syndromes in Failon Ngayon

I’m an avid fan of Ted Failon ever since, a very outspoken broadcaster. Not afraid of anyone even influential people. I kept track of him when his wife died. I didn’t believe the accusations of the Quezon City policemen, I even got angry when he was arrested.

Now that he has a new show, I’ve been watching Failon Ngayon every Saturday after FPJ Cinema. I enjoy each episode especially when he flies a kiss from his heart. I’ve been teaching my kids of that (hehehehe).

One more thing I like about his show is the episode where he gives presents and gift for the special needy. I’ve learned about Tourette Syndrome (featured in MMK starred Gerarld Anderson) and Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome. I’ll share some information about this two syndromes.

Tourette Syndrome

Is named for the French doctor Georges Gilles de la Tourette, who first described the condition in 1885. It is thought that in most cases it is a genetic condition that's inherited, or passed on from parent to child.

It occurs when there's a problem with how nerves communicate in the brain. A disturbance in the balance of neurotransmitters — chemicals in the brain that carry nerve signals from cell to cell — may play a role in this. Tourette syndrome is not contagious.

Symptoms of Tourette syndrome usually emerge in childhood or in the teenage years. This isn't common — only one person in every 1,000 to 2,000 people has the condition.

Signs and Symptoms

The main symptoms of TS are motor tics (sudden, apparently uncontrollable movements like exaggerated blinking of the eyes) or vocal tics (such as when a person repeatedly clears his or her throat).

Treatment

No cure for TS. It is not a psychological condition, but doctors sometimes refer kids and teens with TS to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Seeing a therapist won't stop tics, but it can help kids and teens to talk to someone about their problems, cope with stress better, and learn relaxation techniques.

Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome

Is an inheritable disorder that affects how the body builds and breaks down purines. Purines are a normal part of human tissue and help make up the body's genetic blueprint. They are also found in many different foods.

Causes

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is inherited as an X-linked trait. It mostly occurs in boys. Persons with this syndrome are missing or are severely lacking an enzyme called hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HGP). The body needs this enzyme to recycle purines. Without it, abnormally high levels of uris acid build up in the body.

Symptoms

The excess uric acid levels cause children to develop gout-like swelling in some of their joints. In some cases, kidney and bladder stones develop because of the high uric acid levels.

Males with Lesch-Nyhan have delayed motor development followed by bizarre, sinuous movements and increased deep tendon reflexes. A striking feature of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome is self-destructive behavior characterized by chewing off fingertips and lips, if not restrained. It is unknown how the enzyme deficiency causes these problems.

Treatment

No specific treatment exists for Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. The gout medication, allopurinol, successfully decreases uric acid levels, but does not improve the neurological outcome.

source: http://kidshealth.org