A great majority of people with neuromuscular diseases like muscular dystrophy, ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, myasthenia gravis and post-poliomyelitis continue to be told that they have "terminal illnesses" and are not offered management options that can spare them of cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. This book is unique in offering viable management alternatives that result in a patients prolonged survival and enhanced quality of life. Unique because it offers descriptions of how to eliminate the respiratory or cardiac causes of complications and death for neuromuscular diseases. Emphasizes the home care/management of severe disabled individuals with neuromuscular disorders and those who require ventilator use. Describes inexpensive methods of clearing airway secretions and preventing episodes of respiratory failure that would otherwise necessitate hospitalizations and expensive, invasive interventions like tracheotomy or result in the patient's death. Important in the third world where this could prevent many deaths.