Toddler with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Miraculously Walks

While the CDC does not have enough data on current numbers of patients with Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DBMD), it is estimated that one out of every 5,600-7,700 males aged 5-24 years old in the US are affected by this rare muscle-wasting disease. Noticeable symptoms occur at around 2.5 years old, but in little Jenson Whitehouse’s case, he was diagnosed when he was just one year old, with his parents thinking he would never be able to walk.

Last December, after Garry and Chantal Whitehouse noticed their son having difficulty sitting up and crawling, they received sad news that their one-year-old, Jenson, had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This meant that their child would have to grow up dependent on a wheelchair.

The most unexpected thing happened while the family was watching an episode of Big Build on television. Coincidentally, during a feature on a young boy with various health conditions, Jenson pulled himself up onto his walker and began walking around the room.

While the Whitehouse family are still aware of the severity of this disease, they are hopeful this miracle will last long enough for their son to experience more of his precious childhood. They are also hoping that others find out, and learn to remain hopeful in the face of the disease, despite the odds.