More than 13 years ago, fans watched as Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's youngest child, Josie, was born at just 25 weeks' gestation on 19 Kids & Counting. This former preemie has come a long way since then, but after she was seen wearing a medical device in a new YouTube video, people are concerned for her health all over again.
Recently, Josie was featured in an Instagram post by her brother.
In true Duggar fashion, she was filling her plate with tater tots — a food that has long been known to be a family favorite — but as The Sun pointed out, fans immediately noticed she was wearing a medical device.
The real question: What is it?
It appears to be something to help her back or posture.
According to fans on Reddit, the device Josie is wearing might be a corrective brace.
"What Josie is wearing — It looks like one of those things to help straighten your posture," one person wrote, and another added that it could be used to help after a collarbone injury.
Others think she might have scoliosis.
This is around the age when a child would get screened for scoliosis, so it's totally possible the brace may be related to that.
"Could be a flexible back brace to help with borderline/mild scoliosis. but then it is missing a strap around the waist," one person chimed in.
She didn't have an easy start to her life.
After Josie was born 15 weeks early in 2009, she weighed less than 2 pounds and spent a lot of time in the NICU before she was able to join her family at home. When the Duggars celebrated her birthday a few years ago, they reflected on how far she'd come.
"We are so thankful for everyone's prayers and all of the doctors and nurses at Arkansas Children's Hospital that saved her life," they shared on Instagram at the time. "That was the most difficult time in our family's life, but by God's grace Josie and our whole family made it through!"
Here's hoping Josie is fine.
Because the Duggars have pulled back so much from public life, it's hard to say what's going on with Josie for sure. We just hope she isn't experiencing anything serious — after all, at 13, she should be having fun and playing with her siblings!
