Prader-Willi Syndrome - A Disordered Eating Behavior
What Are Chromosome Disorders And Genetic Symdromes?

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) results in disordered eating behavior caused by genetic symdromes or abnormalities in the form of chromosome deletion. These symptoms can be confused with an eating disorder, such as compulsive overeating.

When chromosome deletion occurs, there's obviously a risk for rare developmental (or other) symptoms to surface.

In Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS), there are seven genes on chromosome 15 that have been deleted or are malfunctioning.

How much do you remember from your Biology classes in school? :) If you're anything like me, you can't recall too much, so here's a quick lesson... in super basic terms, I should add!

In order for a baby to develop and grow normally, genes from both the father and mother come together to form the child's genetic imprint.

With PWS, the father's chromosome 15 is missing entirely, leaving the child with only one chromosome 15 (from the mother).

In some cases, the child may have two chromosome 15's, both of which come from the mother. However, if it's the mother's chromosome that is missing, along with a paternally imprinted gene, then that condition is referred to as Angelman Syndrome.

Prader-Willi Syndrome - What Is The Disordered Eating Component?

While Prader-Willi Syndrome has a disordered eating component in the way of excessive appetite (hyperphagia), it is not usually associated with binge eating episodes, and certainly not with vomiting, as in bulimia.

Affected people consume extremely large amounts of food, but unlike someone who is bulimic, the individual lacks the sense of loss of control that typifies a person struggling with a diagnosable eating disorder.

This insatiable appetite can lead to morbid obesity and it is wise not to leave someone (especially a child) with PWS unsupervised.

Food must be kept out of reach because the sufferer is unable to control the constant urge to eat. This is the one factor that makes PWS a potentially life-threatening condition.

Failure To Thrive And Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi Syndrome is described as a two-stage genetic disorder, and "failure to thrive" refers to the first of these stages. Due to weak muscles and bad muscle tone, newborns are unusually weak and have a poor sucking reflex, thus creating the failure to thrive symptom.

As the child get older -- usually between the ages of 1 and 6 -- the disorder changes to one of constant hunger and looking for food. Their brains are telling them that they are starving. Due to the low muscle mass of these children, they tend to burn fewer calories and therefore can gain weight quite quickly.

Children with PWS are generally very loving and kind, but there are also symptoms of learning disabilities, behavioral and socialization issues, and some very unique medical problems.

Additional Symptoms Of Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS)

It's important to note that not all symptoms will occur in everyone affected by PWS, and the symptoms listed below could range from mild to severe in any given person:

• Behavioral problems - temper tantrums
• Difficulties adapting to change
• Learning disabilities or cognitive disorders
• Repetitive thoughts and actions
• Low sex hormone levels
• Skin picking

Although there is no cure, treatments for Prader-Willi Syndrome include hormone therapy, speech therapy and exercise regimens. With early intervention, the conditions can be managed fairly well.

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