Does Duchenne muscular dystrophy affect mental development?
Some children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy also have cognitive difficulties. However, this is by no means always the case, and many children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have above-average intelligence. Several researchers have suggested that mental problems among children with Duchenne may be particularly common in areas of verbal learning abilities. It is extremely important to evaluate each child independently, and to keep in mind that slowness and limitations in physical abilities can often be misinterpreted as a cognitive problem. If a child takes several extra minutes to get his paper and pencil ready to write, he may have missed the instructions that other children were prepared for. Timed tests and those that require a great deal of writing often penalize a child who is unable to write quickly or for long periods of time. Intelligence testing methods are often not appropriately adapted for children with physical disabilities. Some children lack exposure to formal educat
