While Duchenne is widely known as a muscle disease, the family dynamics that tend to emerge with DMD can prove much more challenging. Every single family member feels the effects, and parents are no exception.
In fact, many studies show that mothers and fathers in the Duchenne community are prone to mental health concerns. Between the grief, stressors to the marriage, endless advocacy efforts and more, parents are often diagnosed with anxiety and depression.
Add in the physical demands of caregiving, the lack of sleep, and the potential to be a carrier of the disease itself, it’s no wonder all these stressors eventually take a toll on their health and relationships.
While the stressors below are by no means comprehensive, they definitely help to illustrate the cycle of anxiety, depression, and the extreme relationship stressors that most parents of children with Duchenne experience on a daily basis.
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Despite all this, the Duchenne family can build strong relationships for the struggles they will face. Relationships can strengthen and households can become calmer. It all begins with a parent who is willing to reflect and to make changes.
