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1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most
3		common childhood chronic rheumatologic disorder; and
4		WHEREAS, JIA has a yearly incidence of 2 to 20 cases per
5		100,000 individuals and strikes an estimated total of 294,000
6		children in the United States; and
7		WHEREAS, Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA) is
8		a serious subtype of JIA and the most common type of arthritis
9		in children and teens, affecting about 10% to 20% of children
10		with JIA; and
11		WHEREAS, Systemic means it may affect not only the joints
12		but other parts of the body, including the liver, lungs, and
13		heart; and
14		WHEREAS, The most serious potential complication of SJIA
15		is macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), a massive
16		inflammatory response that overwhelms the whole body; and
17		WHEREAS, SJIA, sometimes referred to as Still's disease,
18		affects boys and girls equally and can occur at any time during
19		childhood, but it most commonly starts at approximately two
20		years of age; and

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1		WHEREAS, SJIA differs from other subtypes of JIA because
2		it is autoinflammatory rather than autoimmune, more severe,
3		and more challenging to diagnose and treat than other types of
4		JIA; and
5		WHEREAS, The main cause of SJIA is unknown, but it is
6		generally believed to be triggered by something in the
7		environment of a child that has a genetic predisposition; and
8		WHEREAS, The symptoms of SJIA are fever, rash, and joint
9		pain; a high, recurring fever, often coupled with a rash, is
10		one of the first signs of the disease, with this fever usually
11		following a pattern in which a child's temperature reaches 103
12		degrees Fahrenheit or higher, generally in the evening, and
13		then drops within a few hours; and
14		WHEREAS, According to the International League of
15		Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR), a diagnosis of SJIA
16		requires a high fever for at least two weeks and arthritis,
17		such as joint pain and inflammation, in one or more joints for
18		at least six weeks; and
19		WHEREAS, There are no specific tests for SJIA; instead,
20		doctors have to rely on their experience and expertise as well
21		as the child's medical history, a comprehensive physical exam,

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1		and laboratory medical equipment to identify the disease; and
2		WHEREAS, While there is no known cure for SJIA, remission
3		is possible through early aggressive treatment and non-drug
4		therapies; and
5		WHEREAS, Increasing awareness among patients, parents, and
6		healthcare providers alike regarding Systemic Juvenile
7		Idiopathic Arthritis (SJIA) is a key component in safeguarding
8		children's health; therefore, be it
9		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
10		HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11		we declare the month of July 2025 as Systemic Juvenile
12		Idiopathic Arthritis (SJIA) Awareness Month in the State of
13		Illinois; and be it further
14		RESOLVED, That we encourage funding for research
15		organizations working towards finding the cause and the cure
16		of SJIA in order to prevent this disease and offer successful
17		treatment options.