Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease characterized by degeneration of motor neurons, resulting in progressive muscular atrophy (wasting away) and weakness. The clinical spectrum of SMA ranges from early infant death to normal adult life with only mild weakness. These patients often require comprehensive medical care involving multiple disciplines, including pediatric pulmonology, pediatric neurology, pediatric orthopedic surgery, Lower Extremity & Spinal Orthosis, pediatric critical care, and physical medicine and rehabilitation; and physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, and clinical nutrition. Genetic counseling is also helpful for the parents and family members. Sensation and the ability to feel are not affected. Intellectual activity is normal and it is often observed that patients with SMA are unusually bright and sociable. The term "juvenile spinal muscular atrophy" refers to Kugelberg-Welander syndrome. A group of recessively inherited diseases that feature progressive muscular atrophy and hypotonia. They are classified as type I (Werdnig-Hoffman disease), type II (intermediate form), and type III (Kugelberg-Welander disease). Type I is fatal in infancy, type II has a late infantile onset and is associated with survival into the second or third decade. Type III has its onset in childhood, and is slowly progressive.

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ND_0000122

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_muscular_atrophy

http://neurolex.org/wiki/Category:Spinal_Muscular_Atrophy_(SMA)

http://ontology.neuinfo.org/NIF/Dysfunction/NIF-Dysfunction.owl#birnlex_12568

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/ND_0000119