What age does dystonia start?
In most cases, dystonia begins in adult life, and is more likely to first appear in those over 40, and increasing with age. In the vast majority of these cases, the dystonia remains ‘focal’ (affecting one muscle group), or occasionally spreads to an adjacent muscle group. A small proportion of cases of dystonia begin in childhood or adolescence. There are estimated to be around 2,000 children (under age 16) with dystonia, either ‘primary’ dystonia, or secondary to another condition.
