Hi and welcome! How old is your son? Be sure to check out the parents forum.
The thinking has actually changed - many GIs are using the "top down" treatment method. They use more effective drugs like Humira or Remicade first to get the disease under control. The idea is that this will prevent long term complications like strictures, abscesses, fistulae etc. It will also help a child heal enough so that they can grow and gain weight properly. Studies show using biologics early in the disease prevents surgeries in the future.
It also generally reduces the amount of time kids are on steroids, which can have all sorts of awful side effects. Budesonide is a steroid and though generally kids have fewer side effects than on Prednisone, over time they WILL develop side effects.
New drugs are in the pipeline and kids can be on biologics for years, so I wouldn't worry too much about options in the future.
In some places, the step up therapy is still used. With that method, they use meds like 6MP or Azathioprine first and then wait and see if they work. If they don't then they go up to biologics. This method can take a lot longer and so complications can develop.
We used Remicade and MTX first for my daughter. Within 8 months, her scopes were MUCH improved. All the ulcers in her colon had healed and it looked "beautiful." She had mild inflammation left in her TI but that's it. It was remarkably successful for her.
Good luck!