Pathogenesis of Juvenile Huntington’s Disease
Introduction
Juvenile Huntington’s Disease is a less common genetic disorder of the Huntington disease (H.D.) category. The juvenile Huntington’s disease is characterized and separated from the other types of H.D. by its early onset that usually begins in childhood or adolescent. The condition causes the uncontrolled breakdown of cells in certain parts of the brain, causing different side effects that are noticeable. Juvenile Huntington’s Disease is characterized by uncontrolled movements, loss of intellectual abilities and increased emotional disturbances. Juvenile Huntington’s disease, in particular, is reserved for defining the appearance of H.D. symptoms before the age of 20. Cases of Juvenile Huntington’s disease account for about 5-10 % of all H.D. cases. The first noticeable characteristics of the disability are behavioral disturbances and learning difficulties at school. There are different subcategories associated with Juvenile Huntington’s Disease such as chorea, dystonia and dementia. However, these subcategories are associated with type 2 of Juvenile HD, which is common among young-onset of the disease. Type 2 Juvenile HD is also known as spinocerebellar ataxia. Other subcategories include chorea and myoclonic epilepsy. Juvenile Huntington’s Disease is a progressive disorder that is genetically inherited mostly from the father of the child with the disability. However, it can also be transmitted from the mother to the child in very rare circumstances. The transmission commonly occurs through inherent mutation repeat. This essay aims to discuss the impact of the disability on students in schools, and especially on medical students. Additionally, this article will discuss some of the modifications that are necessary for schools to enable the learning and engagement of people with such disabilities in school activities such as P.E. and physical education.
Impact of Juvenile Huntington’s Disease on Students in school
One of the areas in child development that is most impacted by the disability is the child or adolescent’s education. According to a report by Martha Nance, Debra Lovecky and Karen Tarapata (2006), for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, diagnosis of Juvenile HD does not prevent a student from having a successful educational experience. However, the authors also argue that Juvenile HD dramatically impacts a student’s learning experience and such students require a wide range of assistance to excel in their education. Juvenile HD affects three main areas of an infected students body system that are very crucial to their education. These areas include movement, cognition and emotions. Juvenile HD impacts movement by causing movement disorder is students such as abnormal balance, rigidity and spasticity, as well as loss of muscle control. Additionally, Juvenile HD also impacts students in school by affecting their movement and motor skills (Martha Nance, 20016). Juvenile HD may impact movement skills in young student patients such as their waking and writing skills. Juvenile HD also impacts students n schools by affecting their cognitive ability and their ability to learn as effectively as other students. However, to better understand the impact of Juvenile HD on students in schools, it is essential to discuss distinctively, how the disability impacts each of the different areas of students’ development such as that this paragraph has highlighted.
Impacts of Juvenile Huntington’s disease on students in schools are in various form. One of the areas of student’s development that Juvenile HD impacts are student’s fitness. Juvenile HD impacts student’s fitness by causing uncontrolled and difficulty in movement among students with the conditions. According to an article by Clipper (2018), Juvenile HD affects student’s fitness by causing uncontrolled movements which may begin with fingers, and feet. According to the author, such difficulty in movement usually are signs of a sub-condition known as chorea. Such difficulty in movement intensify over time and when the students gets anxious or distracted. Other areas of fitness that the condition impacts in students include causing clumsiness and problems with body balance. Juvenile Huntington’s Disease also impacts student’s fitness by impacting their physical movement, such as influencing their ability to walk and increasing their likeliness to fall. In other students, Juvenile HD affects their fitness by causing rigidity, a condition where they become rigid and still, with minimal movement. However, a student who experiences stiffness does not experience chorea at all.
References
Clipper, S. E. (2018). Huntington’s Disease: Hope Through Research. The Institutes.
Martha Nance, D. L. (20016). Juvenile Huntington’s Disease and the school Experience. Huntington’s Disease Society of America, 10-15.