Spinal Muscular Atrophy In Babies And Adult
The first three types of SMA, i.e., SMA type 1, SMA type 2, and SMA type 3, are most commonly present in children. The genetic defects start appearing during the pregnancy and make the fetus to battle with breathing problems. The muscle wasting and weakness resulting from the SMA protein reduction make life hard for the newborn. A child is at more risk for spinal muscular atrophy if someone in his family suffers from the disorder. SMA symptoms vary in each child and are dependent on the severity of symptoms and the growing age. The newborns with spinal muscular atrophy suffer from heart and joint defects. Moreover, there are breathing problems like hypoventilation, which leads to many babies’ death within the six months of their life.
As the child grows, they suffer from attaining the primary gross motor skills, and their development is deficient compared to the other healthy children. The infants face the difficulty in sucking, holding up their head, swallowing of food, and feeding. The infants with SMA move very little as their muscles are always getting weaker. The muscles of the chest are also suffering from muscle tone reduction. There are worm-like movements of the tongue in the children having SMA. The children between the ages of 6 months and 18 months suffer from muscle weakness. There is a walker, spinal braces, or a wheelchair for individual children, but they survive adulthood.
Between the ages of 2 and 17, the children show mild muscle weakness, clumsiness, delayed motor development, and trouble walking. The parents need to stay vigilant about spinal muscular atrophy symptoms in their children. The diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy is sometimes more challenging in the case of children. The parent needs to mention the abnormalities in their child’s development to the health care provider so that the doctors can have a precise diagnosis for their child.
Usually, the fourth type of spinal muscular atrophy starts in early adulthood. The occurrence of spinal muscular atrophy in adults is infrequent, and the symptoms are usually very mild compared to the babies suffering from SMA. The individuals are having spinal muscular atrophy, experience mild breathing problems, moderate muscle weakness, and tremors in hands. The life expectancy in adults is average, but the complete cure from the disorder is impossible. By using proactive clinical care and assistive equipment, the adults can easily manage the symptoms of SMA. There are shaking and twitching of muscles, which makes it difficult for the children to walk. As the age progresses, there is breathing or swallowing but does not affect the patient’s life expectancy.