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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - 1

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Many people are affected by genetic disorders every day. Abnormalities in one’s DNA are what cause a genetic disorder. These disorders could be as little as a mutation in a single gene. In another case, they could be as severe as having an extra chromosome, or taking away a chromosome. Genetic disorders are present from birth, but they may not be visibly seen until a later age. Some mutations could be heritable, or from your parents genes. Some forms of cancer can be inherited form a parent. Although, in most cases, these mutations are new changes to the DNA. “All humans have the same basic set of genes”. This means that everyone has the probability that they could get a genetic disorder. The thing that makes us different is the …show more content…

There is one major problem with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Scientists and doctors have still not been able to find a permanent treatment for it. Although there is one medicine called riluzole that can slow down the symptoms, giving victims longer to live. Physical therapy and the use of braces, are non-medicinal ways of helping with the muscle weakness. There are many medications that can be used to help with specific symptoms of ALS. Since choking is common in someone with ALS, most people are hooked up to a tube and are fed through it. This is called a gastrostomy. A gastrostomy is when they make an opening in the stomach from the abdominal wall so they can put in food. This is obviously a surgical procedure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is named after Lou Gehrig, who was a famous baseball player in 1930s. The French refer to it as Maladie de Charcot because the first recording of ALS was in 1869 by a French doctor named Jean-Martin Charcot. Stephen Hawking is one of the more famous people with ALS. He has had ALS since the start of his adult life, and he has been living with it for more than 50 years. Most people die from it three to five years after the symptoms become noticeable. This is why Stephen Hawking’s case is very special. It was just after his 21 birthday when he found out something was wrong. Yet he is still living and doing the most he can with his life. For

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