Duchene Muscular Dystrophy
Duchene Muscular Dystrophy
Definition of the disorder
Description of the symptoms
Many kids with muscular dystrophy follow a normal pattern of development during their first few years of life. But in time they develop problems with movement. A child who has MD may start to stumble, waddle, have difficulty going up stairs, and toe walk (walk on the toes without the heels hitting the floor or even crawl on their hands and knees until they can't anymore). A child may start to struggle to get up from a sitting position or have a hard time pushing things, like a wagon or a tricycle.
The cause of Duchene
Dystrophin is also believed to carry signals between the inside and outside of muscle fibers. Without dystrophin, muscles are unable to operate properly, and eventually suffer progressive damage.
The dystrophin gene is carried on the X-chromosome. Boys only have one X-chromosome, making them more susceptible to dystrophin damage, as they lack a second X-chromosome to make up for the damaged gene.
Duchene Muscular dystrophy is passed through the genes.
How The disorder is inherited
DMD is inherited in a pattern called X-linked inheritance. The DMD gene is carried by women, but does not usually cause problems in girls or women. This is because of there being two X chromosomes in women; one X chromosome has the faulty DMD gene, and the other X chromosome has a normal gene, which compensates for the faulty one.