Muscular

Dystrophy
By: Maura McKenzie & Halley Sosnowski

What is the defect?

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a genetic disorder that weakens the muscles

that help the body move.
People with MD have incorrect or missing information in their genes, which
prevents them from making the proteins they need for healthy muscles.

http://kidshealth.
org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/muscular_d
ystrophy.html

What are the symptoms?

muscle weakness
muscle spasms
clumsiness
frequent falling
curvature of the spine
difficulty getting up

http://answers.webmd.com/answers/1197807/what-are-the-symptoms-of-muscular

Who does it affect?

Muscular Dystrophy affects approximately one in 3,000
Affects only boys and directly

http://www.mychildwithoutlimits.
org/understand/muscular-dystrophy/who-doesmuscular-dystrophy-affect/

What is the cause of the defect?

dystrophin gene is defective
X-chromosome is defected
very hard for females to have defect because both Xchromosomes have to be
defected

http://answers.webmd.com/answers/1179074/what-causes-muscular-dystrophy

Is the cause genetic or environmental?

Muscular dystrophy (MD) is a genetic disorder
Duchenne's muscular dystrophy is caused by an Xlinked recessive gene
http://kidshealth.
org/parent/medical/bones/muscular_dystrophy.
html
http://www.chw.
org/display/PPF/DocID/22517/router.asp

When and how is the defect diagnosed?

Muscular Dystrophy is diagnosed after birth
A doctor begins by taking a patient and family history
Then performing a physical examination such as CK
Level, Genetic Testing, and muscle biopsy
http://mda.org/disease/duchenne-musculardystrophy/diagnosis

What are the treatments and who

monitors the defect? Is there a cure?
treated with medications and therapy
monitored by orthopedic and Neuromusculoskeletal
medicine doctors
researches are working to find a way to insert working
dystrophin gene into muscles

http://children.webmd.com/understanding-muscular-dystrophy-treatment

Is there any way to prevent the defect?

There is no way to prevent muscular dystrophy because
its a genetic defect

Are there groups or services supported by the

community for the defect?
MDA - Muscular Dystrophy Association
centers all over the country

MDA.org

Clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ZrPnmgs4rHM