An overview of spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy frequently influences infants and youngsters and makes it difficult for them to utilize their muscles. At the point when your kid has SMA, there’s a breakdown of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The cerebrum stops sending messages to the brain that controls the movement of the muscle. Due to this disease, your kid’s muscles get weak, and he can experience difficulty in controlling the movement of the head, sitting without any support, and walking.

Which are the tests that help diagnose spinal muscular atrophy?
To diagnose SMA, the doctor may first ask a few questions about your child and his behavior. For better diagnosis, your specialist may perform some blood tests.

• Nerve tests
  Your specialist checks the muscles by putting some small patches on your kid’s skin and then he sends electrical impulses through the nerves to check whether they are sending messages to the muscles.
• Computed tomography
  CT scan makes detailed pictures of the inside of your kid’s body by an intense X-ray.
• X-ray
  This provides pictures of organs and parts inside your kid’s body by utilizing powerful magnets and radio waves.
• Muscle tissue biopsy
  In this test, the specialist expels cells through a needle in the muscle or through a small cut in your kid’s skin.

What are the treatments needed with Spinraza?
During the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy with Spinraza, there are various other treatments that are needed for the child to make him perform the daily activities. The other required treatments are:

• The child with SMA type 1 and type 2 have weak muscles that troubles in breathing. Some kids may need a machine that helps in breathing for severe problems.
• Some kids need a feeding tube as the muscles in the mouth and throat are weak. Thus, they are not able to swallow and may not get a proper nutrition.
• Physiotherapy and occupational therapy may also be used to make your kid’s muscles strong.
• There are some tools that control computers and phones to help with writing and drawing.
• A back brace is also suggested by the doctor to support the spine.

What are the side effects of Spinraza?

• You should contact emergency medical help when you have allergic symptoms like hives, troublesome breathing, and face, lips, tongue, or throat swelling.
• You should immediately contact your doctor when you any of these symptoms:
  – Easy wounding, irregular bleeding, purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin
  – Pain in the chest, shortness of breath
  – A red skin rash
  – Kidney issues like frothy urine, red or dark colored hued urine, swelling in your face, hands, stomach, or feet
  – Spinraza may influence development in kids. Tell your specialist if your kid isn’t developing at a typical rate while utilizing Spinraza
  – Regular symptoms may include:
  Cerebral pain
  Pain in the back
  Queasiness, regurgitating, and constipation
  Symptoms of a cold like wheezing, sore throat

What are the precautions you should take before having Spinraza?

• Before starting with this medicine, you should know whether you are allergic to it or not.
• If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor whether you are eligible to take this medicine or not.
• Spinraza is safe for the unborn child, this issue is still not scientifically proven. But if you are pregnant or planning for a baby, you must ask your doctor about this.
• When you are breastfeeding your child, you must tell your doctor about this before starting this medication. It is not sure whether Spinraza effect may pass through the breast milk to the child or not.

What is the mechanism of action of Spinraza?

• Spinraza consists of an antisense oligonucleotide (ASO).
• This antisense oligonucleotide controls the mutations caused in the chromosome.
• Because of the mutation, it is particularly binding and targets RNA.
• It also regulates gene expression.
• This medication has the potential to enhance the amount of functional SMN protein in patients.
• Thus, this medication helps in the movement of muscles in infants and children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
• This drug can be provided through injections directly to the cerebrospinal fluid which is present around the spinal cord.

What are the effects of other medicines taken with Spinraza?

• Other medications like vitamins and herbal medicines may impact the effect of Spinraza.
• Always ask your doctor about these medications, whether you have to stop or start using it.

Always follow your doctor’s instructions about any precautions before consuming any medications for spinal muscular atrophy.