Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare disease that causes muscles to grow weaker, beginning with the leg muscles. The disease is passed from a mother, who carries the gene but does not have the disease, to her son (X-linked).

Most boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy need a wheelchair by age 12 and die before age 20 of a lung infection or heart problems.