New Jersey Tay-Sachs Disease Attorneys

Tay-Sachs Disease

Tay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder, more frequently seen in those of Eastern European Jewish descent French Canadians, Cajuns and Irish Americans, characterized by the over-accumulation of gangliosides, (fatty compounds) that can build up in nerve cells of the brain. The gangliosides then cause damage to or death of those nerve cells. In addition, those who suffer from Tay-Sachs disease lack sufficient amounts of the enzyme known as hexosaminidase. This particular enzyme is responsible for breaking down the fatty gangliosides which, at abnormal levels, can cause nervous system damage.

Newborns typically do not show symptoms of Tay-Sachs until at least six months of age, when motor skills and infant development begin to significantly slow. Eventually, this decline in motor function can cause paralysis, blindness, and/or cognitive/intellect deficits. This disease is usually fatal by the age of five. There is no cure for this disease, and those caring for afflicted children may only try to ensure that the child be made as comfortable and pain free as possible before they inevitably pass away.

A simple blood test can identify whether or not a parent is a Tay-Sachs carrier. During pregnancy, proper prenatal care, testing can reveal the existence of Tay-Sachs in an unborn child. Amniocentesis ("Amnio") is one such prenatal test, which is typically performed between the 15th and 20th week of pregnancy. Amniocentesis involves testing fetal cells extracted from amniotic fluid to see whether a fetus suffers from Tay-Sachs or a host of other conditions. The results of this testing, if positive, will then permit parents to be informed of the presence of the disease; allowing them to determine the course of the pregnancy, and to prepare for the costly care their child will require. CVS (chorionic villus sampling) performed between the 10th and 13th weeks can also reveal the presence of Tay-Sachs in a fetus.

If your child suffers from Tay-Sachs disease, and you were not properly tested prenatally, and/or if you were not informed of the presence of the illness during the prenatal course, it is important for you to contact an attorney experienced in investigating and pursuing potential medical negligence claims. At Blume Goldfaden, our experienced New Jersey birth injury attorneys will evaluate your prenatal care to determine if there were departures from the accepted standards of medical care constituting malpractice which may have affected your legal rights an expecting parent.. Call us at 973-635-5400 for a no cost consultation.

For more information from the National Tay-Sachs Association, click here.