Interchange Office Building, 2355 Highway 36 West, Suite 400, Roseville, MN 55113
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Condition Spotlight: Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Condition Spotlight: Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Communities of Care takes pride in providing high-quality care for pediatric patients with complex medical needs. But what are these complex medical needs? One of the conditions we provide care for is spinal muscular atrophy.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a degenerative disease that affects one out of every 5000 children. This condition causes a person’s muscles to weaken and shrink over time. SMA occurs when the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene fails to produce enough protein to help regulate voluntary motor control. This causes weakness in central muscle groups like the shoulders, upper back, thighs, and hips (Muscular Dystrophy Association). This muscle weakness slowly progresses over time, although involuntary muscle movements like the heartbeat are not affected

There are different types of SMA depending on when the symptoms first present. Type one presents in the first six months of life,  while type two appears when a child is six to eighteen months old. Type three can present any time between eighteen months and the teen years, while type four presents in adulthood. (Johns Hopkins Medicine).

Even with these unique medical challenges, kids can still live a full and fun life as an important part of their families and communities. Communities of Care is proud to make a measurable difference in the lives of our clients every day. If you’re interested in joining our team, you can learn more about us, apply for our open positions or email us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Photo by Jon Tyson, published 3-11-21 on Unsplash

 

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