July is juvenile arthritis awareness Month

July is juvenile arthritis awareness month.

Juvenile arthritis can cause damage to joints, which can make it hard to do everyday things, like walking or getting dressed, and can result in disability.
Although you typically can’t see it, more than 300,000 children in the United States live with the debilitating and painful disease.
Jamie St. Martin is a mother of 5 from Waterford.
She had never even heard of juvenile arthritis, until it affected her family.
Her daughter Ava was diagnosed last January, when she was 2-years-old.
It all started when ava woke up one morning with a swollen knee, and she couldn’t walk.
Ava is now 3, and goes to school every day and enjoys gymnastics.
Her mom says every day is different with this disease.

Although there is no cure, some children with arthritis achieve permanent remission, which means the disease is no longer active.
If you or someone you know is struggling with this disease and is looking for resources, you can contact the arthritis foundation.