Spinal Muscular Atrophy was found in Select 5-Minute Pediatrics Topics which helps you diagnose, treat, and follow up on over 900 medical conditions seen in everyday practice.
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Description
- Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive disorder of motor neurons in the spinal cord.
- Major symptom is weakness.
- Most common and severe form, type I, also known as Werdnig–Hoffman disease, begins before 6 months of age.
- Onset in type II is between 6 and 18 months of age.
- Onset in type III (Kugelberg–Welander disease) is after 18 months of age.
ALERT
An apparently minor respiratory infection may carry a higher risk of respiratory failure in SMA I and later stages of SMA II and III. Depending on resuscitation status, consider admitting such a patient to the hospital for observation.
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