The Muscular Dystrophy Clinic at Rush offers a multidisciplinary team approach to the care of children and young adults with muscular dystrophy. The team includes pediatric and adult neurologists, an orthopedic surgeon, an orthotic specialist, a social worker, a wheelchair specialist and an occupational therapist. Also available is a coordinator from the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which sponsors the clinic.

The clinic handles the many medical complications that accompany muscular dystrophy, the name given to a group of genetic diseases that cause the gradual deterioration and deformity of muscles. The most common is Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which starts in early childhood. The disease progresses slowly, but eventually affects all voluntary muscles. Duchenne usually affects boys, and patients typically do not survive beyond their late 20s. There is no known cure for muscular dystrophy.

At Rush, we offer comprehensive care for children with Duchenne as well as many other forms of the disease. Because muscular dystrophy is transmitted genetically, the clinic also works with families of children with the disease.

Peter T. Heydemann, MD, operates the Muscular Dystrophy Clinic with orthopedic surgeon Irwin Siegel, MD. In addition to neurology, specialists from the following areas are available to see patients at the clinic:

• Cardiology
• Gastroenterology
• Genetics
• Occupational Therapy
• Orthopedics
• Respiratory
• Social Work