Tay-Sachs disease is a condition that affects the nervous system of infants, toddlers and young children, usually up to the age of five years. The condition is an inherited, though rare disease that may cause a wide variety of impairments and even death.Tay-Sachs disease is caused by an enzyme deficiency that presents in a recessive gene. If only one parent carries the recessive gene, the child will not contract Tay-Sachs, though if both parents carry the gene, the child will have up to a 25% chance of acquring the disease.Research date shows that those of French Canadian or Ashkenazi (European) heritage are more likely to carry these recessive genes. Learning recognize symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease may help parents seek medical help and identify the condition through a blood test.
Instructions
1. Watch your child for developing symptoms at around six months of age. Until that point, children don't often exhibit any symptoms, which may include lack of development that may be observed as a lack of attention or attentiveness, or even alertness.
2. Pay attention to any signs of lack of muscle tone or weakness in your child's development. In infants, this may express as difficulty sitting up or rolling over. Toddlers may have difficulty holding objects, or walking and other physical movement that requires coordination.
3. Observe your child if he seems not to be responding to your voice or to normal everyday noises. Children suffering from Tay-Sachs disease may suffer a loss of hearing.
4. Pay attention to any signs that your child may be having difficulty seeing you or objects. Like hearing, the child may lose her eyesight in increments, which is difficult to determine in infants and very small toddlers.
5. Take note of a lack of bowel movements in your infant or toddler. This is a very common symtpom of Tay-Sachs disease that is caused by impairment of nerve impulses or supply to the colon, or large intestine.
6. Watch for any signs of seizures in your infant or toddler. This is also an indication that the brain or central nervous system is not functioning properly.
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