Muscle Wasting In Children

Muscle wasting is a debilitating condition in children that may result in loss of mobility, severe pain, cognitive impairment and a shortened lifespan, according to the "Merck Manual Home Health Handbook." A number of conditions may trigger muscle wasting, each with telltale symptoms you should be aware of to identify the warning signs early. While in severe cases the condition has no cure, treatment can help relieve pain, improve muscle strength and slow the progression of the condition.

Identification

Muscle wasting, also known as muscle atrophy, refers to the loss or progressive weakening of muscle tissue, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes. In muscular dystrophy, a common cause of muscle wasting among children, fat and connective tissue eventually replace muscle fibers as muscles weaken, MayoClinic.com adds.

Causes

Damage to nerves, muscles or a disease of the nerves lead to muscle wasting in children, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. This includes more than 40 conditions such as burns; Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack the peripheral nervous system; polio; stroke; spinal cord injury; diabetes; and myositis, a condition resulting in chronic muscle inflammation, according to the medical center and "Nelson Essentials of Pediatrics." Other more common causes include muscular dystrophy, a disorder of the muscles, and spinal muscular atrophy, a disorder of the spinal cord and motor nerves.

Symptoms

Symptoms of muscle wasting range from tender muscles and muscle weakness to pain, numbness, difficulty walking, standing or breathing and paralysis, depending on the underlying cause of the condition, the "Merck Manual Home Health Handbook" says. In children suffering from muscular dystrophy, clumsiness, difficulty climbing stairs, frequent falls and inability to jump or hop normally are all signs of muscle wasting, according to Children's Hospital Boston. Additionally, children with the most common type of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, a condition affecting one out of every 3,500 boys, have difficulty getting up from the sitting or lying position, Children's Hospital Boston and Kids Health note.

Diagnosis

Your child's doctor may conduct a series of tests and exams to determine if your child suffers from muscle wasting. First, the doctor will perform a physical exam and assess your child's symptoms and medical history, the University of Maryland Medical Center advises. Next, the doctor may measure your child's arm and leg muscles to identify affected nerves and test your child's reflexes. Tests, including a CT or MRI scan, a muscle biopsy, electrical tests of nerve function, an X-ray, blood tests, an electrocardiogram to examine the electrical activity of the heart and an electromyography used to assess muscle weakness may be necessary.

Treatment

Treatment for muscle weakness will vary greatly depending on the cause of the condition. Your child's doctor will target therapy to treat the underlying condition to stop muscle wasting or slow the progression of muscle loss. Treatment may include ultrasound therapy, physical exercise, medication, braces or splints, a ventilator to help with breathing or surgery to release contractures -- tightened muscles, ligaments or tendons that cause severe joint pain and loss of motion.