Columns

I’ve never been the type of person to set goals. I realize how this could be misconstrued. But the truth is I’m not lazy or unmotivated. In fact, I pride myself on being determined. I’ve always been willing to take on new challenges and write my…

Despite its well-reported benefits in motor function, the gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) may not be as effective at preventing or easing breathing problems at night in young children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a small real-world study. Nighttime breathing problems were found to occur in…

“Yesterday, All my troubles seemed so far away, Now it looks as though they’re here to stay, Oh, I believe in yesterday.” Among the countless hits by the Beatles, “Yesterday,” released in 1965, has stood the test of time as one of the most revered and influential songs in…

A man in Brazil was found to have an exceptionally rare form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) — called SMA with lower extremity predominance, or SMA-LED — caused by a mutation in the TBK1 gene, as described in a new case report. Mutations in the TBK1 gene…

The Christmas spirit eluded me in 1997. Our baby Jeffrey, diagnosed with SMA that summer, had snagged his wings that November. Needing to find something positive, I focused on why I should be thankful. Jeffrey was in heaven, free from the ravages of SMA. I…

Children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2 and 3 have lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared with healthy youngsters, but scores are similar for both patient groups, a new study reported. While disease type was not found to impact HrQoL, some health-related quality of life measures…

As I write this column, 2022 is almost complete in the book of memories. I must admit that with two surgeries this year, many memories from the year aren’t my favorites. Truthfully, 2022 is ending on a wonderful high note for me, but that’s a story for another…

Winter in Singapore isn’t like winter in many other countries. Not much changes in terms of the weather. It might be cooler on days when the Fates are kind, but for the most part, conditions stay hot and humid. We don’t get glittering blankets of snowfall or sheets of…

A technique called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) can be used to measure body composition in people with type 2 or 3 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a new study reports. The study, “A comparative analysis of body composition assessment by BIA and DXA in children with…

I could tell it was going to be a bad day. I woke up to an overdraft notice from my bank, which is never a good sign. Then I realized something was wrong with my phone. I’d updated it the day before, but hadn’t used it since then, so…