Contents:
- Medical Video: Cri du Chat Syndrome Documentary
- What causes Cri du chat syndrome?
- Symptoms and signs of cri du chat syndrome
- How is this syndrome treated?
Medical Video: Cri du Chat Syndrome Documentary
Crying is a way for babies to communicate with you. Babies convey what they want and what they need through crying. For example, when hungry, the baby will cry for a while with a low tone of voice. When sad, the sound of crying will be intermittent. However, what does it mean if the baby's cries sound high like a cat's cry? In the medical world, this unnatural sound of crying is called cri du chat syndrome (read: kri-duw-sya). What caused it?
What causes Cri du chat syndrome?
Cri du chat is a form of chromosomal abnormality that causes a baby to have a shrill cry like a cat's scream. This term comes from French which means "crying cat". Cri du chat syndrome is also known as the Lejeune syndrome.
Normally, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Chromosomes themselves are structures in DNA that determine human nature. Chromosomal abnormalities can occur because of an error when dividing prospective baby cells. In babies who have cri du chat, there are some segments that are missing on the fifth chromosome.
As a result, the growth of the organ structure of the baby in the womb is not optimal. The main characteristic of this syndrome is disability in the structure of the larynx (the structure in the throat that regulates sound production), resulting in high-pitched crying sounds.
Cri du chat syndrome is fairly rare. There are less than one child born with this syndrome per 50,000 live births. Girls are more susceptible to experiencing cri du chat than boys.
Symptoms and signs of cri du chat syndrome
As the name implies, the hallmark of this syndrome is the sound of high-pitched cries like a cat. The following is a collection of other symptoms and signs from Cri Du Chat.
- Small head and jaw shape.
- Structural abnormalities of the throat also make it difficult for babies to eat, drink, and swallow. As a result, children can fail due to lack of nutrition.
- Hypertelorism, the distance between the two eyes is further apart than normal.
- Cognitive impairment and mental retardation - such as language problems, walking delay, hyperactivity, and others.
- Heart abnormalities, such as cracks in the wall or septum of the heart.
How is this syndrome treated?
Until now, there has been no specific therapy for Cri du chat syndrome.
Children born with this syndrome, without any fatal complications, can grow and develop into adulthood. However, the delay in growth and development can make children have low cognitive functions that can be characterized by low IQ scores.
Treatment related to cognitive function and mental retardation usually involves psychotherapy with experts and emotional and physical support from the people closest to them to support children's activities.
