Spinal muscular atrophy is a genetic disease from which patients cannot fully recover, but the progression of the disease can be slowed through rehabilitation. The prognosis varies according to the type of disease. Spinal muscular atrophy is categorized into Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV according to the severity of the disease. The common feature of the symptoms is symmetrical progressive aggravation of limb weakness, mainly proximal, flaccid paralysis and muscle atrophy, sometimes accompanied by respiratory symptoms, while intellectual development and sensation are normal. Type I patients have severe disease and poor prognosis, with a life expectancy of ≤2 years, and a few patients may survive longer; 70% of type II patients may survive to 25 years; and type III and IV patients may have a life expectancy close to normal. Patients need to go through a joint consultation with neurologists and rehabilitation physicians and instruct their families to do rehabilitation training together for the patients, which can help stabilize the condition and functional recovery, slow down the progression of the disease and improve the survival rate of the patients.