SOPHIA'S STORY
Sophia was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis at the tender age of 7, and since then, her life has been profoundly impacted. The constant pain and inflammation caused by this condition affect her in every aspect, making even simple daily activities a struggle. However, due to her autism, Sophia faces an additional communication barrier when expressing the pitfalls of her arthritis.
Sophia's autism amplifies the complexity of her condition, as she finds it difficult to communicate her pain and discomfort verbally. As her mother, I have witnessed the frustration she experiences when she cannot express the severity of her arthritis-related symptoms. Despite these obstacles, Sophia has shown incredible resilience, determination, and an unwavering spirit. She has developed her own unique ways of coping with the pain, showcasing her strength and adaptability.
Education is an essential aspect of Sophia's life, and she strives to succeed academically. However, her conditions often present obstacles to her learning. With the help of her dedicated teachers and individualized education plans, Sophia has made remarkable progress. Despite the setbacks caused by her health challenges, she maintains a deep curiosity for learning.
WILLA'S STORY
We're just at the beginning of our JA journey with Willa, but feel very fortunate that all of her flair ups and symptoms have been mild up to this point. She had pain and swelling in one knee that we later did surgery on to drain and administer a steroid. She's currently taking Naproxen and Methotrexate. We're hoping it's an aggressive enough treatment to keep all her symptoms minimal and force JA into remission. Like I said, we're still very new to this but feel that with fast acting doctors and aggressive treatment we can pull out all the stops for Willa and she can experience a pain-free childhood.