Viewers Question Johannah Duggar’s Health After Christmas Photos [Opinion]

Is Johannah Duggar okay? It’s not unusual for viewers to wonder about one Duggar child or another’s well-being, particularly when greeted by a photo showing some apparent injury or a video clip showing a behavior some interpret as odd. Josie Duggar’s developmental states have been publicly scrutinized, Isaiah Dillard’s face watched for black eyes, and the older children’s schooling has been questioned.

This time, though, the questions raised are about 11-year-old Johannah Duggar. She’s the third-oldest Duggar daughter still living at home, and the oldest minor girl. She’s also the oldest girl to follow a line of half a dozen brothers, with a gap of eight years between her and the nearest older sister, Joy-Anna.

This placement in the birth order has been mentioned by the Duggar family as having an effect on Johanna — leading her to be more of a “tomboy” than some of the other Duggar sisters. The Duggar Family Blog’s recap of an episode taking place around Johannah’s 10th birthday describes the time as a transition period, with Johannah spending less time with her brothers and more time doing things the family approves as feminine.

When Jill Duggar Dillard wished Johannah a happy birthday back in October via an Instagram post, there was a small uproar among followers — Johannah had on her forehead what appeared to be several small scrapes or scratches. Duggar fans and anti-fans quibbled over whether the marks were from acne, abuse, or the result of the same tomboy behavior the Duggars have ascribed to Johannah — simply normal childhood play.

Of course, as previously mentioned, such speculation about the Duggar kids is hardly unusual, especially after the public learned of police reports detailing sexual abuse in the home. Viewers have questioned images of Israel in which he appeared to have a bruise around his eye and have expressed worry about the other kids’ relationship with their parents.

For instance, this video of Jordyn Duggar’s birthday has led to questions about why she seems so unhappy and exactly how well Michelle Duggar really knows each kid.

Other images of Johannah around the same time also show the small marks. In some images, Johannah’s hair partially covers the marks. Invariably, social media users have asked exactly what’s going on with the young Duggar and expressed concern.

https://www.facebook.com/duggarfamilyofficial/photos/a.518180528315601.1073741828.510067475793573/904975632969420/?type=3&theater

So, what makes the concerns about Johannah a little different? Well, the fact that the image in question was over two months past when another photo of Johannah surfaced with the same or similar markings on her forehead.

https://www.facebook.com/duggarfamilyofficial/posts/954482224685427

Followers of the Duggar Facebook page asked exactly what the apparent injury was on Johannah’s forehead.

“Those red dots have been there for awhile so it’s not a bruise, acne, or stitches I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“Is Johannah ok? Anytime I see a picture of her lately, she has what appear to be injuries on her forehead.”

“Johanna had similar sores on her forehead in her birthday photos over two months ago. Time to see the doctor.”

The fact that the same or similar injuries appear on the Duggar child’s face in photos months apart doesn’t actually rule out a tree-climbing accident or some similar normal childhood mishap, but it clearly left fans wondering how exactly the marks either failed to heal or reoccurred over such a time period.

However, there’s an important thing for viewers to remember: Johannah Duggar is a real child, but she is also a reality TV personality. This means that photos of her on the Duggar family page may be less candid than those of the average kid — they may be less personal and more promotional of the Duggar family brand.

As such, there’s no reason to assume the photo was taken and posted on the same day — it’s possible that promotional photos were taken in a few days of filming, perhaps in October (around Johannah Duggar’s birthday) or even earlier, and Jill used one of these images (or a personal one taken around the same time) to wish Johannah a happy birthday, and another was slated for use as a holiday image, with the Duggar family’s gingerbread houses.

Duggar viewers are notoriously eagle-eyed when it comes to the well-being of the kids, but in this case, there appears to be no reason to assume Johannah Duggar’s photos reveal anything sinister.

[Featured Image by Duggar Family/Facebook]