Brenda Wong, MD, is a neurologist who directs the UMass Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Program, and she is a pioneer in organizing multidisciplinary care for Duchenne populations. She shares why she believes nutritionists should have more value in Duchenne healthcare teams.

I feel like the nutritionist is certainly overlooked by the patients, the families, as well as some teams.

Families would decline a nutrition visit. And, more importantly, some insurance payers would not cover for such an important consult.

It’s the basics of care that make a lot of difference in daily outcomes and long-term outcomes, especially with our current problems of obesity and, in the future, metabolic syndrome as a result of that.

I think, as I mentioned, for the other team members, that is needed and that’s lacking is that of a med-peds or a pediatrician that would be able to help coordinate care in the clinical setting as a key player.

I would think these are the two that have been overlooked.