Condition
Pediatric Spinal Muscular Atrophy
What is spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)?
Spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic disease that affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, resulting in progressive muscle wasting and weakness. It typically begins in infancy or childhood years and affects about 1 in 11,000 babies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes spinal muscular atrophy in children?
What are the symptoms of spinal muscular atrophy in children?
How is spinal muscular atrophy diagnosed in children?
How is spinal muscular atrophy treated in children?
Autosomal Recessive Inheritance
Spinal muscular dystrophy is an autosomal recessive disease. This means that while a patient's family may not have a history of having this condition, each parent may be carrier of the same mutated gene, causing the condition to be present in their child. In this video, Hallie Andrew, M.S., a genetic counselor at Children's National, explains in further detail.
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![two young girls smiling](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/cnh-e6162ccc/media/cnhs-site/images/0-brand-images/kids/two-twin-girls-smiling.jpg?h=533&iar=0&w=800)
Movement Disorders Treatment at Children's National Hospital
The Movement Disorders Program at Children’s National offers evaluation, diagnosis and treatment to more than 400 children each year with conditions that affect the speed, quality and ease of their movement. Discover more about the treatments we offer.
![two young girls smiling](https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/cnh-e6162ccc/media/cnhs-site/images/0-brand-images/kids/two-twin-girls-smiling.jpg?h=533&iar=0&w=800)
Providers Who Treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Spinal muscular atrophy is treated the staff of the Neuromuscular Medicine Program, which includes a wide variety of specialists.
Departments that Treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy
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Neuromuscular Medicine Program
The Neuromuscular Medicine Program leverages the expertise of a multidisciplinary teams, cutting-edge research and innovative technologies to care for a spectrum of neuromuscular conditions affecting children from infancy to age 21.