About Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy is an umbrella term used to refer to a group of muscular disorders characterised by muscle weakness, wasting and contractures, which are usually progressive in nature and sometimes even life threatening. These disorders result from inherited gene abnormalities.

肌肉萎缩症指的是导致患者肌肉无力、衰退和挛缩的一组疾病的统称。这些疾病通常会逐步恶化，有些甚至危及生命。疾病是由异常基因所引发。

While most of these disorders manifest in childhood, some may have an adult onset. The severity of the symptoms, the age at which the symptoms appear, how fast the individual deteriorates, and the pattern of inheritance the disorder follows, vary from one form of Muscular Dystrophy to another.

大部分病症在患者年幼时出现，有的可能在成年时发病。肌肉萎缩症的症状严重度、几岁出现症状、情况对快恶化，以及遗传基因的途径，取决于肌肉萎缩症的类别。

Over time, persons with Muscular Dystrophy may lose the ability to walk, and ultimately breathe. For some individuals, the disorder is life-threatening. At present, there is no known cure for Muscular Dystrophy.

长期而言，肌肉萎缩症患者可能失去走路的能力，最终无法呼吸。有些患者可能有性命危险。肌肉萎缩症目前是不愈之症。

There are many types of Muscular Dystrophy and these vary in terms of their pattern of inheritance, genetic mutation, incidence, symptoms, age of onset, rate of progression and prognosis.

肌肉萎缩症分不同类别，它们有着不一样的遗传途径、基因变种、患病概率、症状、发病年龄、恶化速度，以及疾病预后。

The list below is not exhaustive and only includes the more common types of the disorder. If you have a muscular disorder that is not in the list and would like to join the association, please contact us for further enquiry.

以下病症表并不详尽，涵盖的是比较常见的类别。如果你患上的肌肉萎缩症不在表中，但希望加入协会，请与我们联络和询问。

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHIES
肌肉萎缩疾病

Becker Muscular Dystrophy
Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy
Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy
Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy
Ulrich Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
Unclassified Muscular Dystrophy

MOTOR NEURON DISEASES
运动神经元疾病

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Type 1)
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Type 2)
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Type 3)
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Type 4)
Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (Kennedy disease)

PERIPHERAL NERVE DISORDERS/NEUROPATHY
周围神经疾病

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP)
Congenital Hypomyelinating Neuropathy
Dejerine-Sottas Disease
Giant Axonal Neuropathy (GAN)
Unspecified Neuropathy

CONGENITAL MYOPATHY

Bethlem Myopathy
Distal Myopathy
Nemaline Myopathy
Nonaka (GNE) Myopathy
Unclassified Congenital Myopathy

METABOLIC MYOPATHY

Glycogen Storage Diseases
Lipid Storage Diseases
Mitochondrial Myopathies

CHANNELOPATHY

Myotonic Dystrophy
Periodic Paralysis

NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION

Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes

OTHERS

Others

Clap Your Hands

Many people know the lively lyrics to ‘Clap Your Hands’ by heart and would eagerly clap at the correct pauses, supposedly to indicate that they are indeed happy. But what happens if you sing the tune rapturously and pause only to receive an awkward piece of silence?

不少人听过“拍拍手”这首歌朗朗上口的歌词，听到旋律会跟着节奏拍手，表达喜悦。不过，你有没有感受过，对人兴奋地唱这首歌时，换来的却是一片寂静？

This cleverly produced audio presses home the message that while people with Muscular Dystrophy may be too weak to clap their hands, they equally deserve happiness and can be happy too.

这个精心制作的音频，要传达的信息是肌肉萎缩患者也许无力拍手，但他们同样值得获得欢乐，并且由衷感到快乐。