Spinal Muscular Atrophy: An Interprofessional Approach 

Program Overview

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a devastating genetic neuromuscular disorder that causes a progressive loss of motor neurons in the spinal cord, resulting in severe muscle weakness. SMA onset is generally discovered in infancy or early toddlerhood, as children fail to meet their basic motor milestones, like rolling over, sitting up, and crawling. Historically, this debilitating condition was only treated with supportive care and its more severe forms were often fatal within the first 6 months of life if left completely untreated. However, now there are 3 disease-modifying therapies available for SMA, all of which are very different in their approach to management. Because of the various challenges patients with SMA face, along with the advent of diseasemodifying therapies, a multifaceted interprofessional care team approach is necessary for treatment regimen optimization, including treatment selection and integration, care coordination and navigation, and patient education. In this activity, a multidisciplinary and interprofessional panel of experts discuss their approach to SMA from a neurological, physical/rehabilitative, nursing, patient, and parent perspective in their discussion of disease, treatment, case studies, counseling points, and the tears and triumphs of lived experiences. 

Credit Expired

Target Audience

Neurologists, pediatric neurologists, pediatricians, internal medicine physicians, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, nurses, and PAs

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

  • Integrate the unique roles of the interprofessional care team to optimize care for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)

Activity Faculty

Battista 1200x1500 2023

Vanessa Battista, DNP, MBA, MS, RN, CPNP-PC

Senior Nursing Director, Palliative Care
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, MA

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Susan Apkon, MD 

Fischahs Chair, Pediatric Rehabilitation
Chief, Department of Rehabilitation
Children’s Hospital Colorado
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Aurora, CO

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Diana Castro, MD

Board Certified Neurologist and Neuromuscular Physician
Founder and Director, Neurology and Neuromuscular Care Center
Founder and Director, Neurology Rare Disease Center
Denton, TX

Educational Resources

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