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Parents of children with muscular dystrophy have many questions and, in his long years of practice, Dr. Irwin Siegel has heard most of them.If you've ever asked, "Do the arms also weaken in Duchenne muscular dystrophy?" or "What toys are appropriate for the child with DMD?" or "Is any specific physical therapy or occupational therapy useful in the middle stages of Duchenne dystrophy?" you'll find help in "Muscular Dystrophy in Children: A Guide for Families.Written in the calm, reassuring voice of a senior physician, the book reflects the wide-ranging experiences of the long-time MDA clinic co-director at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. Siegel's specialties are orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation, but his sincere interest in the well-being of his patients and their families and the quality of information they receive has led him to publish 12 books, including a volume of poetry.This latest volume combines information on some of the practical and technical matters of day-to-day life in families with muscular dystrophy - wheelchair seating, bracing and dietary concerns, for example - with solid advice on getting through it all.This book was written for parents, families, teachers, and friends of children with muscular dystrophy (MD), and for older children. It was written to guide the child and his caregivers through the often frightening labyrinth of medical care that one enters when given the diagnosis of MD. The book will help the reader understand the significance of the signs and symptoms of the disease, the treatment options available, its probable course or outcome and what may affect it, and the currently available choices in directing therapy. The book is construed to inform and educate with state-of-the-art information. Its goal is to address questions and concerns in the most forthright and honest manner possible and to clearly define the available medical options at every stage of the disease and offer guidance even when it may seem that little or nothing can be done. "