I am a Healthcare Professional
Let’s talk about SMA
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a genetic condition. This inherited condition affects the nerves in the spinal cord which control all the muscle movement of the body, including the muscles for head control, arm and leg movement, and the actions of breathing, coughing and swallowing.
Babies born with SMA can expect to live well into adulthood with the recent development of treatment options. While there is no cure, these advancements have seen amazing results in many patients to date.
SMA patients often have complex care issues and require many different levels of intervention depending on the type and severity of their SMA.
One thing to remember is that SMA is only a physical disability; it does not affect a person’s intelligence. People with SMA are able to attend mainstream school, attend higher education, hold a job, have a career, a partner, a family. People with SMA are determined to succeed.
People with SMA are determined to succeed.
Top Right: Associate Professor Michelle Farrar
(Paediatric Neurologist, Sydney Children’s Hospital)
Right: Albert Freedman, PhD
(Child and Family Psychologist, Philadelphia, USA)
