Symptoms of juvenile dermatomyositis
The main symptoms of juvenile dermatomyositis are muscle weakness and skin rashes. This is caused by inflammation in the small blood vessels (vasculitis) in skin and muscle and also by inflammation of the muscle cells. Other symptoms may include: Violet-color and dusky red rash: on face, eyelids, cheeks, chest wall, knees or back of elbows. (This may be mistaken for eczema.) Raised bumps on knuckes Gradual muscle weakness (often in the neck, shoulders, trunk, back or hips) Difficulty with everyday activities, such as climbing stairs, standing up, riding a bicycle, getting dressed, lifting the head Frequently falling down Weak voice (dysphonia) Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) Fever Sore and swollen joints Fatigue Severe abdominal pain (because of ulcers in the digestive system due to the vasculitis) Hardened lumps from deposits of calcium underneath the skin (calcinosis) Lung problems (because of inflammation and thickening of small airways in lungs)
