Make checks payable to

‘Fulton’s Fund’ and

Fulton’s
mail to Fund
Fulton’s Fund Helping one child in his
fight against Spinal
c/o 23 E. Homestead Ave. Muscular Atrophy
Collingswood NJ 08108

Or donate via PayPal

to
fultonsfund@mantoanpages.net

The Facts About SMA

SMA is the leading genetic killer of
children under the age of 2.
SMA is a degenerative disease that
effects voluntary muscle movement.
Donations are not tax deductible,
due to the personal nature of the
account. Since the account is for
the sole benefit of Fulton and His
family, it cannot quality for
501(c)(3) status under IRS regula-
tions.

1 in 6,000 children are born with SMA.

1 in 41 people are a carrier of the gene

that causes SMA.

A child of two carriers has a 1 in 4

chance of developing SMA.

Get more information at www.fsma.org

or visit the Fulton’s Fund Cause on
Facebook.
 What is Spinal Muscular Atrophy?
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is
a motor neuron disease.
The motor neurons affect the volun-
tary muscles that are used for activities
such as crawling, walking, head and
neck control, and swallowing.
SMA affects muscles throughout the
body, although the proximal muscles
(those closest to the trunk of one’s
body - i.e. shoulders, hips, and back)
are often most severely affected.
Weakness in the legs is generally
greater than in the arms. Sometimes
feeding and swallowing can be af-
fected. Involvement of respiratory
muscles (muscles involved in breathing
and coughing) can lead to an increased
tendency for pneumonia and other
lung problems. Sensation and the abil-
ity to feel are not affected. Intellectual
activity is normal and it is often ob-
served that patients with SMA are un-
usually bright and sociable.
An individual with SMA has a missing
or mutated gene (SMN1, or survival
motor neuron 1) that produces a pro-
tein in the body called Survival Motor
Neuron (SMN) protein. Since SMN pro-
tein is critical to the survival and health
of motor neurons, without this protein
nerve cells may atrophy, shrink and
eventually die, resulting in muscle
weakness.
As a child with SMA grows their bodies
are doubly stressed, first by the de-
crease in motor neurons and then by
the increased demands on the nerve
and muscle cells as their bodies grow
larger. The resulting muscle atrophy
can cause weakness and bone and spi-
nal deformities that may lead to further
loss of function, as well as additional
compromise of the respiratory (breath-
ing) system.
There are four types of SMA, SMA Type
I, II, III, IV. The determination of the
type of SMA is based upon the physical
milestones achieved. It is important to
note that the course of the disease
may be different for each child.
(Information via the Families of Spinal Mus-
cular Atrophy website, fsma.org.)
Fulton is currently classified as a
Type II, borderline Type I child.
Fulton can sit independently for about
30 seconds, but he cannot get himself
into a seated position. He can roll from
side to side, but not onto his stomach.
Fulton is able to feed himself, say
words such as Mama, Papa and toy. He
loves trains like his brother and he en-
joys listening to stories with his sis-
ters.
Fulton receives physical therapy from
one to three times a week and occupa-
tional therapy once a week. He is fol-
lowed by doctors at Children’s Hospital
of Philadelphia, PA and Johns Hopkins
in Baltimore, MD.
Fulton will receive his own electric
wheelchair within the next 6 months
which is not unusual for children with
SMA. We hope this will allow him the
independence to explore his surround-
ings and interact with his siblings more
easily, something he desperately wants
to do.