Neurofibromatosis
What is Neurofibromatosis?
When people were discussing the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, in the early 1980s, the universal agreement was that he had neurofibromatosis. There are two blocks of neurofibromatosis. NF1 is the less difficult version of the disease and happens in one out of every 4,000 or so births. It is often diagnosed timing due to the presence of “café au lait” spots on the skin. Some children will have seizures when they are young, or perhaps speech impairment, but medication and speech therapy have proven very effective in helping these children live normally.
Neurofibromatosis type 2 is a different story. NF 2 affects about one in every 50,000 births and is more intense on every level. With NF2, patients may formulate tumors on the nerves in their ears, finally causing deafness. Tumors may also appear on the spinal cord or brain. Fortunately, only about 3 to 5 percent of neurofibromas ever become cancerous. However, parents need to keep a check on their child’s tumors, and if one shows noticeable growth, the parents should call their pediatrician immediately.
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