Tay-Sachs+disease

__ Tay-Sachs disease __

__ What is Tay-Sachs Disease? __ Tay-Sachs Disease is genetic disorder. It’s caused when a baby is born without an important enzyme called Hexosaminidase. The enzyme helps break down the fatty protein in the brain. Without this, the baby’s sight, hearing, movement, and mental development is damaged. Tay-Sachs Disease can be identified in the first two years of life. The baby develops normally in the first 3 to 6 months of life.

__ Here are some pictures of kids with Tay-Sachs disease __

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What are some s ymptoms of Tay-Sachs Disease? __
 * Seizures
 * Noticeable behavior changes, such as the infant stops smiling, crawling or rolling over and loses the ability to grasp or reach out
 * Decreased eye contact
 * Increasing irritability
 * Slow body growth with increasing head size
 * Delayed mental and social skills
 * Feeding difficulties
 * Abnormal body tone
 * Blindness
 * Deafness
 * Loss of intellectual skills

__ Can Tay-Sachs Disease be cured? __

Currently, there is no cure or effective treatment for Tay-Sachs Disease. Gene therapy research may eventually lead to a cure or treatment to slow the progression of Tay-Sachs disease.


 * __How Can You Get Diagnosed With Tay-Sachs Disease? __**

· ** Blood test ** A blood test can measure hexosaminidase activity. The biological parents may also have their blood tested to determine if they have the genetic trait of Tay-Sachs.

__ Who Is at Risk for Tay-Sachs? __

Ashkenazi Jews are at the highest risk. It is now also prevalent in non-Jewish populations, including people of French-Canadian/Cajun heritage. A child can only get Tay-Sachs Disease if both the parents are carriers of the disease. When two carriers have a child together, there's a:
 * 50% chance that their child will be a carrier, but not have the disease
 * 25% chance that their child will not be a carrier and not have the disease
 * 25% chance that their child will have the disease

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