What to know
- September is Muscular Dystrophy (MD) Awareness Month.
- CDC gathers data, shares findings from those data, and provides tools that help families, healthcare providers, and policymakers improve the lives of people with MD.
About Muscular Dystrophy
Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a group of genetic diseases that cause muscle weakness that gets worse over time. There are different types of MD that can affect specific muscle groups; signs and symptoms appear at different ages and vary in severity.
What we do
Better understand health of people with MD by tracking symptoms, care received, and treatments over time through CDC's Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network.
Improve medical services received by supporting the development of care guidelines.
- CDC funded the 2018 DMD Care Considerations used around the world to improve care for people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
Promote early diagnosis by creating an online tool with pediatricians that helps parents spot early signs of motor delays.