Muscle and Nerve Clinic
With a vision to inspire children with disabilities to live extraordinary lives, Children’s Mercy Muscle and Nerve Clinic provides evaluations and holistic care of children with neuromuscular diseases.
All the specialists your child needs in one visit
Neuromuscular diseases can cause weakness and can affect the heart, lungs and bones. Because these diseases affect different areas of the body, your child will need to be followed by different specialists.
In the Muscle and Nerve Clinic, your child will see multiple specialists at one visit, on one day, at one time. This approach helps create efficient and effective care and communication between you and your child’s doctors. Our goal is to accommodate your child’s needs in fewer visits so they miss less school than if they saw all the specialists separately.
Specialists in the Muscle and Nerve Clinic:
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Pulmonology
- Cardiology
- Genetics
- Nutrition Services
- Physical and Occupational Therapy
- Social Work
- Wheelchair and equipment specialist
- Care Coordinators
- Palliative Care
We can also coordinate your child’s appointment to include orthotics/bracing, X-rays, endocrinology and the Bone and Mineral Health Clinic on the same day or next day if you are traveling long distances.
Advancing care
Certified Duchenne Care Center
Children's Mercy is a recognized Certified Duchenne Care Center by the Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), which means that we provide care based on established national guidelines and standards. We offer Exon Skipping therapy. This reflects our team’s commitment to the care of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy patients and their families.
SMA Treatment Center
Children's Mercy is a Cure SMA treatment site for the medications Spinraza and Zolgensma. These two medications are used to treat Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). We have a dedicated SMA Coordinator to ensure comprehensive and timely care with regards to these medications.
Research
We collaborate with the MDA, University of Kansas Medical Center, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and CureSMA to connect patients to available research opportunities. Clinical trials can also be found here.
Diagnostic Testing:
- Genetic Testing
- Muscle MRI
- Muscle Ultrasound
- EMG/NCS
- Muscle Biopsy
Health Maintenance Testing:
- Pulmonary Function Tests
- Echocardiogram & EKG
- Cardiac MRI
- DEXA Scan and Vitamin D
- Endocrine Function
Conditions
- Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD)
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)
- Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy
- Congenital Myopathies (Bethlam and Ulrich)
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)
- Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSH or FSHD)
- Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA)
- Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)
- Metabolic Myopathies
- Mitochondrial Myopathies
- Pompe Disease (Acid Maltase Deficiency)
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
For more information on specific diseases visit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) website.
What to expect during your appointment
Since your child will be seen by multiple providers, this appointment can last around 3-4 hours.
Please bring the following to your child's appointment:
- Any bracing or equipment that your child is currently using
- Snacks and activities for your child
- Any outside medical records that could be helpful
Your child will be able to complete pulmonary function tests and cardiac imaging while they are in the clinic.
Resources
We've put together resources that our patients and their families have found most valuable. These resources provide useful information specific to neuromuscular diseases, along with information on community assistance, food services and mental health.
For more resources and community programs, please visit our Resources for Children with Complex Medical Needs page.
Clinic location and contact information
The Muscle and Nerve Clinic is located at Children’s Mercy Adele Hall.
Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic: (816) 234-3970
Clinic Coordinator: Baleigh Haag RN, BSN, CPN - (816) 302-3387
SMA Care Team Coordinator: Anna Mueller, RN, BSN ,CRCC - (816) 302-3386
Weekend and After Hours: (816) 234-3000
- Adaptive Sports Medicine Program
- Baclofen Pump Program
- Day Treatment Program
- Electromyography (EMG) Testing
- Inpatient Pediatric Rehabilitation Program
- Limb Difference Clinic
- Muscle and Nerve Clinic
- Outpatient Clinics
- Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine Fellowship
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Spinal Differences Clinic
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatments
- Rehabilitation Acupuncture Clinic
- Wheelchair and Adaptive Seating Clinic
- Meet the Team