DEAR DR. GOTT:
We have an 8-year-old daughter diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. We’re told there is nothing to do for it except to make her medication stronger. What is your advice?
DEAR READER:
Myasthenia gravis is a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that results from a defect in movement of nerve signals between the muscles and nerve fibers. Symptoms often begin with double vision, weakness of facial muscles, droopy eyelids and extend to those muscles that help us breathe. The condition is common in juveniles, is not hereditary, nor is it contagious.
With treatment the outlook is very good. Medication to improve muscle strength, surgical removal of the thymus gland, removal of abnormal antibodies from the blood, or IV immunoglobulin that provide the body with normal antibodies from donated blood are considerations.
If your daughter is not already under the care of a top neurologist, she should be.
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