusted their family GP implicitly, Max’s Mum wasn’t keen on Max being on pain killers long term so she reached out to us and we recommended the Trio of Creams and the Therapeutic Ultrasound.

Max began using the Trio of Creams before and after school every day.   After his morning application of Kirofix® Injury Relief Lotion and Bone Aid Relief Cream Max would use the ultrasound on the pulsed setting on both of his elbows and wrists. 

It didn’t take long before Max was back on top of his schoolwork and he is now even participating in PE without any complaints.

This kind of empowered healing at home is what exactly we stand for.

Here's how our most trusted natural products work together to support growing bodies with JRA:

A powerful topical system that helps reduce pain, support tissue healing, and improve blood flow.

Kirofix®Injury Relief Lotion: Reduces acute inflammation and provides the building blocks for healing soft tissue injuries, such as sprains, strains, tendonitis, bursitis, disc problems, muscle tears, arthritis and more.

Bone Aid Relief Cream: Strengthens bones, supports joints, connective tissues and nerves. Great for nerve pain, broken bones, bone bruising, bone spurs and more.

Heativate® Relief Cream: Causes vasodilation of the blood vessels, which increases circulation to increase healing in areas of injury.  The enhanced blood flow is great for preventing muscular injuries during activity and help to soothe muscle tightness after injury.

This handheld, at-home device uses high frequency sound waves to:

• Improve blood flow
• Reduce joint inflammation
• Accelerate healing on a cellular level

It’s gentle enough for kids, yet powerful enough for both acute and chronic conditions.

This whole-food-based powder delivers potent anti-inflammatory herbs like turmeric, ginger and black pepper—all known for reducing joint pain naturally. It’s gut-friendly, safe for most kids (check individual tolerance) and easily added to smoothies or meals.  Joints absolutely love this mix, the results truly speak for themselves.

A kid-friendly way to:

• Stimulate blood flow
• Calm the nervous system
• Relieve muscle tension
• Encourage relaxation and better sleep
• Releases endorphins to assist mental health

Just a 10-20 minutes a day lying on the mat can make a huge difference in how a child feels physically and mentally.

❓Can JRA go away?

Yes. Many children go into remission, either permanently or for long stretches. Early intervention improves outcomes.

❓Is it safe for kids to exercise?

Absolutely. Movement is vital for joint health! Low-impact activities like swimming, stretching, or walking are great. Movement helps to lubricate the arthritic joints.  Tools like the acupressure mat can help ease post-activity soreness.

❓Can diet really help?

Yes! Diet plays a powerful role in managing inflammation. Reducing sugar, dairy, and processed foods while boosting anti-inflammatory nutrients makes a measurable difference.

❓When should I see a practitioner?

If your child has ongoing joint pain or stiffness, seek help early. Structural alignment matters! At Life Balance Adjustments in Watsonia, Dr Kez offers gentle chiropractic care, providing more than just adjustments.  We pride ourselves on treating the whole person and getting to the root cause of the issue.  We also provide guidance for at-home healing to help you to achieve the fastest possible results and to empower you on your healing journey.

Having an adjustment to ensure the joints are functioning optimally can give your child a significant advantage when dealing with JRA.

JRA doesn’t have to steal your child’s joy. With the right tools, guidance, and natural support, you can help them move better, feel stronger, and reclaim their childhood.

If you're looking for natural arthritis relief options, check out our Arthritis Collection, where all the at home solutions can be found.

👉 Click here to explore our arthritis product solutions (link to collection coming soon)