Parenting

MDA Summer Camp: The Summer of a Lifetime for Muscular Dystrophy Patients

Living with Muscular Dystrophy

There is no known cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but there are certain medications and modes of therapy available to help manage the symptoms. Corticosteroids aid in improving muscle strength, but prolonged use may lead to brittle bones increasing fracture risk. Heart medications like ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers are often prescribed to those whose DMD has become severe enough to damage the heart. Low-impact exercises, braces, and mobility aids are a few therapy options for Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients to maintain muscle strength.

Apart from the physical limitations DMD imposes, significant psychological changes also take place in the body of a DMD patient, and they greatly affect the patient's’ ability to interact with their surroundings and other people. As a result, some people— especially children— living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy succumb to feelings of isolation and depression.