Juvenile arthritis and healthy eating: 5 tips

The medications used, combined with the symptoms of juvenile arthritis can cause difficult eating problems. These tips can help your child develop needed healthy eating habits.

• For kids with aching joints, simple tasks like eating whole fruit or opening convenience packaging can be difficult. To make foods more appealing, consider cutting up hard fruits and vegetables into smaller bites.
• Also be sure that food containers are easy to open. Even a milk carton can be difficult for some kids with juvenile arthritis to operate.

• A healthy diet for a child with juvenile arthritis is high in healthy fats and whole grains, and eliminates junk and processed foods. This type of diet is recommended for people of all ages and most health backgrounds, so your entire family should adopt the habit.
• Forcing your child to avoid certain foods while the rest of the family enjoys them can lead to a "diet rebellion" or hurt feelings.

• Kids who have to limit their physical activities or use steroids as part of their treatments are at a higher risk for becoming overweight. Over time, that excess weight can cause additional health problems.
• You should visit a nutritionist with a background in helping kids with juvenile arthritis before any weight problems develop. The nutritionist should be able to offer you healthy menu suggestions and tips for navigating school lunches.

• You may find your child's medications reduce, rather than enhance their appetite. Kids with juvenile diabetes who avoid eating can develop an eating disorder or a disease like osteoporosis.
• Lack of proper nutrition could also prevent your child from growing taller and developing normally. It's important to monitor your child's diet to ensure that it offers a complete array of nutrients, proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
• Any weight loss should prompt a visit to your pediatrician.

• Building healthy habits is important, but one day of fast food or sweets won't derail an otherwise healthy diet.
• Many kids who have juvenile arthritis feel that they have little control over their own lives. Adding constant pressure about diet can cause kids to rebel as a way of asserting their autonomy. These kids may refuse to eat, or only eat unhealthy foods.
• To avoid this problem, keep in mind that eating occasional treats shouldn't become a point of contention between you and your child.