CMT Kids

Welcome to CMT Kids! We are a group of young people who all share a very significant part of our lives – having CMT. But we don’t let this stop us! Our aim is to help young individuals who suffer from CMT: whether you have just been diagnosed, are a long term sufferer, a parent/family member or even a sibling. We want to support and welcome others who share this disability to let them know they are not alone, and that ‘together we are stronger’.

So what is CMT?

CMT stands for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease – and before you ask, no there is nothing wrong with our teeth! The name comes from the surnames of the 3 doctors who first described CMT in 1886: Jean-Martin Charcot, Pierre Marie and Howard Tooth. CMT is a condition that damages the peripheral nerves. These nerves run from the spinal cord to the extremities, which are responsible for passing on commands from the brain to the muscles in the arms and legs, and also for passing information back to the brain about sensations, such as pain, heat, cold and touch. Because of this nerve damage, people who suffer from CMT may find that their muscles become progressively weaker over the years, especially in their hands and feet, and the sense of feeling can become numb in the same areas.