Here at University of Virginia Children's Hospital Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic, we care for children who have spinal muscular atrophy. 

Spinal muscular atrophy, or also known as SMA, is a childhood-onset disorder. Children who are missing the survival motor neuron gene are subsequently missing the survival motor neuron protein, and that's a protein needed to help motor neurons function. That often results in some weakness in the muscle. 

Children will often struggle with being able to use their arms and legs in a way that other children their age may be able to. There often is some low muscle tone as well. Sometimes children have difficulty rolling or sitting or standing or walking. Sometimes children may also have difficulties with feeding or with breathing as well. There are several new medications that have been discovered and approved by the FDA in the past several years, changing the outlook for spinal muscular atrophy significantly. In our Pediatric Neuromuscular Clinic, we have a
full team of experts who work with children with spinal muscular atrophy. Therapists and the physicians and the nutritionist and the education specialists can all gather and share information in order to best help children.