Many parents do not recognize early signs of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) because their son’s movements only appear slower or a bit more labored than those of other children.  Typically boys diagnosed with DMD lose their ability to walk between the ages of 10 and 14.  These boys will lose most of their upper body strength, including the ability to move their arms, by their late teens.  Also during their teenage years, young men with DMD will need respiratory support at night.  Over time, their respiratory systems will weaken and they will require more constant support.  Medical data suggest that young men with DMD survive only into their 20s.

For more information, please visit Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy: Stages of Duchenne.