(Spinal muscular atrophy)
Neuromuscular Disorders
Pediatric neuromuscular disorders disrupt a child’s ability to control their muscles. Specifically, these are conditions that can cause stiffness, loss of reflexes and muscle weakness and impact a child’s ability to do basic things like walk, talk, eat and blink.
These disorders can be caused by a variety of factors, including genetics, a body’s reaction to other diseases, injuries, or by the autoimmune system attacking itself. It’s very frightening for families to watch their child with a quick onset of developmental or muscular problems with no explanation. Specific neuromuscular disorders can include: congenital muscular dystrophy, genetic diseases and spinal cord atrophy.
HealthBridge Pediatric Medpsych Services
When a child suffers from a neuromuscular disease, the impacts can be devastating as the disorder progresses. At HealthBridge Children’s hospitals, we can provide expert medical treatment with compassion and understanding. Our interdisciplinary treatment team, including board-certified pediatric neurologists, is poised to provide proper diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation for disorders such as:
Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare neuromuscular disorder with serious and potentially life-threatening complications. Most often it is diagnosed at birth, although it can present itself later in life with milder symptoms. Children with spinal muscular atrophy suffer from weakness and wasting of the muscles. In addition, this disease can cause respiratory challenges, problems swallowing and other afflictions.
Congenital Muscular Disorders. Congenital muscular disorders could include inherited neuropathies (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease); and muscular dystrophies (Duchenne, Myasthenia Gravis and congenital myopathies). These disorders present themselves at birth or in the first few month’s of a child’s life. Symptoms could include low muscle tone; bone contractures; and heart, respiratory and vision problems. In addition, these conditions can cause significant learning difficulties.
At HealthBridge, our expert team of physicians will complete a thorough assessment of your child, which could include a review of your child’s symptoms, patient and family history, muscle and skin biopsies and electrodiagnostic testing.
Once a diagnosis is made, an individualized treatment plan will be developed that may include: medical therapies, including immunosuppressive drugs; genetic therapies; pain management; assistive devices such as braces and orthodontics; orthopedic surgery; and physical and occupational therapy. In addition, we can provide the necessary emotional therapy and family counseling needed as these conditions progress.
Our goal is to provide children and their families with the medical expertise, rehabilitation therapies, specialized medical equipment and emotional support to help them face these diseases with courage.