Jahnavi Sarma
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Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : June 28, 2019 5:45 PM IST
In the movie Pa, Amitabh Bachchan played a progeria patient. This condition leads to premature ageing. ©Shutterstock
When we talk about premature ageing, most of us immediately link it to our looks. We associate it with dull skin, fine lines and wrinkles, brown spots and also brittle nails. But these are all external indicators of an advancing age. There are certain diseases that actually accelerate the ageing process when a person is still very young. These are rare conditions and treatment options do not exist or are limited. These diseases also put a person at risk of all other age-related conditions and reduces life expectancy.
Some of these diseases have been grouped under what is called the Progeroid syndromes. Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome and Werner syndrome fall under this category. But we also have other conditions that cause premature ageing. Some of these are Down's syndrome, Cockayne syndrome, Bloom syndrome and Congenital generalised lipodystrophy among others.
If you have a loved one or know anyone who is living with any of these conditions, try to help him or her live better. Here, we help you help them.
This syndrome begins in early childhood. A genetic abnormality is responsible for the condition. It is not hereditary. Patients of this rare condition start ageing very fast and exhibits all the physical traits of old age. Inelastic and wrinkled skin, baldness, and other problems usually associated with ageing make an appearance. Internally, the patient develops the problems of ageing like osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and kidneys and heart ailments. The head is not proportionate to the body and looks bigger. There is no cure and most children succumb to the disease by the time they reach their teens.
How to help: First things first. Make sure that you, as a caregiver, do not make the person living with Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome feel alienated from his or her surroundings. Help him feel that he is normal, like others surrounding him. The difference in looks and other challenges that he faces shouldn't be a distinguishing factor that bogs him down. To help your loved one stay strong you need to be strong from inside. This will help build confidence and allow him to live at his best. Researchers are trying to find a cure and good news might be coming soon.
The physical symptoms of this condition are the same as in Hutchinson-Gilford syndrome. The only difference is that the onset of this disease is in adolescence or early adult life. Problems like cataracts, diabetes, osteoporosis and muscle loss also start adding to the problems of the patients. Patients show signs of rapid ageing after 20 and life span is usually 50 years.
How to help: There is,as yet, no cure for this kind of premature ageing. But, as a caregiver, you can make sure that the symptoms are under control. This can definitely increase your close one's life span and give slightly better control over her life. Small things can mean a lot in such cases. For example, a step like including vitamin C-rich foods in her diet can go a long way in help a person living with Werner syndrome.
According to Canadian researchers, vitamin C can stop and even reverse accelerated ageing caused by Werner's syndrome. According to them an individual with a mutation in the WRN gene or any gene affected by the WRN protein is at risk from age-related diseases. A defect in WRN causes Werner syndrome. They say that a diet rich in vitamin C can be the key to solving their problem. The study was published in the FASEB Journal.
This is a fairly common problem that causes premature ageing. It is more prevalent than the earlier two conditions discussed above and affects the central nervous system. Almost all patients exhibit an underdeveloped intellectual ability. Most children with this condition are at risk of developing Alzheimer disease at an early age. Glucose intolerance, blood vessel disorders, cancer, hair loss and degenerative bone diseases are common in Down syndrome. Life expectancy is around 60 years.
There is no cure yet for this condition but there is hope for one soon. According to a recent research at RutgersUniversity, targeting a key gene before birth could someday lead to a treatment for Down syndrome.This can be done by reversing abnormal embryonic brain development and improving cognitive function after birth. The results are published in Cell Stem Cell. In another research at Drexel University, researchers say that the thickness of the brains cerebral cortex could help to study the intellectual development of Down syndrome patients. The study has been published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
How to help:Most patients can lead a healthy life with proper medical care. As a family member, you can seek therapy for your child. Spend time with the patient and encourage him to mix with other children. Find out about his interests and help him to acquire a hobby. Give him chores and help him to be independent. This will go a long way in making sure that he has a happy and healthy life.
It is an inherited disorder that exhibits signs of premature ageing. Patients are extremely sensitive to the sun and exposure gives them a butterfly-shaped patch of reddened skin across the nose and cheeks and any other exposed part of the body. They also exhibit signs of hypopigmentation or hyperpigmentation on skin not exposed to the sun. Patients usually don't grow beyond 5 feet and have a shrill voice, small lower jaw and prominent nose and ears. Life expectancy is around 27 years.
They are more prone developing more than one kind of cancer. They display learning disabilities and have an increased risk of respiratory diseases, diabetes and a weak immune system. Patients are usually infertile, and women experience menopause at an earlier age. Victims of this condition are also prone to genomic instability. Since there are no treatment options as yet,you can use sunscreens and avoid going out in the sun to manage it to a certain extent.
How to help: As a caregiver, you can be supportive and make sure that your loved one receives prompt treatment for the symptoms. Keep the surrounding clean and sterile. This will reduce the frequency of illnesses due to infection. Plan healthy diets and be alert for any changes in symptoms. Seek prompt treatment if you notice any changes in health condition. Get a good doctor who is easily accessible.
This condition manifests in infancy and is characterised by a complete absence of body fat at birth or immediately after. Patients look muscular and have conspicuous superficial veins. They have big hands, feet and jaws. Another symptom is an enormous appetite and excessive sweating.
Patients with this condition often suffer from liver diseases like a fatty liver, liver cirrhosis and liver dysfunction and also suffer from an enlarged spleen, insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases. pancreatitis and fatty deposits in the muscles. It also affects intellectual disability. A skin condition that causes hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratosis make them look old. They live up to the age of around 27-30 years. Again, there is no cure and the only treatment option is to treats the symptoms.
How to help:If you have a family memberwho has Congenital generalised lipodystrophy, you must be supportive and alert. Plan a diet what is easy on the liver. Make sure he gets the required amount of nutrients from his diet. Contact your doctor immediately if he shows any signs of distress. Make sure that he takes his medicines on time.
This is a very rare disorder that starts at infancy and causes premature ageing. Patients are short in stature and have a small head. They are extremely sensitive to sunlight, suffer from hearing and vision loss, tooth decay and bone abnormalities. They also suffer from cold hands and feet. One issue that is unique to patients with this condition is that they show a fatal allergic reaction to an antibiotic called metronidazole. Life expectancy for this conditions is 10-20 years. As with the other conditions discussed above, no cure has been found yet for this disease yet.
How to help: Please make sure that your loved one does not venture out into the sunlight. Draw the shades in the house during the day to keep out sunlight. Try to keep your child engaged by reading to him or spending time with him. Remember that medications are important and, yes, maintain a hotline to the doctor for prompt treatment if required.
