Dr. Varina Louise Boerwinkle M.D.

What is dysarthria?Dysarthria is a speech disorder that is caused by weak, paralyzed, or damaged oral muscles. Those who have dysarthria usually have trouble speaking along with poor articulation, poor phonation, and poor respiration. Others may also have a hard time understanding people who have...

Meningitis occurs when the meninges, the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, get inflamed or irritated. Meningitis is an outcome of certain bacteria or viruses entering the body when our immune system is weak.These bacteria and viruses live in the nose, throat, or the...

What is Reye’s syndrome?Reye's syndrome is a rare but serious condition that can cause swelling of the liver and brain. Even though this condition can occur at any age, it is mostly reported to affect children and teenagers, especially those who are trying to recover from viral infections, such as...

Seven-year-old Ali Simms from Teen Mom 2 suffers from a rare form of muscular dystrophy, a condition which causes problems with movement, and usually heart and respiratory issues as the disease progresses. Ali was rushed to the hospital in August after struggling to breathe, worrying her family and...

There is a group of diseases which fall into the ‘neuromuscular disorders’ category and that are characterized by symptoms which, either directly or indirectly, impair the functioning of the muscles. The direct effect would be via the pathology of the voluntary muscle itself, while the indirect...

Josh Banes is a young man from Louisiana with muscular dystrophy. At just 10 years old, a special dream came true for him right outside of the Bossier City, LA Police Department.Josh is fascinated by canine law enforcement. He loves canine officers and their dogs and read books about their...