HR 174 — A Resolution recognizing the month of July 2025 as "Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   1246

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 174
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY STRUZZI, CONKLIN, FREEMAN, HOHENSTEIN, KHAN,
        McNEILL, NEILSON, REICHARD, VENKAT AND ZIMMERMAN,
        APRIL 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 3, 2025


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Recognizing the month of July 2025 as "Juvenile Arthritis
 2      Awareness Month" in Pennsylvania.
 3      WHEREAS, Juvenile arthritis is an umbrella term that refers
 4   to pediatric rheumatic diseases that can develop in children 16
 5   years of age or younger; and
 6      WHEREAS, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is an
 7   autoinflammatory disease of an unknown origin and the most
 8   common type of arthritis in children; and
 9      WHEREAS, An autoinflammatory disease causes the immune system
10   to become overactive even when there is no infection or illness
11   to fight or mistakenly attack healthy cells and tissues; and
12      WHEREAS, There is no evidence as to what causes JIA and no
13   evidence has been found that foods, toxins, allergies or lack of
14   vitamins play a role in developing the disease; and
15      WHEREAS, Current research indicates that there is a genetic
16   predisposition to JIA; and
17      WHEREAS, Researchers believe that a trigger, such as a virus,
 1   can initiate JIA in a child who has the genetic tendency; and
 2      WHEREAS, Systemic JIA, oligoarticular JIA, polyarticular JIA,
 3   juvenile psoriatic arthritis, enthesitis-related JIA and
 4   undifferentiated arthritis are the six subtypes of JIA; and
 5      WHEREAS, Nearly 300,000 children in the United States have
 6   some form of arthritis; and
 7      WHEREAS, Typical symptoms of arthritis include limping,
 8   stiffness when awakening, reluctance to use an arm or leg,
 9   reduced activity level, persistent fever, joint swelling and
10   difficulty with fine motor skills; and
11      WHEREAS, Most children with arthritis can expect to live
12   normal lives and some even have their arthritis go into
13   remission; and
14      WHEREAS, There is a small number of specialists who treat
15   JIA, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is a leader in
16   the field; and
17      WHEREAS, According to the American College of Rheumatology,
18   the best care for a child who has JIA is provided by a pediatric
19   rheumatology team that has extensive experience and can diagnose
20   and manage their complex needs; and
21      WHEREAS, A pediatric rheumatology team may consist of a
22   pediatric rheumatologist, a physical therapist, an occupational
23   therapist, a social worker and a nurse specialist who coordinate
24   care with other health professionals and school and community
25   officials; and
26      WHEREAS, The overall treatment goal for a child who has JIA
27   is to control the symptoms, prevent joint damage and maintain
28   function; and
29      WHEREAS, Medications, including steroids, disease-modifying
30   drugs and biologics, along with physical and occupational

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1   therapy, are used to treat JIA; and
2      WHEREAS, Parents and caregivers of children who have JIA
3   should be familiar with 29 U.S.C. Ch. 16, which may provide for
4   special accommodations at school; and
5      WHEREAS, Children who have JIA may be eligible for assistance
6   through services provided by State agencies; therefore be it
7      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
8   month of July 2025 as "Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month" in
9   Pennsylvania.




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