Patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy need a team of specialists to help improve their quality of life. In addition to seeing the NEMO team, patients will also regularly see other UK HealthCare providers to address health issues that may develop because of DMD. This team includes:
- Dietitians
- Pediatric cardiologists
- Endocrinologists
- Pediatric orthopaedists
- Pediatric pulmonologists
- Pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists
Other providers will be added to the care team as necessary.
Our care team includes an occupational therapist, who will see patients during their multidisciplinary clinic visits. The occupational therapist assists patients as they learn to use adaptive equipment. They will also help children develop the skills and strategies necessary to participate in activities they enjoy. The goal of occupational therapy is to maximize your child’s independence while performing everyday activities.
Patients who need more regular occupational therapy outside of their visits to the NEMO Clinic will be referred to an occupational therapist in their community.
Our care team includes a physical therapist, who will see patients at our multidisciplinary clinic. The physical therapist develops and supervises exercise regimens to help patients maintain muscle function, strength and range of motion. They can recommend mobility devices and adaptive devices. A physical therapist also performs tests and measures progress to track and address any changes.
Patients who need more regular physical therapy outside of their visits to NEMO will be referred to a physical therapist in their community.
DMD-related weakness in oral and facial muscles may cause problems with speech and voice quality, as well as delayed speech and difficulty with finding the right words. Speech language pathologists can evaluate DMD patients and develop exercises and treatments to help with articulation and oral muscle strength.
Progressive muscle weakness in the oropharyngeal muscles in the mouth eventually develop into dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) in patients with DMD. When this occurs, a speech language pathologist can perform a clinical swallowing exam to determine if patients are aspirating while they eat. If so, the speech language pathologist can recommend interventions, such as neck position changes, food consistency changes or even feeding tubes.
