Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Awareness Month each August is a time to amplify the voices of children and families living with this rare condition.
At Team Select, this mission hits close to home as some of our pediatric patients we care for are living with SMA. Through skilled, compassionate home care, we empower families to face the challenges of SMA with strength, dignity, and support.
What Is Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)?
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic neuromuscular disorder that affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the spinal cord responsible for muscle movement. Without these motor neurons, muscles gradually weaken and shrink, especially those closest to the center of the body like the shoulders, hips, and trunk.
There are five types of SMA, ranging from severe (Type 0 and Type 1) to mild (Type 4). Many of the pediatric patients we serve at Team Select fall within SMA Type 1, 2, or 3, with care needs that include:
- Ventilator management
- Feeding tube support
- Mobility assistance
- Respiratory therapies
- 24/7 skilled nursing
These children require complex, ongoing medical care, but they also deserve the chance to thrive in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by loved ones. That’s where we come in.
How Home Health Nurses Make a Difference
For children with SMA, consistent in-home care is more than a convenience – it’s a lifeline. Research shows that medically complex children without a home nurse spend significantly longer in the hospital. At Team Select, we believe no family should face that alone. By building strong nurse-to-family relationships early, we help support safer discharges, smoother transitions, and more confident care at home.
Through Private Duty Nursing (PDN) services, our licensed nurses provide one-on-one, around-the-clock care for children with SMA in their homes. This level of skilled care not only improves quality of life but helps reduce avoidable hospital readmissions and supports safer discharges from the start.
Fast, Compassionate Support for Families
We understand how critical it is for families to receive care quickly and seamlessly. That’s why our team focuses on fast onboarding, often initiating assessments within 24 hours and starting care shortly after.
Extended hospital stays can be emotionally and physically draining for families. For children with SMA, the lack of an established home care plan often means delays in returning home—sometimes for weeks or months. Team Select works proactively to shorten that timeline, giving families the tools, nurses, and training they need to bring their child home and start healing together.
We work closely with hospitals, case managers, and waiver programs to ensure each child’s transition from hospital to home is smooth, safe, and fully supported.
From navigating Medicaid to building the right care team, our experts walk alongside families every step of the way.
Why SMA Awareness Matters
Spreading awareness of SMA helps improve access to early diagnosis, supportive care, and life-extending treatments. It also reminds families facing the condition that they’re not alone.
At Team Select, we believe every child deserves to grow, play, and feel safe at home, and every family deserves the tools to make that possible.
You’re Not Alone. Team Select Home Care Is Here to Help.
If you’re caring for a child with SMA or another medically complex condition, our team is ready to support you.
Learn more about our Pediatric Private Duty Nursing services and how we can build a care plan tailored to your family’s needs.
Explore all of our PDN services here!
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