Muscular dystrophy is the most common hereditary disease of muscle and nerves. It affects almost exclusively boys of all races and ethnic groups. Its incidence is 1 in 3,600 boys, and at present, it is uniformly fatal, usually in late childhood or early adolescence.
Cancer is the most common non-accidental cause of death in children.
His current research, funded by the NIH, includes a study of the effects of orthotopic liver transplantation, and combined bone marrow and organ transplantation. Children's Hospital performs more transplants on children than any other facility in the world. Nancy Weichler, RN, MN , has done extensive research that will enable care givers to anticipate and meet the informational needs of families going through the transplant process. This disease causes fluid behind the eardrum that persists for at least 1 month in 40 percent of patients. This fluid can lead to delay in speech development, deafness, loss of equilibrium or balance, meningitis, and infections of the veins that normally drain fluid from around the brain.