An Educational Handout for Patients

By Julianna Blischak

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Also called Lou Gehrigs disease, ALS is a
disease that affects the nerve cells of the
brain and spinal chord. There are 2 types:

Sporadic: 90%-95% of cases

Familial: inherited

Cause
The cause is currently unknown. For some reason, military
veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms vary from case to case but
can include:
Muscle weakness
Clumsiness
Fatigue of the arms and legs
Slurred speech
Muscle cramps or twitches
Uncontrolled laughing or crying
Eventual paralysis
Premature death

Treatment
There is the only one FDA approved
medication currently on the market:
Riluzole (Rilutek). It can slow the
progression of the disease.

Medical Nutrition Therapy

Involves collaboration of speech therapist and registered dietician

Risk of malnutrition is increased due to declining ability

to prepare meals and feed oneself
Numerous small meals may be preferred, meals times will
be extended
Energy requirements must be calculated and adjusted
based on state of mobility
Foods may need to blenderized based on chewing and
swallowing abilities
Liquids may need to be thickened
Special self-feeding devices, such as utensils with straps,
may be needed
May need help of caregiver to feed
Tube feeding device (PEG tube) can be inserted for extra
support as the disease progresses

A treatment team typically consists of a

physician, speech therapist, physical

therapist, occupational therapist, and a Examples of soft foods: applesauce, mashed potatoes, pudding, yogurt,
registered dietician.
oatmeal, cooked/canned fruits and vegetables, etc.

Diagnosis
ALS is not easy to diagnose. Diagnosis often consists of ruling out diseases that behave similarly to ALS.
Many different tests can be performed to do this: electrodiagnostic tests, blood and urine studies, spinal
taps, X-rays, MRIs, myelograms of cervical spine, muscle/nerve biopsies, and neurological examinations.
About 5,600 Americans are diagnosed each year.

For more information on ALS visit alsa.org