Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 | 01:13 AM  Madisons Foundation - Moms
And Dads In Search Of Needed Support  Werdnig-Hoffman Disease
Monday, 02 February 2004 Thursday, 25 March 2004 Spinal Muscular
Atrophy   Werdnig-Hoffman Disease is a rare syndrome of young
infants, marked by weakness and severe muscular problems. There
are three types of spinal muscular atrophies, and Werdnig
Hoffman Disease refers to Type I, the disorder that affects
younger children.   Werdnig-Hoffman Disease is passed to
children from their parents in what is called an autosomal
recessive pattern of inheritance. This means that each parent
carries a gene for the disorder without knowing it; if one of
their children inherits both of these genes, that child will
develop the disorder.  Signs and Symptoms  : Children with
Werdnig-Hoffman Disease are usually diagnosed before they turn 6
months old. They may do well for several months, but then they
usually begin to have problems feeding or moving. They will no
longer be able to hold their heads up, o