What are typical symptoms of JDMS?
Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDMS) is an auto-immune disease. The patient’s immune system attacks the blood vessels of the type that are found in the skin, and in muscle tissue. These blood vessels become inflamed, and this is called vaculitis. This causes two primary symptoms. The first symptom is a characteristic skin rash. The rash often affects the face, eyelids, and hands, and sometimes the skin above joints, including the knuckles, knees, elbows, etc. The color of the rash is a pinkish purplish, and is called Heliotrope (after a flower of the same name with approximately this color). On the hands and face, the rash very closely resembles eczema, fifth disease, or other more common skin condition, but the heliotrope color is unique to the inflammatory process of JDMS. The second symptom is muscle inflammation. The vasculitis also affects muscle tissue, causing it to become inflamed and weak. The weakness can cause fatigue, clumsiness, not keeping up physically with peers, and eventua
