Is there a cure for Cri du Chat?

Every one in 50,000 babies is having Cri du chat syndrome. And the chance for normal chromosome couple to have a child with Cri du chat syndrome is only 1%. But if one of parents has Chromosome 5, the risk is higher for their baby to have Cri du chat syndrome abnormalities. A simple examination of amniotic fluid during the pregnancy determines the weather the child may have Cri du chat syndrome or not.

Cri du chat syndrome is a rare genetic disorder and it attached to a missing part on a specific chromosomes: Chromosomes like Chromosome 5 or some other material chromosome. There are different names for this condition, names such as Le Jeune’s syndrome, cat-cry syndrome or 5P minus syndrome.

To remind, chromosomes include inherited characteristics of a person, with Cri du chat syndrome, some genes from Chromosome 5 are simply absent and no one knows why. Children with this syndrome have a postpone development and some level of intellectual disability. There are only treatments that can help out for this condition but there is no cure. The treatments include physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy.

Cri du chat syndrome is established with birth. And newborn syndromes are folds of skin above eyelids, too around face, too small chin, ear malformations too small infant from birth, cat like cry, too little head, wide spaced eyes, too wide nose bridge, too small head or too narrow, abnormal palate.

Cri du chat syndrome include health difficulties such as constipation, hearing loss, eye problems, often infections (ear, upper respiratory tract), undeveloped muscle tone, swallowing or suckling difficulties and gastric reflux. Also the problems with heart and kidney, hernias skeleton defects on a spine.

Severity Level

The severity of condition is variable. Some children might not be that affected with syndrome, and yet still need speech therapy and some children are pretty affected with a great deal of intellectual disability. The extremes may be great and it is not possible to predict if the child with Cridu chat syndrome will have extreme intellectual disability or simple mild disability with certain health problems.

Treatment Alternatives

Treatment of Cri du chat syndrome include stimulants with speech therapy, collecting information, often counseling, physiotherapy for muscle tone: if speech ability is delayed, it is good for parents to use sign language alternative, occupational therapy, support parents service, support groups etc...

What is important to remember for parents with Cri du chat syndrome that syndrome is not their fault and that their child needs treatment and extra help so that can reach a full potential in life.