Muscular Dystrophy Prognosis
When To Call a Professional
If you are an adult, call your doctor if you have muscular dystrophy in any region of your body or if you notice difficulty speaking clearly or swallow normally. If you are a parent, call your child’s doctor if he falls frequently, has trouble getting up the floor, or walking or running.
Forecast
The prognosis varies depending on the type of muscular dystrophy and how quickly it progresses. Some patients have only mild symptoms with a normal lifespan, while others develop symptoms and die young. For example, boys with DMD often die before age 18 from respiratory failure, heart failure, pneumonia or other problems. Boys with Becker muscular dystrophy typically survive to age 30.
Most patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is muscle weakness only in the face, neck and upper body area, and generally not affected heart function and breathing.