According to the MediLexicon Medical Dictionary, muscular dystrophy is defined as a general term for a number of inherited and progressive degenerative disorders that affect skeletal muscles and often other organ systems (Staff). Basically what this means is that muscular dystrophy is a passed down genetic disease that affects skeletal muscles and other organs by slowly destroying them. Because it is genetic, it is not contagious and it is not possible to contract the disease from someone who has it. MD weakens muscles over time, so children, adolescents, and adults with the disease may gradually lose the ability to do things that most people take for granted, such as walking or sitting. Someone with MD may start having muscle problems as a child or their symptoms may begin later. Some people develop MD even as adults (Clark, 2010). There are several types of MD, most of which primarily affect adolescents, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Becker muscular dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, facioscapululi muscular dystrophy -humeral. , myotonic muscular dystrophy and congenital muscular dystrophy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common type. This is caused by a problem with the gene that produces a protein called dystrophin. This protein helps muscle cells maintain their shape and strength (Clark, 2010). If this protein is not formed properly, the person gradually becomes weaker as the muscles fail. This is a disease that affects only males and symptoms are usually evident between the ages of two and six. It is a disease that progresses very rapidly. Children with this disease are often confined to a wheelchair around the age of twelve. Children may also need to see a lung and a heart... in the center of the card... all the time. Public transportation can also be difficult and maneuvering in public places that may not be designed to best accommodate people with disabilities. I think people can live independently for the most part with MD, but they will need more help than normal from friends and family to do some of the smaller tasks and some of the larger tasks. Works CitedStaff, M.C. (n.d.). Muscular dystrophy. Retrieved from http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?t=27542Clark, A. (2010, July). Muscular dystrophy. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/bones/muscular_dystrophy.htmlBenaroch, R. (2013, 03 30). Understanding Muscular Dystrophy: The Basics. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/children/understanding-muscular-dystrophy-basicsOccupational Therapy Guidelines. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.myotonic.org/node/193