Cri Du Chat Other Names ~Chromosome 5p deletion syndrome ~5p minus syndrome ~Cat cry syndrome

Who can get this disorder and how common is it? ~Any one can get this disorder. ~It is found equally throughout all people. ~ This syndrome is found in one 1 out of every 50,000 people. ~1% of mentally retarded people are people with this disease.

What is Cri Du Chat? ~The syndrome affects many parts of the body on the inside and on the outside ~The Respiratory System is often affected making it hard to breath ~People with Cri Du Chat have a smaller head and jaw ~ They also have downward slanted eyes that are far apart ~Their ears are very low on their head and often have a skin tab over the top ~When the baby is born it is very small and grows slowly Symptoms ~Cry that is high-pitched and sounds like a cat ~Mental retardation ~Slow or incomplete development of motor skills

Is this disorder deadly and can you be tested for it? ~This disorder is not deadly but the person will have mental problems and physical limitations. ~People with this disorder will live normal lives, not shortened by the disease. ~A person can be tested for this even before they are born, but most babies are diagnosed right after birth. ~To diagnose this syndrome doctors look at a karyotype at the 5 th chromosome. If the baby has this syndrome it will be missing a large part of this chromosome.

Is there treatment? Are there support groups? ~There is no current treatment or cure. ~With lots of care a person with this disease can live a happy full life. But they will need help there whole life because of there physical and mental disabilities. ~Yes there are many support groups for this syndrome. ~Here are a few:

Other Facts ~The child usually gets this from a mutation in the DNA of the fathers sperm. ~The 5 th chromosome is the only one affected, but most of the chromosome is missing. ~When the baby cries it sounds like a kitten. ~Sometimes a person with this syndrome has a single large crease in there hand instead of three normal creases. ~The sound of a baby with cri du chat crying.

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