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

When caring for someone with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, it's important to remember that the disease impacts people physically, mentally, and emotionally. Muscle weakness and other symptoms may interfere with their ability to get around and to perform daily tasks, and for children with the disease, it may affect their ability to participate in sports and other physical activities. Help them with necessary tasks but encourage them to be as physically independent as possible. Most children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy eventually require a wheelchair, and the idea of this can be upsetting to young children. Reassure them and encourage them to be as active as possible. Also make sure you provide medication or therapy according to any medical advice from their doctors. If your child has a learning disability due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, work with your child's school to determine the best course of education for him.
Because Duchenne muscular dystrophy can have such a significant impact on daily life, children with the disease may also have a hard time emotionally coping with challenges. Make sure you're there to provide emotional support, and help them find other resources, like support groups or counselors, that may be beneficial.