Familial Dysautonomia: the leader in FD treatment and research
A Condition most people
have never heard of.
What is Familial Dysautonomia?
Do I have FD?
Many people who contact the Familial Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc. are concerned about their risk of being affected by Familial Dysautonomia.
Diagnosing FD
Physicians use physical examinations, personal and family medical history, genetic testing, and laboratory test results in order to diagnose genetic disorders. Learn more about diagnosing genetic disorders here.
Most people with FD experience signs and symptoms from birth. Some features that may appear in FD-affected infants or young children are:
- Inability to suck or swallow
- Poor growth
- Insensitivity to pain
- Unstable body temperature and pain
- Frequent lung infections
- Delayed developmental milestones
Since FD is a degenerative disorder, symptoms of FD usually become more severe as FD-affected individuals enter adulthood.
Carrier Screening
We advocate genetic screening for all people to determine if you are a potential carrier of a genetic disorder. If you are concerned that you are a possible carrier of FD, we especially encourage genetic screening.
Because the FD gene is passed down in a recessive manner, most people carrying the FD gene do not know it.
All patients with FD have one or two copies of a single splicing mutation; over 99% of cases of FD in the Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population have two copies of this splicing mutation.
Additionally, researchers have recently diagnosed cases of FD in patients with no known Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.
For more information and to obtain genetic screening, please visit the Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium, as well as jscreen.org
Disclaimer: The FD Foundation does not offer medical advice. We always recommend that you contact the Dysautonomia Center (link) or your personal physician.
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Website Disclaimer
The information provided in the Dysautonomia Foundation web site is intended to educate the reader about certain medical conditions and certain possible treatments. It is not a substitute for examination, diagnosis, and medical care provided by a licensed and qualified health professional. If you believe you, or your child, or someone you know, suffer from the conditions described herein, please see your health care provider. Do not attempt to treat yourself, your child, or anyone else without proper medical supervision.
The Foundation provides linked sites only for the convenience of the visitor. The Foundation does not control nor does it warrant the accuracy of any information provided by these linked sites. Individually identifiable user information is not collected through this site unless voluntarily submitted to the Foundation by the user. Linked sites may have different privacy policies. Any User information submitted directly to the Foundation will not be shared with other parties without the express written consent of the User.
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Medical Disclosure
The FD Foundation does not offer medical advice. We always recommend that you contact the Dysautonomia Center (link here) or your personal physician.