Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a form of muscular dystrophy found in males. Females can be a genetic carrier, but cannot have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It is caused by a defect in the muscle protein dystrophin causing 1 in every 3,500 males to be diagnosed with DMD. Dystrophin helps muscle cells located all over the body maintain strength and shape. With lack thereof, muscles begin to breakdown and become fatigued leading to the loss of everyday activities. At this time, there is no cure for it, but medications, surgeries, and therapy helps with the worsening effects of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

When students with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy are between the ages of 5 and 6 years old, usually in kindergarten or 1st grade, they may physically look to be normal like all the other children. However, they are probably moving slower than the other children in the class. Teachers have to be aware that children with DMD at such an age have difficulty running and climbing stairs, and are beginning to lose their ability to grip. Students will have a weakening grip and could have difficulty even holding a normal pencil. They also have poor balance and will get up from the floor differently than other students. Intellectually, students are cognitively weaker and may have trouble remembering details or may have delays in speech and language. If students show physical signs, they would consist of enlarged calves or walking on the balls of the feet.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy worsens over time and teachers will become aware of this as they observe their student growing year after year. Between the ages of 7 and 11, the rest of elementary school, a child with DMD will encounter some major changes as the body continues to weaken. Walking will become more and more limited as muscles fatigue more quickly, and the upper body strength will decline. By end of this time period when students are ready for middle school, they will likely need the assistance of a wheelchair to maneuver around the school. Cognitive issues will continue to arise and students will not be learning on the same level as their classmates; some boys may never even have the capability to learn to read.

Over the next couple of years in their educational careers, a child’s muscles with DMD will continue to deteriorate. They will be fully reliant on a wheelchair and easily become tired and fatigued due to the extreme loss of skeletal muscle. Assistance will be required for full use of the arms and legs. Also, scoliosis will have developed to the point of surgery, leading to many absences from the classroom.

As children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy begin high school, they will be dealing with the same issues as their condition continues to worsen along with the rise of new developing problems. At this point, writing will be very limited and assistance will be needed to eat and drink. Respiratory and heart problems often begin to develop causing shortness