What Is Progeria?

Progeria is a very rare genetic disease among young children that let them grow old quickly. Children with progeria are healthy at birth, but as they grow older, the symptoms begin to show, especially in the first and second years of their life.

Most children with progeria die before the age of 13 to 14. At the same time, some live till their early 20s before they eventually die of stroke, heart disease, and other related diseases resulting from progeria.

After years of research, there is clear evidence that progeria affects one in 20 million children across the globe. According to Progeria Research Foundation, over 400 children are living with progeria in the world.

Progeria affects both male and female children, and it is common among the rich and the poor, although progeria is not common in one race than the rest because they affect all races.

Risk Factors

Over the years, several pieces of research about progeria, especially the risk factor, have commenced, but there’s no success in discovering the risk factor of progeria.

So there is no risk factor for progeria since it does not spread through contact or passed down in families. In other words, it is not a communicable disease.

Symptoms of Progeria

There is no symptom immediately after a baby is born, but as the baby grows older, especially in the first year, there will be physical development of these symptoms.

• A high-pitched voice
• Slow height and weight growth
• A bigger head
• Hair loss, including eyelashes and eyebrows
• Large eyes, which they can’t close all the way
• A thin nose with a “beaked” tip
• Ears that stick out
• Abnormal and Visible Veins
• Slow and abnormal tooth growth
• A small lower jaw
• Loss of body fat and muscle
• Thin, wrinkled skin that shows spots
• Skeletal abnormalities and fragile bones
• Stiff joints
• Hip dislocation
• Insulin resistance.

Causes of Progeria

The major cause of progeria is a mutation in the lamin A which is also known as the LMNA gene. This gene makes a protein that combines the center of a cell. As a result of this, the body begins to grow abnormally and form abnormal lamin A which is known as progerin, a little which aging.

Diagnosis of Progeria

Doctors and other health practitioners can observe progeria in a child by observing the symptoms and signs of progeria when the child is about 6 to 18 months old.

The common symptoms and major sign of progeria is aging skincare, lost of hair and more.

If you notice any contradictory change in your child or any of the symptoms of progeria, then you need to make a quick appointment with your doctor. Your doctor will carry out all the necessary physical exams, including vision test, hearing test, blood pressure test, and other necessary and important tests that are needed to be done. Your doctor can also compare your child’s weight and height to another child of the same age.

There is a special test that is called HGPS, which is available in the hospital and the most effective test to detect progeria in any child.

The HGPS show clearly if your child is living with progeria or not, and immediately progeria is discovered, the treatment must begin immediately so that it will limit the effect and chances of survival of the child. According to the record, the rate of survival is very low.

How to Treat Progeria

Progeria is a treatable disease. That is why it must be handled immediately after it was discovered by your doctor. Quick medical attention is required to reduce the pain induced by this ill health and also increase the chances of surviving progeria.

Although researchers are working to find one currently, sadly, there is no cure for progeria. However, there are several clinical trials, especially cancer-related drugs, that are currently being used to slow the spread of the disease. Although it can’t cure it, it can only reduce the effect and slow the spread FTIs (farnesyltransferase inhibitors) are one of the trial drugs.

It is very important to consult a doctor and carry out the necessary medical treatment immediately after the disease is discovered in your child. This will reduce the effect and lower the spread and symptoms of progeria.

Your doctor may prescribe or put your child on medications that will change his or her diet because a child with progeria must not eat any food with high cholesterol to prevent other diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, blood clots, and other diseases that come with fast or processed foods.

Aspirin is one of the most effective and popular drugs that can be used to prevent these diseases like heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and more. Aside from that, it helps to add more weight because a child that is living with progeria will lose weight.

The FDA has approved lonafarnib (Zokinvy), one of the most effective drugs that prevent the buildup of defective progerin, which affects the heart.

Therapy

Both occupational and physical therapy can also help to reduce the effect of progeria in your child because it helps to keep the joint moving and hips because this part of the body will be affected.

Surgery

Surgery is also one of the fastest and most effective methods of treating progeria. Although younger children of 5 years below are not advised to undergo surgery, those who are older than 5 years of age can undergo surgery like coronary bypass surgery or angioplasty to slow down the effect and development of progeria.

If your child is living with progeria, he or she may likely get dehydrated quickly. That is why they need water, especially when the weather is hot. Make sure you don’t overfeed them because they only need a little meal.

Make sure you dress properly for them, especially those dresses that will make them more comfortable don’t try to wear a cushioned shoes or dresses. They need simple wear, and always encourage them to play around and be active always.

Sun Screen

Sunscreen is also important for any child that is living with progeria because it will help to protect their skin and another part of the body that is needed to recover.

In Conclusion

Progeria is a treatable disease. Although it does not have a cure currently, researchers are working on an effective supplement that can treat progeria completely. But some simple treatments can be done to reduce the effect and also lower the spread of the disease in the body.

Progeria is a popular disease among children; although most of the children that are currently living with progeria are healthy at birth, as they begin to grow, progeria symptoms begin to develop in their bodies.

Progeria is a rare genetic disease that affects children between the age of 1 to 5 years old who is making them grow older rapidly. Most of these children are healthy at birth, but as they grow older, progeria symptoms begin to develop in their bodies. So their face looks older they begin to lose hair and all the symptoms of progeria including.

• Skeletal abnormalities and fragile bones
• Stiff joints
• Short height
• Lower weight
• Bigger head
• Weight lost
• Hip dislocation
• Insulin resistance and more.

Eating healthy foods regularly and daily exercise can reduce the effects of progeria and also slow the spread of the disease. If the child that is living with progeria is older than 5 years of age, then he or she can have cardiac surgery so that it will slow the progression of the disease, including the symptoms of progeria like heart disease and more.

A child that is living with progeria should avoid eating fast food, processed food, and food that comes with higher calories, cholesterol, and other unhealthy foods because consumption of food with higher calories and cholesterol will increase the effect of progeria and also cause additional diseases.

You can also make use of sunscreen because it is very important to protect their skin and also make use of panda shoes that will help to minimize the discomfort that is caused by lack of padding.