Muscular dystrophy

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Muscular dystrophy (MD) is the name given to a group of more than 30 inherited muscle disorders. These disorders cause the gradual weakening of the skeletal muscles, which control the body’s movement.

Symptoms vary in severity according to the type of MD, and range from very mild to very severe. MD is degenerative, so symptoms become more severe over time, for example a person with MD may gradually lose the ability to walk.

The most common form of the disease is Duchenne MD (DMD), which first shows as muscle weakness in early childhood and mostly affects boys. By around 12 years old, children with DMD usually need a wheelchair. DMD is associated with a high risk of scoliosis (curvature of the spine). In some children this condition needs to be surgically corrected because breathing difficulties can develop if scoliosis is left untreated.

The following professionals can help: paediatrician, cardiologist, genetic counsellor, neurologist, orthopaedic surgeon, respiratory physician, dietitian, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, social worker.

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