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Ranked nationally in pediatric care.
Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2023-2024.
It's easier than ever to sign up for MyChart.
Sign up online to quickly and easily manage your child's medical information and connect with us whenever you need.
We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.
When it comes to your child, every emergency is a big deal.
Our ERs are staffed 24/7 with doctors, nurses and staff who know kids best – all trained to deliver right-sized care for your child in a safe environment.
Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2023-2024.
Looking for resources for your family?
Find health tips, patient stories, and news you can use to champion children.
Support from the comfort of your home.
Our flu resources and education information help parents and families provide effective care at home.
Children are at the center of everything we do.
We are dedicated to caring for children, allowing us to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas.
Transforming discovery to care.
Our researchers are driven by their limitless curiosity to discover new and better ways to make these children better today and healthier tomorrow.
We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.
Then we're looking for you! Work at a place where you can change lives...including your own.
When you give to Arkansas Children's, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond
Become a volunteer at Arkansas Children's.
The gift of time is one of the most precious gifts you can give. You can make a difference in the life of a sick child.
Join our Grassroots Organization
Support and participate in this advocacy effort on behalf of Arkansas’ youth and our organization.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.
When you give to Arkansas Children’s, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond.
Your volunteer efforts are very important to Arkansas Children's. Consider additional ways to help our patients and families.
Join one of our volunteer groups.
There are many ways to get involved to champion children statewide.
Make a positive impact on children through philanthropy.
The generosity of our supporters allows Arkansas Children's to deliver on our promise of making children better today and a healthier tomorrow.
Read and watch heart-warming, inspirational stories from the patients of Arkansas Children’s.
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Arkansas Children's Hospital
General Information 501-364-1100
Arkansas Children's Northwest
General Information 479-725-6800
Spinal muscular atrophy is a congenital neuromuscular (involving the nerves and muscles) disease, affecting parts of the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. It is classified into four types with decreasing clinical severity and increasing age of onset.
Spinal muscular dystrophy is diagnosed with a blood test. The test looks for the presence of the SMN1 gene. The SMN1 gene is absent in 95% of those with the disease and mutated in the other 5%.
Treatments for this disease are ever-changing; however, one of the mainstays is performing a lumbar puncture with the injection of a medication called Spinraza. This is typically done every two weeks for the first four treatments and then spaced out to every four months for the rest of the patient's life.
A lumbar puncture is used to collect a sample of the fluid that surrounds the brain or spinal cord to make a diagnosis and treat conditions.