Symptoms Of Muscular Dystrophy: First Signs When You Might Be Having Muscular Dystrophy
Last Updated: Jul 17, 2020
Muscular dystrophy is a disorder that leads to muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass. This condition is usually diagnosed in children of 3 to 6 years old.
A common symptom of muscular dystrophy is when a child finds it difficult to get up from a resting position. This is because the children lack physical strength and their legs do not have the desired strength.
Children with muscular dystrophy sometimes use their hands or roll over to get up. If this symptom is experienced by any child then the parent must consult the doctor immediately. Other symptoms include:
Difficulties running and jumping
One of the symptoms of muscular atrophy is that a child finds difficulty in running and jumping. The weakness of muscles in the legs makes it difficult for the child to run or jump. If this symptom is being experienced by your child then you must visit the doctor as soon as possible.
Waddling gait
Waddling gait is another symptom of muscular dystrophy. In this, a child might sway while walking or he/she walks on his/her toes. This happens due to weakness in the proximal muscles of the pelvic girdle.
If this symptom is being experienced by a child then it might be indicating muscular dystrophy. It is important to consult the doctor once you find your child walking with a waddling gait.
Enlarged calf muscles
It is one of the most obvious symptoms that help in diagnosing the condition of muscular dystrophy. Due to scar tissue and abnormal muscles, the child has enlarged calf muscles. If you notice this in your child then it is necessary to consult the doctor to understand the underlying medical issue.
Muscle pain and stiffness
Muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease in which the muscles continue to become weak. The child suffering from muscular dystrophy would experience stiffness, cramping and pain in the muscles since there is no proper blood supply to that part of the muscles and the lack of dystrophin is there as well.
If your child is experiencing this symptom then consult the doctor immediately to diagnose the condition so that the treatment can be started.
Learning difficulties
One of the most common symptoms of muscular atrophy that helps in the diagnosis of the disease is difficulty in learning. A child with muscular atrophy suffers from various degrees of learning disabilities.
Earlier it was believed that children with muscular atrophy only had a problem in reading, but new research revealed that they face other difficulties as well like dyscalculia (a disorder of mathematics) and dysgraphia (a disorder of writing).
If your child is experiencing any learning difficulty then it might be an indication that he/she is suffering from muscular atrophy.
References
- Hoogerwaard EM, Bakker E, Ippel PF, Oosterwijk JC, Majoor-Krakauer DF, Leschot NJ, Van Essen AJ, Brunner HG, Van der Wouw PA, Wilde AA, de Visser M. Signs and symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Becker muscular dystrophy among carriers in The Netherlands: a cohort study. The Lancet. 1999 Jun 19;353(9170):2116-9. [Cited 06 April 2020]. Available from:
- Jaffe KM, McDonald CM, Ingman E, Haas J. Symptoms of upper gastrointestinal dysfunction in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: case-control study. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 1990 Sep;71(10):742-4. [Cited 06 April 2020]. Available from:
- Muscular dystrophy- Mayo Clinic [Internet]. mayoclinic.org 2020. [Cited 06 April 2020]. Available from:
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