Treatment of Septic Arthritis
Specific treatment for septic arthritis will be determined by your child's doctor based on:

Your child's overall health and medical history

The type of bacteria causing the infection, location of infection, and predisposing medical conditions

Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, and therapies
Expectation for the course of the disease
Your opinion or preference

Septic arthritis usually requires treatment with antibiotics, which are often given intravenously to ensure prompt response to therapy. Antibiotics are only effective if your child’s condition is caused by a bacteria.

If your child’s infection is caused by fungi, he will need antifungal medications.

If a viral infection caused your child’s septic arthritis, the virus will usually need to run its course without treatment, although medications can be used to help alleviate pain.

In some cases, the infected joint must be drained and cleaned because antibiotics cannot penetrate deep enough into a severely infected joint. This may require drainage by a needle, tube or surgery.