Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a genetic disorder from birth or develops during the teenage years. This happens due to the absence of SMA gene 1 in a specific chromosome. When this happens in the foetal stage, it can cause reduced movements of the foetus. Some children would be normal during birth but might start to show some symptoms after some days.

For our body to operate correctly, signals should be sent from the brain. These signals travel through the spinal cord and nerves and then reach the muscles. Because of the absence of this gene, parts of the spinal cord get affected. This hinders the travel of the signals from the brain, and consequently, there is a reduction in the movements. This causes the muscles to weaken with time and lose their function.

Is it common in India?

There are no accurate statistics for India, but about 1 in 10,000 children are affected by SMA worldwide. In America, 1 in 25,000 children is affected by this disease. It can also manifest itself in some children after they have reached their teenage years. 

 What are the types of SMA?

We often hear about SMA type 1 on social media. SMA type 1 is the worst in severity, and it affects the children in the foetal stage. The symptoms start from birth, making it hard for the child to live.

SMA type 2 starts to show symptoms after months of the child's birth. SMA type 3 and type 4 happen during the teenage or adult age. 

Kauvery Hospital

For milder stage SMAs, spine surgery is recommended. Spine treatment involves correcting the bend in the spine and fixing it with screws, which can significantly improve the quality of the patient's life.

 

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