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Showing posts from October, 2014

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN LIMB GIRDLE MUSCULAR DYSTOPHY( LGMD)

Hello good people, today I want to introduce you to another for of muscular dystrophy. This type is so diverse in that it has very many other sub-types and manifests in different ways in all those affected. The rate of progression and the severity also greatly varies. No one person with Limb Girdle Muscular dystrophy is exactly the same as the next. WHAT IS LIMB GIRDLE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY? Limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is the co mmon name for a diverse group of muscular dystrophies affecting mainly the pelvic (hip) and shoulder regions. There are more than 20 different subtypes - each caused by alterations to different genes. The different types of LGMD vary in severity, age of onset (when symptoms are first noticed) and how they are inherited. Some types progress to loss of walking ability within a few years and cause serious disability, while others progress very slowly over many years and cause minimal disability. What are the symptoms of Limb Girdle Muscular

DEFYING ALL ODDS

Whenever muscular dystrophy is mentioned, most people raise their eyebrows at the strange term, those who have heard of the condition point out that it is unique to boys. Whenever I meet someone who is familiar with the term, my day gets a little bit brighter since I know we are moving towards the point where muscular dystrophy is too alien. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has for a long time b een known to be unique to boys but new research shows that it can also manifest in girls. Here's some information about this form of muscular dystrophy;- How does Duchenne manifest? In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) lack of the protein dystrophin causes muscles to deteriorate and break down, leading to progressive difficulty with walking and general mobility. DMD is the most frequently occurring and one of the most rapidly progressive of the childhood neuromuscular disorders. It affects approximately 1 in 3500 live male births throughout the world. DMD affects only boys

UNIQUE FORMS OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY

Contrary to popular belief, there are forms of MD that start manifesting well past 20s and where the person with MD can continue walking when in their 50s and beyond. One of such forms of muscular dystrophy is Becker's Muscular dystrophy.  Here's a right up about this form; What is Becker muscular dystrophy? There are many types of muscular dystrophy (MD), all are genetic conditions that cause the muscles to weaken and waste away to varying degrees. Becker MD is a milder, more slowly progressing variant of the better known Duchenne type of MD. Like Duchenne MD it only affects males (with very rare exceptions). What causes Becker muscular dystrophy? Becker muscular dystrophy is caused by an error in the dystrophin gene. This gene contains the instructions for the construction of dystrophin protein. The dystrophin protein normally protects muscle fibres during muscle contraction. In the muscles of boys wit

WORLD DWARFISM AWARENESS DAY ~ 25TH OCTOBER

Often times we tend to compare the challenges that we face in our day to day lives with those of others some times in an attempt to show that we are more deserving of help of whatever kind. If we took just a few minutes of our time to learn about the challenges people have in their lives then we would go about without a feeling of entitlement. On the above mentioned day, I got to meet with members of the Kenyan team https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Association-of-People-with-Dwarfism-Kenya/505307476230907 and got an in on the challenges that come with being a person of short stature that range from high seats, obesity( BMI ), teasing and a host of other challenges that an outsider can dismiss. Am glad to have been made part of the family and look forward to learn a lot more from them. Cheers!