Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD for short) is a genetic problem that is characterized by a gradual muscle deterioration and the development of weakness because of the differences to a protein called dystrophin that is needed to maintain muscle cells intact. Duchenne muscular dystrophy was first explained by the French neurologist Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne back in1860. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is one kind of several conditions in a group called the dystrophinopathies which also includes Becker Muscular dystrophy. The beginning of DMD symptoms is frequently in early childhood. The condition mainly affects males, however females are affected on rare occasions. The occurrence of DMD is about 6 per 100,000 individuals. The key characteristic of Duchenne muscular dystrophy is muscle weakness that may start off as early as ages 2 or 3. The weakness to begin with actually starts to impact the proximal muscle groups that are the muscles that are nearer to the core of the body. It is not until later on when the more distal limb muscles will be affected. Generally, the lower limb muscle groups will be affected before the upper limb muscle groups. The affected child commonly presents with having trouble leaping, running, as well as walking. […] read more