Awareness drive to focus on disorder

Spinal muscular atrophy is one of the most common causes of death in babies under the age of 2.

It progressively destroys lower motor neurons - nerve cells in the brain stem and spinal cord that control essential voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing and swallowing.

The first national conference on SMA was held in Beijing in August and a report on those with the disorder in China was made public.