|
|
Medical problems that may need to be considered include the following:
- Babies with T.S may be born with a heart murmur due to differences in the way the valves, blood vessels and chambers of the heart develop before birth. While some of these correct themselves, others need surgery.
- High blood pressure occurs more commonly in adolescent and adult patients with T.S than the general population. Sometimes it is due to narrowing in the aorta (the large outlet from the heart), but usually no cause can be found after full investigation. Treatment with medication can readily correct high blood pressure and prevent secondary problems (heart attack, stroke, and kidney damage).
- It is quite common for there to be differences in the structure of the kidneys, but generally these do not affect the health of the patient, or her life expectancy, in any way. They only show up when an ultrasound scan is performed.
- Girls with T.S are much prone than other girls to middle ear infection (Otitis Media) because the ventilation tubes connecting the back of the nose to the middle ear are small and easily blocked. Recurrent ear infections can lead to deafness if not promptly and properly treated. Consultation with an ear, nose and throat specialist will be helpful.
- Adults with T.S should have regular hearing checks. They may have some deafness because of childhood ear infections and they may also develop nerve deafness due to degeneration in the nerve of hearing. The cause of the latter is not known. Some older women with T.S benefit from using a hearing aid.
- There is a slightly higher than usual rate of diabetes and thyroid gland disorders in women with T.S. Your doctor should be aware of these risks.
- Some individuals may have physical features such as lymphoedema (puffy hands and feet), webbed neck and pigmented moles.
- Intelligence is not affected by this condition. In formal testing of intelligence, some individuals with T.S may score higher in verbal abilities than in performance tasks such as maths and spatial perception.
|
|
