I know the month of August is almost over, but there is still time to mention that August is SMA Awareness Month! You might be wondering, what is SMA? Also know as spinal muscular atrophy, SMA is a motor neuron disease, which affects the voluntary muscles that are used for activities such as crawling, walking, head and neck control, and swallowing. Since it is a motor neuron disease, SMA does not affect the cognitive abilities of the individual affected. Currently, there is no cure for SMA and prognosis varies greatly by type.
Fast facts about SMA (courtesy of Families of SMA):
- It is a relatively common "rare disorder": approximately 1 in 6000 babies born are affected by SMA
- SMA is an autosomal recessive genetic disease, meaning both parents must be a carrier to pass the gene on to their child
- About 1 in 40 people are genetic carriers
- There are four types of SMA
For more information on SMA, please visit Families of SMA at www.fsma.org or www.facebook.com/familiesofsma
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