• Understanding Duchenne
• Caring
  for Him
• Advancing
  Research
• Leading
  the Way
• Ending
  Duchenne
• Uniting the Community

• About Duchenne
  • About Dystrophin + Utrophin
  • Signs of Duchenne
  • How to Prevent Duchenne
  • Who Gets Duchenne
  • What Causes Duchenne
  • How Duchenne is Identified
  • How Duchenne Progresses
• New Diagnosis
  • First Steps
  • What You Can Do
  • Parenting Children with Duchenne
  • Finding Support
• Stages of
  Duchenne
  • Early Phase
  • Transitional Phase
  • Loss of Ambulation
  • Adult Stage
• For Family
  Members
  • Parents
  • Brothers + Sisters
  • Grandparents
  • Relatives + Friends
• For
  Professionals
  • Teachers
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physicians
  • Researchers

Adult Stage (ages 15+)

As the disorder progresses, life-threatening heart and respiratory conditions become more prevalent. Major symptoms of heart and lung complications include shortness of breath, fluid in the lungs, and swelling in the feet and lower legs. Families may elect to have a tracheotomy tube to help with breathing.

It is important for boys with Duchenne to be evaluated with an echocardiogram early in the diagnosis, and each year thereafter. Boys with Duchenne develop a dilated cardiomyopathy (enlarged heart).

Young men with Duchenne usually pass away in their 20’s or early 30’s due to these types of complications.

Caring for Him
Advancing Research