Tay Sachs Disease

Tay Sachs Disease

What is it?It is a life-threatening disease of the nervous system passed down through families

Tay Sachs Disease

Symtoms>deafness>demantia>irritability>listlessness>seizures>slowgrowth>decrease eye contact,blindness>decrease muscle tone>delayed mental ' social skills>increased startle reaction>loss of motor skills>paralysis or loss of muscle function

ExpectationsChildren usually die by the age of 4 or 5.

causes>Occurs when the boddy lacks hexosaminidase A, a protien that helps break down a chemical found in nerve tissue called gangliosides. Caused by a defective gene on chromosome 15. A child has a 25% of developing the disease. The child must recieve two copies of the defective genes in order to get sick. The child is called a carrier, if he/she is not sick they might be able to pass it to thier own children. Symtoms usually appear when the child is 3 to 6 months old. It tends to get worse very quickly, and the child usually dies by the age 4 or 5.

Complications > Symptoms appear during the first 3 to 10 months of life and progress to spasticitly, seizures, and loss of all voluntary movements.

There is no treatment for tay sachs disease only ways to make the patient more comfortable.