What is Progeria? Causes, symptoms and treatment of condition
PROGERIA is a rare medical condition that affects children and is often referred to as Benjamin Button disease.
The condition is extremely rare with fewer than 1,000 cases reported per year.
What is Progeria?
, otherwise known as Progeria or HGPS, is a rare and fatal genetic condition.
The disease is known to cause , causing a shorter life span.
Children diagnosed often have an average life expectancy of about 13 years.
Another type of Progeria is which does not manifest itself until the late teen years, and causes those diagnosed to have a life expectancy into their 40’s and 50’s.
Worldwide, around 1 in every 4 million babies will be born with the condition.
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What causes Progeria and what are the symptoms?
Progeria is caused due to a lamin A (LMNA) gene mutation.
The most common symptoms of Progeria include:
- Slowed growth
- Visible veins
- Narrowed face or small lower jaw
- Head disproportionately large for the face
- Hair loss
- Thinning or wrinkled skin
states: “Children with Progeria begin to display many characteristics of accelerated aging within the first two years of life.
“Progeria signs include growth failure, loss of body fat and hair, aged-looking skin, stiffness of joints, hip dislocation, generalized atherosclerosis, cardiovascular (heart) disease and stroke.
“The children have a remarkably similar appearance, despite differing ethnic backgrounds. Children with Progeria die of atherosclerosis (heart disease) at an average age of fourteen years.”
Despite their physical complications, it is thought they retain all their mental faculties unlike some elderly people, who can develop dementia and associated conditions as they age.
Progeria does not affect the reproductive organs, and there have been cases of women with the condition giving birth to healthy babies.
Is there a cure?
At this time, there is no cure for Progeria.
While there is no cure for the condition itself, there are treatments for the associated complications, such as coronary bypass surgery.
Children will also often receive occupational and physical therapy to help.
Who was YouTuber Adalia Rose?
Born December 10, 2006, , who lived with her mom Natalia, stepfather Ryan, and three younger brothers.
When she was a baby, she was also diagnosed with Progeria.
Adalia was famously known for her channel where she often posted videos about her life as well as makeup and cooking tutorials with her family.
Over the years, she has been able to gain over 2.91million subscribers.
It was at the age of 15.
In a Facebook post, the family wrote: "January 12, 2022, at 7pm Adalia Rose Williams was set free from this world. She came into it quietly and left quietly, but her life was far from it.
"She touched MILLIONS of people and left the biggest imprint in everyone that knew her. She is no longer in pain and is now dancing away to all the music she loves.
"I really wish this wasn’t our reality but unfortunately it is. We want to say thank you to everyone that loved and supported her.
"Thank you to all her doctors and nurses that worked for YEARS to keep her healthy. The family would now like to mourn this huge loss in private."