The doctor will tell you exactly how much prednisone to give your child each day. Never stop prednisone, unless the doctor tells you to do so. If you stop this drug or give your child too much or too little, he or she may get very ill. Sometimes, your child will slay healthy after treatment. Getting sick may happen after a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu.
Prednisone can be a very good drug, but it has a number of side effects.
If prednisone does not work for your child or if your child has serious side effects, the doctor may order another kind of medicine, called an immunosuppressive drug. These drugs decrease the activity of the body's immune system. They are effective in most, but not all, children. Your doctor will discuss in detail with you the good and bad things about the drug. Parents also should be aware that children taking immunosuppressive drugs may become ill if they develop chicken pox.