Caring for a child with SMA is not only taxing on a family emotionally and physically, but it can also be quite taxing on your finances. Even if you have great health insurance (which let’s be honest, is rare), having a full-time caregiver can be incredibly expensive—whether that’s an outside…
In this video from NBC News, see how a robot is changing the way children with disabilities attend school. MORE: 11 function and mobility aids for children with SMA Maeve has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and when she’s too sick to attend class in person,…
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disease where, over time, the muscles become weakened. In cases of SMA type 1 and SMA type 2, weakened chest muscles affect the child’s ability to breathe, so you will need to have some items of respiratory equipment in your home so that you…
With therapy becoming more and more popular, especially as an alternative to medication or, in extreme cases, institutionalization, it’s no surprise that psychologists are looking for alternatives to one-on-one, face-to-face psychotherapy. One such alternative is telepsychology, defined as “any therapy delivered by telecommunication tools or devices” by the…
The following videos show how people living with muscular dystrophy (MD) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) can smash the stereotypes associated with having a disability, and lead rich and full lives. First up is 35-year-old Michael Klinkhamer, who has Becker muscular dystrophy. In this video shared by…
Young parents Rachael and Jonathan were understandably over the moon after their daughter Mackenzie’s birth but a routine check-up at 10 weeks showed that their little girl was showing signs of floppiness and further testing was required. MORE: Five treatments to help manage SMA The couple from Sydney, Australia was devastated…
Caring for someone with spinal muscular atrophy will present many challenges along the way. As your child grows, these challenges will change and you will need to be flexible and adaptable. We’ve compiled a list of some general tips to help you with some of the milestones your child will…
Patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) will need support care in various different areas, from healthcare to daily life. To help you prepare, we’ve put together a list of some of the different support care areas you can expect to come into contact with if you or a loved one has…
While there is currently no cure for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), there are ways to manage the disease to improve the quality of life for the patients. Here are some of the treatments available for SMA patients according to the UK National Health Service. 1. Exercise Exercise is extremely important…
According to the Better Health Channel, a chest infection affects either the larger airways or the smaller air sacs of the lungs. Most chest infections are viruses, meaning that the body’s immune system is enough to fight the infection on its own. However, with most bacterial chest infections, antibiotics are needed. So…
