Spinal Muscle AtrophyBY STEVE GUILLORY.

What is Spinal Muscle Atrophy?

Spinal Muscle Atrophy, is a disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat, or breathe. It is the number one genetic cause of death in infants.

Symptoms of SMA Symptoms include

• Breathing difficulty

• Feeding difficulty

• Poor muscle tone

• Lack of head control

• Little movement

• Weakness that gets worst over time

• Twitching

• Tremoring

Diseases/Types caused by the Disorder?

Well there are multiple types of Spinal Muscle Atrophy, and the Four types include:

• SMA type 1(Werdnig-Hoffman disease) most common in infants, in the first few months after birth. Symptoms include floppy limbs, very little movement of the arms and legs, swallowing and feeding difficulties, and impaired breathing.

• SMA type II (intermediate form) usually begins 6 and 18 months of age, Legs tend to be slightly more impaired than arms. Children with Type II may be able to sit and some be able to stand unaided, but climbing and walking is insanely difficult, and will need help getting into a seated position.

• SMA type III( Kugelberg-Welander disease) between 2 and 17 years of age and include difficulty running, climbing steps, or rising from a chair, will most likely need a wheel-chair later in life.

• SMA IV(Adulthood) Only in the ages 30 and up(#rare). individuals usually experience mild to moderate muscle weakness, tremor(limp), twitching, or mild breathing problem, but most of the time, its ALWAYS found at adolescence or when a baby.

What Caused the Abnormality?

its deficiency is caused by a mutation on chromosome 5 in a gene called SMN1, which causes all four types of SMA. Mutations can happen in the UBA1, DYNC1H1 and VAPB  genes, but mainly SMN1.

Examples of Spinal Muscle Atrophy

Life Expectancy

There is no change to your life span if you have get SMA as an adult(rare), but most of the time its when you are infancy, and Half of the time, the baby dies because of respiratory failure.

Over time, your body does get weaker, but physical therapy decreases that risk. So there is no change in your life span as an adult of teenager.

Preventions/Cures/Treatments. So far, there are no preventions, besides both of your parents not

passing the genetic disorder to you.

There are no cures, but there is Physical therapy treatments and occupational treatments, along with braces to help sit up straight and to help cope with the effects.

More Examples of Spinal Muscle Atrophy

The End :P