Essay On Multiplex Congenita

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The illness discussed is called Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) which is a disease of newborns resulting in decreased flexibility of the joints. Symptoms differ drastically from person to person, including stiff joints and muscle weakness. The areas that are most likely to have lack of movement are the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, and feet. The lack of movement, unlike many other diseases, does not get worse as time goes by. However, it is necessary to seek treatment to prevent further impediments of the joints. There are many causes of being diagnosed with this illness some of these causes are, four possibilities exist that limit joint movements: 1) abnormal development of muscles; 2) inadequate room in the uterus for the baby; 3) a malformed central nervous system and spinal cord; and 4) tendons, joints, bones, and joint linings which did not mature correctly. The decrease in range of motion is also caused by extra tissue that has formed around the joint, prohibiting movement.
The most common universal symptom of AMC is limited or absent movement around small and large joints (contractures). The contractures are present at birth (congenital). The muscles of the affected limbs may be underdeveloped (hypoplastic), resulting in a tube-shaped limb with a soft, doughy …show more content…

Clubfoot is a very common deformity of the feet in babies with Arthrogryposis. A method of serial casting called the Ponseti Method is a common approach to correcting the clubfeet. This method can eliminate the need for major clubfoot surgery in infancy. Serial casting is when a joint is stretched and held in that stretch by a cast. Each week the cast is removed and the joint is stretched again and

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