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What is Juvenile Dermatomyositis?

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is an autoimmune disease causing vasculitis that manifests itself in children. In JDM, the body's immune system attacks blood vessels throughout the body, causing inflammation called vasculitis. In the United States, the incidence rate of JDM is approximately 3 cases per million children per year, leading to 300 to 500 new cases annually and affecting an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 children. The underlying cause of JDM is unknown. It most likely has a genetic component, as other auto-immune disease tend to run in the families of patients. The disease is usually triggered by a condition that causes immune system activity that does not stop as it should, but the trigger is almost certainly not the cause in most cases. Common triggers include viral infections, other infections, injuries, and sunburn.

Common symptoms of JDMS include severe muscle weakening, rheumatoid arthritis, skin rash and ulcerations, trouble with the GI tract and extreme fatigue. Treatment options include a variety of oral medications and IV drugs. THERE IS NO CURE FOR JDM. Some children may experience a remission while others may battle the disease their entire lives. For those children who do go into a remission of the disease, there remains a possibility that they will have a flare-up at a later time.

The Cure JM foundation is the one and only foundation dedicated to research and ultimately finding a cure for JDM. Please visit www.curejm.org for more information. Olivia and I are always collecting donations on behalf of the Cure JM Foundation, please contact me for more information. You can also make a donation directly on the website, or visit our Firstgiving page at www.firstgiving.com/jillszyszko. Please visit the Cure JM website for more information on the disease.

Olivia's Page

What is Juvenile Dermatomyositis?

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