Community Perspectives

The spinal muscles of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients who also have scoliosis show abnormalities in molecular activity, particularly in biological processes that cells use to metabolize sugar molecules and protein building blocks, according to a…

My husband, Randy, and I moved to the North Carolina mountains in the closing hours of 1995. Although our children, Matthew and Katie, who at the time were 10 and 7, respectively, were initially unenthusiastic about…

A woman with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who has become a champion for those living with disabilities — as an author, a podcast host, and a vice president of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) —…

July is my favorite time of year to be active, travel, and chase adventures. Like many people with SMA, cold weather is hard on my body — my muscles get tense, my fingers and toes…

Melissa Wright, MD, PhD, discusses common signs and symptoms of SMA, including proximal muscle weakness, changes in gait, falls, tremors, and muscle fasciculations. What are the signs of SMA muscle weakness? The post Signs…

Melissa Wright, MD, PhD, discusses early signs of adult-onset SMA, including progressive fatigue, weakness, falls, and hand tremors. When should fatigue or finger tremors prompt a closer look for SMA?…

Melissa Wright, MD, PhD, discusses how to evaluate hypotonia and weakness in infants and recognize clinical signs that may raise suspicion for SMA. What patterns and developmental cues are crucial…

Melissa Wright, MD, PhD, explains how functional testing, symptoms, and individual trends can help guide decisions about changing SMA treatment.  How do you know when a patient needs a treatment adjustment? The…

After five years of daily treatment with Evrysdi (risdiplam), 90% of children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1 were alive, and most had reached motor milestones, such as sitting without support,…