Key Signs Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Frequent Falls And Waddling Gait

Frequent falls and a waddling gait are common symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Preschoolers with this condition may seem unusually clumsy and fall often. Parents sometimes note their children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have problems with climbing the stairs, running, or getting up after they fall. By the time they reach school age, many children walk on the balls of their feet or their toes. Their gait may waddle slightly, and some children pull back their shoulders and push their bellies out to try to maintain their balance.

They might have trouble raising their arms as well. Children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy usually start to use a wheelchair between seven and twelve years old, transitioning to full-time wheelchair use by adolescence. By the teen years, patients may need mechanical support or assistance to use their trunk, legs, or arms.

Issues With The Heart

Issues with the heart are a key part of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. As mentioned, in patients with this condition, the body doesn't create the protein dystrophin, an essential part of the heart and skeletal muscles. Patients with dystrophin-based diseases often develop dilated cardiomyopathy, which leads to heart failure. Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart loses the ability to pump blood. The main pumping chamber in the heart, the left ventricle, becomes weakened and enlarged. In certain cases, this keeps the heart from filling with blood and relaxing properly. As time goes by, the condition can also affect the other chambers of the heart.