Jesy Nelson's heel prick bill has received support from MP Wes Streeting as she fights for SMA1 screening at birth after her twins' muscular disease diagnosis. The genetic neuromuscular disease SMA1 causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting due to motor neuron loss, but they 'could have saved their legs' with early treatment. 'That is why it's so important and vital to get treatment from birth and that it's detected from birth.' 'That's how quick it is and that is why it's so important to get treatment from birth,' she said. Experts say the early symptoms of SMA-1 can be easy to miss – particularly in premature or medically vulnerable babies, where developmental delays are often initially put down to an early birth.

Source: The Star January 08, 2026 08:16 UTC