Little Mix Singer Jesy Nelson Shares Rare Health Update About 8-Month-Old Daughters, Feeding Tube Clip Goes Viral: What Is Muscular Disease?

On January 4, former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson took to Instagram to reveal that her twins have been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, which is a genetic neuromuscular condition that can affect the muscles.

Little Mix Singer Jesy Nelson: After a complicated pregnancy, former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson announced the birth of her twin daughters at 31 weeks in May 2025. Now, about eight months later, she took to Instagram to share a rare health update about her twins, whom they have named Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, with fianc , Zion Foster. On January 4, the 34-year-old singer took to Instagram to reveal that her twins have been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1 or Werdnig-Hoffman disease, which is a genetic neuromuscular condition that can affect the muscles.

Jesy Nelson's Mother First Noticed Trouble In The Twins

In the video, Jesy said, "If it's not treated in time, your baby's life expectancy will not make it past the age of two." She further revealed that it was her mother who first noticed trouble in the twins after they were born. "A few months ago, my mum noticed that the girls were not showing as much movement in their legs as they should be," the Little Mix singer said. "[It] wasn't really a concern to me at the time because from the minute I left the NICU, I was told, 'Your babies are premature, so do not compare your babies to other babies. They won't reach the same milestones. Take them as they are.'"

According to the singer, after they brought the twins back home from the hospital, they started noticing little signs which became the hallmark of their muscular disease. "They were struggling to feed properly. It was getting gradually less and less and less. Long story short, after the most grueling three [or] four months and endless appointments, the girls have now been diagnosed with a severe muscle disease called SMA Type 1," she explained. "Type 1 is the most severe type that a baby can get. It stands for spinal muscular atrophy, which can affect every muscle in the body down to legs, arms, breathing, swallowing and over time it kills the muscles in the body."

Jeny added, "They'll probably never regain any strength, so they will be disabled. The best thing we can do right now is get them treatment and just hope for the best. I'm so grateful because if they don't have it, they will die. It has just been endless, endless amounts of hospital appointments. I practically feel like the hospital has become my second home."

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What Is Muscular Disease?

Both spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and muscular dystrophies are groups of genetic diseases in which muscles become weak. The US' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that over time, this condition can cause muscle weakness, which can result in decreased mobility, making everyday tasks difficult. This genetic disorder can affect people of all ages and ethnic groups, but Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy typically affects young boys. Adults with a history of muscular dystrophy can also pass down the disease to their children.

Explaining spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the Healthsite states, "SMA is inherited, which means that it's passed down to you from your parents. About 95% of people with SMA have a deletion in the SMN1 gene, which encodes the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein."