The symptoms and characteristics of juvenile Huntington’s disease.
What are the early signs of juvenile HD?
Although by definition juvenile HD begins at an early age, most children are able to walk and talk at a normal age before symptoms start to appear. The signs of juvenile HD are often subtle and difficult to distinguish from the normal “growing pains” that children experience. A major sign of onset is a continuing decline in school performance. Other indications include subtle changes in handwriting, difficulty learning new things, and small problems with movement. Some common movement problems include slowness, clumsiness, rigidity, tremor, and muscular twitching, or myoclonus. Parents often notice that their children fall more often and are less coordinated than they used to be.
Every case of juvenile HD is unique, and it is possible that individuals experience different symptoms depending on the age of onset and exact number of CAG repeats. However, many parents of children with HD have said that the most noticeable aspect of onset is change. Parents might notice personality changes, new problems with coordination, behavioral changes, new speech difficulties, and changes of pace in learning. For example, a child who was once very good at sports has become clumsy in recent months, or a previously well-behaved student is suddenly causing trouble at school. A mother of two children with HD described her perception of the changes within her family members:
“Following the diagnosis of HD in the first child, I began, of course, to observe the other family members very closely - ever vigilant for signs of HD. Some things, such as moodiness, speech problems, or hyperactivity could have been interpreted as early symptoms of HD. It became apparent that the clue seemed not to be the action itself, but rather, whether or not those things had always been present or if they represented a definite change.”
Last Modified: 6-9-04
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