arthrogry-whatsis?

so what IS arthrogryposis anyways? its a disorder of connective tissue. the big fancy name is arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. It is also referred to as AMC. AMC is something you are born with. It isnt anything you can catch from a sibling or friend. children born with arthrogryposis have very tight joints and often in contracted twisted crooked positions. It is strictly a physical disease in and of itself. while a person may have AMC and some other disorders, AMC does not affect the brain. People with AMC are smart, often above average intelligence. could this be because they find creative new ways to do things?

Contractures can happen in any joint in the body including the jaw and back. Every person has their own combination of contractions.Some are only affected in hands and feet, some in every single joint in their body, and any variety in between.
club foot is common. It is usually symmetrical though so if you have a contracture in one joint on one side its usually in the same joint on the other side. People with AMC can go on to do just about anything they want in life. they may not be able to do them in the traditional way but where there is a will there is a way in most things.

In the US these kids stand a chance if they have someone to fight for them and help them get the treatment and help they need. In many other countries parents of these children are often told the child will never sit up never speak never be able to do anything. They may even be told the child is retarded. They are encouraged to forget about them and move on with their lives. Children like Madeline and Grady are sent to orphanages and eventually to an institution where they weill be bed bound and generally waste away with little to no stimulation, no medical treatments, no therapies and little reason to survive. Many of them dont survive more than a year or two. So when I say these kids very lives are on the line I do not exaggerate. Their years are numbered if they go to an institution. Yet if someone brought these kids home they could live a long and productive life if only given a chance.

How do I know about AMC? I adopted two kids with AMC. They are very smart, sweet, and loving. The have amazed me in the things they learn to do. Yes, I wont lie, there are days it is hard to acknowledge that they CANT do some things. But they have opened my eyes to a whole new world. People with physical limitations can work and lead a normal life. they can laugh and cry. they have feelings and hopes and dreams. they are just ordinary people whose bodies, for wahtever reason, doesnt work like yours and mine.

Madeline, Grady, Elizabeta, Igor, Jordan and so many others are waiting for a home and family. Isnt anyone willing to give them a chance at a future? Can you look into those eyes and condemn them to life in bed with a very early death? Are you the Mama or Papa they have been waiting for? If you think you might be Mama to one of them go to reecesrainbow.com