What should I know to care for someone with congenital muscular dystrophy?

When caring for someone with congenital muscular dystrophy, it's important to remember that the disease impacts children both physically and emotionally. Muscle weakness and other symptoms may interfere with their ability to walk and participate in normal childhood activities. It's important to help them with necessary tasks but encourage them to be as physically active and independent as possible. Make sure your child is participating in physical or occupational therapy as directed by your doctor. Because muscular dystrophy can cause such a tremendous physical impact on daily life, children with the disease may also have a hard time emotionally coping with the challenges presented by the disease. Make sure you're there to provide emotional support, and help them find other resources, like support groups or counselors, that may be beneficial. For children with learning disabilities, find a good special education program that can maximize their potential.