It’s Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month…and Ice Cream Month too!

By Stacey Anter

The Library Detective

July brings many notable celebrations, like Independence Day, Air Conditioning Appreciation Month, and National Ice Cream Month, for starters. Another important recognition of sorts is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month. I’ve known quite a few people with various forms of arthritis; my mother had Rheumatoid Arthritis, and I know a woman who has Rheumatoid Arthritis, and whose son has Juvenile Arthritis. Let me tell you, this kid is a trooper. When an adult has chronic pain, we try to deal with it, but when a child has it, it breaks your heart. According to the Arthritis Foundation (http://www.arthritis.org), “Juvenile arthritis (JA) is an umbrella term used to describe the many autoimmune and inflammatory conditions that can develop in children ages 16 and younger…. JA can involve the eyes, skin and gastrointestinal tract as well [as inflammation of the joints].” It commonly destroys joints, bones, muscles, cartilage, and other connective tissue.  When your child has JA, the best thing you can do is try to maintain a normal routine and attitude. JA affects the whole family, and it is normal for the child to be sad, angry or frustrated, so don’t ignore his/her feelings about having arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation says it best, “Help your child maintain the attitude that “arthritis is part of who I am, not the only thing I am.” It’s also okay to let them be the active kids they want to be. My friend’s son loves to play hockey and on his good days, he has a blast.

Since the days have gotten hotter and more summer-like, I had to mention the next few celebrations. First, Air Conditioning Appreciation Month actually lasts until August 15th. It doesn’t just encourage us to appreciate the invention of the air conditioner on those HHH days (hazy, hot and humid, that is), but it also reminds us to take care of our air conditioners so that they run more efficiently. Willis Haviland Carrier first came up with the idea for the first modern air conditioner in 1902 when he stared through the mist at a Pittsburg train station. He realized that he could dry air by passing it through water to make fog, which is, according to his biography on Carrier.com, the “fundamental building block for modern air conditioning.” Taking care of our air conditioners is important in maintaining efficiency and it can save us money, so make it a habit to regularly clean or replace filters every month or two.

“Ice cream!! … Ice cream!!!” The twinkling tune of the ice cream truck driving around the neighborhood brings back memories (either fond ones of those hand-held tasty treats or creepy ones of any given horror movie scene). The second celebration and third celebrations definitely go together: National Ice Cream Month and July 7th is Chocolate Day! In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month, and the third Sunday of the month is Ice Cream Day. According to the International Dairy Foods Association website (http://www.idfa.org) “About 1.53 billion gallons of ice cream and related frozen desserts were produced in the U.S. in 2011.”  For more information on various aspects of ice cream, like the interesting history of ice cream (the origins of which are known to go as far back as the second century B.C.), visit the IDFA website.

While you’re enjoying your ice cream, don’t forget the hot fudge on Chocolate Day!  FoodNetwork.com says, “[t]he average American now consumes over 12 pounds of chocolate per year.”  Did you know that chocolate has been around since 600 B.C. and was actually used back than as a spice?  I could probably channel Sheldon and go on about the history of chocolate, but I will leave that up to you to explore further.

I call myself the Library Detective because I can find the answers to any question you can think of, or at least I can point you in the right direction.  To find out more about Juvenile Arthritis, air conditioners, ice cream and chocolate, visit your local library; there are more Library Detectives there, too. If you would like to read other blog posts, come visit my Wordpress blog at http://librarydetective.wordpress.com/