Scleroderma diagnosis by age

Scleroderma is something that happens in a body. It can change how a body’s germ fighters, muscles, bones, and skin all work together. Sometimes a person with scleroderma can get hardened or thicker skin. One way to be a good friend to someone with scleroderma is to play with them and treat them with kindness just like you would any other friend.

Scleroderma is a disease that affects the immune system (the cells that fight germs in your body) and connective tissues (muscles and bones in your body that hold other parts of your body in the right spot).

In an immune system that does not have scleroderma, the germ-fighting cells generally leave all of the healthy cells in the body alone, fighting only the germs, viruses and bacteria that get inside. In an immune system that does have scleroderma the germ-fighting cells (sometimes its fun to call these soldier cells or ninja cells when talking with a young child) get confused about what is a germ and what isn’t. In a body that has scleroderma, the germ-fighting cells can start attacking the healthy cells in those muscles and bones that help hold things together.

Sometimes people with scleroderma have skin that is thick or looks hard. Sometimes people with scleroderma look as if they have a scar or a deep line on their skin. Sometimes their fingers can look swollen or a different color. There are many different kinds of scleroderma and they can all look different. One way to be a good friend to someone with scleroderma is to ask them for permission before you question them about their skin. For example: “Would it be ok if I asked you a question about scleroderma?”