Intervention for Children with Muscular Dystrophy
If your child has been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, the diagnosis probably answered your questions about their struggles with motor development. While this was most likely a relief for you, understanding your child is living with a condition like MD may have also presented a new level of concern.
According to the National Institutes of Health, over 30 types of muscular dystrophy. To make the diagnosis even more complicated, many diseases look similar and may initially be mistaken for muscular dystrophy, e.g., mitochondrial disorders.
A complete medical assessment with genetic testing can determine MD or a related disorder. Depending on the type of MD, the prognosis and treatment strategies may differ.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) accounts for 50 percent of all cases, making it the most common. DMD is an X-linked mutation and therefore affects males more seriously. Females who carry the mutation may have some mild symptoms.
Suppose you are facing a diagnosis of muscular dystrophy in your child. In that case, seek help from professionals.
Symptoms of muscular dystrophy in children
Parents are the first to see and acknowledge movement dysfunction in their children. Once a concern arises, it is sometimes difficult to know the next step. Here are some basic questions to help parents move through the process.
- Is your child meeting developmental milestones?
- Is your child losing skills they’ve already acquired?
- Is your child having difficulty keeping up with siblings or peers on the playground?
If any of these are of concern, the first step is for your pediatrician to start the referral process for diagnostics.
If you suspect DMD in particular, some early signs to consider are:
DMD causes the following issues:
- Falls
- Difficulty walking and running
- Enlarged calf muscles
- Cardiac and respiratory compromise
- Eventual loss of independent ambulation
Again, if you have concerns, your pediatrician can help you access specialists.
Ready to get your child started on a treatment plan?
For more information, call Skills on the Hill today and speak with our team and schedule an evaluation for your child.