Awareness of Students with Diverse Learning Needs,
What the Teacher Needs to Know, Volume 1

Recognizing Muscular Dystrophy

Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy

Myotonic muscular dystrophy is the most common adult dystrophy. It affects both men and women. It generally appears between age 10 and 30. An inability to relax a handshake is one of the first signs a child will experience. In later life, the muscles of the face, neck and hands may become wasted and weak. This may spread to the legs and feet. Other medical problems that may develop are: early development of cataracts, baldness, and respiratory and digestive problems. Wide variations in the course of this condition make it impossible to predict its severity or progress. Some individuals become totally disabled while others live a normal life, hardly aware of the symptoms.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common and the most rapidly progressive of the disorders. About one in 3000 males inherit the disease through a recessive gender-linked gene. Normally only males are affected and only females can pass on the disease. In most cases, the first sign of the disease is difficulty in walking at an early age, from ages two to five.

The disease starts with weakness of the thighs and pelvic muscles making standing, walking and climbing difficult. It progresses to the neck, shoulders and back which may lead to deformities of the spine and to difficulties in breathing. The heart, which is also a muscle, may become involved. The combination of difficulties in breathing and heart function can lead to death in young adulthood. The disease progresses steadily and rapidly, and requires use of braces, a walker, and/or a wheelchair by late childhood. Fewer than 30 per cent of males affected will have any degree of intellectual impairment. Others will display a wide range of cognitive abilities.

General Characteristics

Some, but not necessarily all, of the following characteristics may be present in varying degrees of severity:

• Progressive difficulty in every day activities, e.g., writing tires hands easily.
• Muscle weakness and wasting.
• Joint stiffening.
• Spinal curvatures.
• Clumsiness in walking.
• Enlarged calf muscles as fatty tissue replaces healthy muscle.
• Tendency to walk on the toes as heel cords shorten.
• Difficulty or inability in lifting arms or legs.
• Cannot get up from the floor without pushing with hands on thighs or supports.
• Heart problems.
• Respiratory impairment.
• Slurring of words as mouth and tongue muscles weaken.