Muscular

Dystrophy
By: Caleb Harrington, Taylor
Cable, and Brittani Loeser

 Muscular Dystrophy is a group of degenerative

diseases

Overview

Characterized by progressive weakness and loss of

muscle mass
There are 9 distinct diagnoses
Prevalence is 1 in 2,000 boys
Most common

 Gowers Sign
Frequent falls
Trouble running and jumping

Symptoms

Waddling gait
Calf pseudohypertrophy
Muscle pain and stiffness
Scoliosis
Learning disabilities

ETIOLOG
Y

Defective genes
Lack of dystrophin
Inherited or spontaneous
Occurs in both sexes and in
all ages and races
Family history
Progressive myopathy
disorder

Suspected if

DIAGNOSI
S

Characteristic age & sex

Presence of signs &
symptoms
Gowers Sign, waddling gate, muscle
weakness, etc.

Positive family hx

DIAGNOSI
S

Thorough family hx
Physical Exam
Enzyme Test
Electromyography
Genetic Analysis
Muscle Biopsy

 Enzyme Test
Elevated creatine kinase (CK)
Indicate muscle disease

Electromyography

DIAGNOSI
S

Changes in pattern of electrical activity

Genetic Analysis
Deletions/duplications (70-80%)
Mutation scanning & sequence analysis
(20-30%)

Muscle Biopsy
Used to be important
Many cases diagnosed w/o

DIAGNOSI
S

 Flaccid Dysarthria

SPEECH SOUND
CHARACTERISTI
CS
OF MD

Damage to the lower motor neurons

(PNS)
May occur in later stages
Weakness in speech or respiratory
musculature

 Resonance

FLACCID
DYSARTHRI
A

Hypernasality
Nasal emission
Weak pressure consonants
Shortened phrases

Articulation
Imprecise consonant production
Weakness in articulators

 Phonation

FLACCID
DYSARTHRI
A

Phonatory incompetence
Breathy voice quality (weak adductors)
Audible inhalation (weak abductors)

Respiration
Reduced vocal intensity
Strained vocal quality

Prosody
Monopitch
Monoloudness

TREATMEN
T

No cure
Medications:
Corticosteroids
Heart medications
Therapy and assistive devices:
Physical therapy: range-of-motion and stretching
exercises
Low-impact aerobic exercise
Braces
Canes, walkers, and wheelchairs
Sleep apnea device
Occupational therapy and speech therapy
Surgery
Current research

QUESTION 1

Muscular Dystrophy can

cause which type of
dysarthria?

 Which of the following is the etiology

of muscular dystrophy?
A. Lack of protein called dystrophin

QUESTION 2

B. The nerve that controls muscles on

one side of the face is damaged by
inflammation
C. Too much copper accumulating in
the organs
D. The immune system eating away at
the protective covering of nerves

QUESTION 4

Muscular dystrophy can be

diagnosed by physical
examination alone? True or
False

QUESTION 5

Can anyone give examples of

treatment options for
muscular dystrophy?

 Darras, B. T. (2016, January 21). Clinical features and diagnosis of

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Retrieved September 6,
2016, from UpToDate, http://
www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-features-and-diagnosis-of-du
chenne-and-becker-muscular-dystrophy#H23

REFERENCE
S

Bushby, K., Finkel, R., Birnkrant, D. J., Case, L. E., Clemens, P. R.,
Cripe, L., Constantin, C. (2010). Diagnosis and management of
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, part 1: Diagnosis, and
pharmacological and psychosocial management. The Lancet
Neurology , 9(1), 7793.
Freed, D.B. (2012). Motor speech disorders: Diagnosis and
treatment (2nd ed.). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.
Webb, W.G. (2017). Neurology for the speech-language pathologist
(6th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.