Kerry's pediatrician Diane Munz says the toddler's motor development is delayed, but that her fine motor and language skills are normal. Kerry's main problem is muscle weakness and muscle wasting that is most noticeable in her calves. She tires easily with exertion and experiences muscle pain in her calves, thighs and wrists after activity. Scans have shown normal brain and spinal chord, and tests for various forms of muscular dystrophy and for peripheral nerve diseases have all been negative, Munz says. We've been trying to find answers for so long.
Nothing seems to be coming up.
That's why a full medical background on her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and other blood relatives is so important. Someone in the family may suffer from a similar problem and help uncover Kerry's condition. While Kerry resembles children with muscle disorders, in her case no diagnosis has been made, says Munz, adding that a complete family history could help to identify relatives with a similar picture and give doctors further clues to the diagnosis and outcome for Kerry. We've gone from one doctor, to another, to another, and they just seem to tell us what she doesn't have. This is not Martin's first search for her family and medical records.