What is SMA?

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a hereditary disease that destroys the nerves responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. Muscles that control breathing, swallowing, head and neck control, walking, and crawling are the most severely affected.

There are four types of SMA, SMA Type I, II, III, IV. The determination of the type of SMA is based upon the physical milestones achieved. Symptoms of the disease range from mild (symptoms that do not appear until adulthood and are not life threatening) to severe (symptoms that are present in early infancy and lead to a severely shortened lifespan.

Over 60% of those who are diagnosed with SMA are severely affected. SMA does not affect intelligence. There is no cure or treatment for SMA. Research on effective treatments and cure are underway.

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