Stiff Person Syndrome

Question: I forgot the name of this book! The main character's neighbor that has Stiff Person Syndrome? I read this book last year, I think it won some kind of a reward. The main character is a girl, she's about 10 I think. She lives in an apartment and her neighbor has Stiff Person Syndrome, a disease where you're afraid to leave the house. Her mother was mentally disabled I think and the main character goes to search information about her mother. She ends up at a facility center I think that her mother resided in and she finds out many things she's never known about her mother. I can't remember what the title of the book was called. I think the cover was blue? The title was one word? Please if you know what it's called, comment below.

Answer: "So B. It" by Sarah Weeks. The book cover (blue): http://www.newmooncatalog.com/images/soB… About the book/summary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_B._It

Question: What is stiff person syndrome?

Answer: What is Stiff-Person Syndrome? Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease. SPS is characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms. Abnormal postures, often hunched over and stiffened, are characteristic of the disorder. People with SPS can be too disabled to walk or move, or they are afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a horn, can trigger spasms and falls. SPS affects twice as many women as men. It is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anemia. Scientists don’t yet understand what causes SPS, but research indicates that it is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord. The disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia. A definitive diagnosis can be made with a blood test that measures the level of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies in the blood. People with SPS have elevated levels of GAD, an antibody that works against an enzyme involved in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter in the brain.