It’s known that children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have a number of breathing issues, which are caused by weakened chest muscles. These are the most common respiratory problems for children with SMA. MORE: Seven pieces of respiratory equipment needed for a child with SMA Lung underdevelopment Usually, children’s lungs grow and develop…
Rising electricity bills in the U.K. have caused one family to get into debt with their utility supplier as they’re caring for a child with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). MORE: Cure SMA releases its 2017 SMA drug pipeline Maddison from Loughborough, England was diagnosed with SMA type 1 at…
Medical marijuana is gaining popularity as a complementary medicine to help with many symptoms associated with chronic illnesses. While many people are curious about how marijuana (or cannabis) may help improve their symptoms, they are also reluctant to smoke the substance. However, there are many ways that medical marijuana can be administered,…
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…
While most people don’t even think about breathing and how the human body does it, individuals with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) don’t have that luxury. The normal way the respiratory system functions is fairly simple: according to the SMA Foundation, the intercostal muscles (the ones that exist between the ribs) help the ribcage expand so when the lungs inflate they have…
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder that causes muscle wastage and a loss of motor neurones. There are organizations all over the world that provide care and support to patients, along with their family members and caregivers. MORE: Seven support care areas which can help patients with SMA …
August is Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month. To help spread the word about the disease and raise much-needed funds for research into treatments and therapies, Cure SMA has come up with a list of ideas to help you get started: MORE: Caring for a child with SMA when…
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…
As more and more people affected by SMA gain access to the recently approved Spinraza therapy, Cure SMA has released its pipeline that looks at how research is going in other areas that may benefit the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) community. MORE: “Life and Atrophy”: A documentary about…
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disorder, characterized mainly by progressive muscle loss. Physical therapy plays an important role in SMA treatment; however, there are many myths out there about the practice and its benefits. The American Physiotherapy Association has useful information to set some of these myths…
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