Introduction
Birth defects around the world can be terrifying. It is important to the child and the family to be knowledgeable about possible defects. Birth defects can be either dominant or recessive patterns, and can vary child to child. In dominant-recessive inheritance, if we know the genetic make-up of the parents, we can predict the percentage of children in a family who are likely to display or carry a trait. Only rarely, are serious diseases due to dominant alleles. Defects your child are born with should be taken seriously and treated with proper care. Birth defects can be very mild or serious, and vary from being common or rare. Some diseases, such as Huntington disease, are not found until later on in life because symptoms do not appear until age thirty five or older.
Birth Defects
Explanation
Since not all birth defects are rare, we should make sure to have as much knowledge on the topic as possible. Parents of children who are effected with birth defects face many trials tribulations. Parents must focus on their child’s illness, which many, last a life time. Many parents become advocates and spend time funding, and researching, and try to make a difference or in some cases, find a cure. The family may have to change homes, so have a more accessible environment for their child. They must spend money and communicate with caregivers, and trust these people to have their child’s very best interest at heart.
Examples of dominant-recessive diseases are as following:
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Huntington disease- Central nervous system degeneration leads to muscular coordination difficulties, mental deterioration, and personality changes. Symptoms usually do not appear until age thirty five or later. It is a dominant trait, and occurs in 1 in 5,000-10,000 births. No known cure, death occurs 10 to 20 years after symptoms onset.
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Cystic fibrosis- Lungs, liver, and pancreas secrete large amounts of thick mucus, leading to breathing and digestive difficulties. It is a recessive trait, and occurs in 1 in 2,000 to 2,500 Caucasian births; 1 in 16,000 births to North Americans of African descent. Treatment includes Bronchial drainage, prompt treatment of respiratory infection, dietary management. Advances in medical care allow survival with good life quality into adulthood.
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Sickle cell anemia- Abnormal sickling of red blood cells causes oxygen deprivation, pain, swelling, and tissue damage. Anemia and susceptibility to infections, especially pneumonia, occur. It is a recessive trait, and occurs in 1 in 500 births to North Americans of African descent. Treatment includes blood transfusions, painkillers, prompt treatment of infection. No known cure; 50 percent die by age 55.
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Marfan syndrome- Tall, slender build: thin, elongated arms and legs; and heart defects and eye abnormalities, especially of the lens. Excessive lengthening of the body results in a variety of skeletal defects. It is a dominant trait, and occurs in 1 to 5,000 to 10,000births. Treatment is correction of heart and eye defects, death from heart failure in early adulthood is common.
Cooley’s anemia- Pale appearance, delayed physical growth, and lethargic behavior begin in infancy. It is a recessive trait, occurs in 1 to 500 births to parents of Mediterranean descent. Treatment consists of frequent blood transfusions; death from complications usually occurs by adolescence.
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Berk, L. E., & Meyers, A. B. (2016). Infants, Children, and adolescents (8th ed.). Pearson.
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Learning Activities
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I chose to include a video because, I feel as if it is easier to be informed and to learn when there are visuals. There are so many different types of birth defects, and with a video, you can put a picture to the word and keeps us from getting confused.
Informational Resources
This brochure includes information and facts that can be beneficial to preventing birth defects before planning a pregnancy. Being healthy can make a huge difference through the duration of carrying a child.
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Provided is as educational resource which includes facts, support, data, stats, real stories, and etc. It helps to have other people who are living similiar lifestyles.
Citations
Louisiana Birth Defects Monitoring Network | Department of Health | State of Louisiana. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2016, from http://dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/page/771
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Finding Support. (2016). Retrieved October 28, 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/families-support.html
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Berk, L. E., & Meyers, A. B. (2016). Infants, Children, and adolescents (8th ed.). Pearson.