Please meet Isaac.
Isaac is a four-year-old little boy who knows his own mind, is an expert at dinosaurs, loves jigsaws and has just start primary school this year.
He was diagnosed with a condition called spinal muscular atrophy at 13 days old.
What is SMA?
Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare neuromuscular disorder that affects motor neurons in the spinal cord causing muscle weakness, making movement, breathing and swallowing difficult.
Isaac wears splints to support his feet and a spinal jacket.
SMA is classified into four different types depending on when symptoms started and ranges in severity.
What is Isaac doing?
At the time the picture was taken Isaac was our youngest client to use the un-weighing hoist system and treadmill.
He enjoys walking but his legs are too weak to support him fully.
Isaac received drug therapy at three weeks old and then again in November 2021.
We are trying to retrain and strengthen his muscles following the drug therapy so that he can walk short distances at home and school with a walking aid.
How is it important?
It is important to do training following drug therapy to help maintain neuromuscular connections preserving strength and function.
How we have helped
We are very proud to be able to support Isaac using our knowledge and the equipment we have in clinic.
Since Isaac used the unweighing equipment, we have since had a little girl of three years old use it to also practice her walking.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you or someone you know young or old needs help to walk but cannot fully support their body weight.