A congenital muscular dystrophy characterized by intrasarcoplasmic aggregates of desmin resulting in spinal rigidity, abnormal posture (limitation of neck and trunk flexure), progressive scoliosis of the spine, early marked cervico-axial muscle weakness with relatively preserved strength and function of the extremities and progressive respiratory insufficiency that has_material_basis_in homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation in the SEPN1 gene on chromosome 1p36.