Question

A nurse is providing care to parents whose infant has been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1. The parents ask the nurse to explain what this diagnosis means for their child long term. Which statement should the nurse include in the explanation?

Answer 1

Answer:

The fact that there are now treatments that help diagnosed children learn to sit and talk.

Explanation:

Spinal muscular atrophy type 1 is a genetic disease which causes muscle disfunction as a consequence of nerve cells that do not provide signals to the muscles.

It is also called Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, and it is followed by twitching as well as the inability to control one's limbs.

While parents should be informed about all the smallest details of their child's condition, they should by no means be discouraged. It is important to let them know THERE ARE options and chances of improvement.