I have had Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) since March 2002. Both of my sons also got ME/CFS at ages 6 and 10. Our younger son fully recovered after 10 years of mild illness. Our older son still has ME/CFS and also has Lyme disease plus two other tick infections. This blog is about how our family lives with chronic illness, with a focus on improving our conditions and enjoying our lives in spite of these challenges.
3 comments:
Hi Sue, I've been reading some of your older posts. You mention that both your sons also suffer from CFS. that must be incredibly difficult - for them as well as for you!
I was wondering - do you know if there is any chance that CFS is hereditary? Or if a child has a greater chance of recovery?
I am planning to start a family, but want to first fully understand the possibility of passing on the CFS.
thanks so much!
Hi, Ms. Fabulous -
Yes, there is a genetic component to CFS. Researchers have identified the genes in people with CFS that are different from other people. Although there are still plenty of questions about who gets CFS and why, they now know it is a combination of a genetic predisposition and some sort of infectious trigger (though sometimes an accident or other trauma can trigger it). So, having the genes doesn't mean you'll definitely get CFS, only that you might in the presence of certain triggers. It seems that about 10% of the population is genetically predisposed to CFS because they've found that for every triggering infection, 90% of the people recover normally and 10% go on to develop CFS. Some of the known triggers include mono, Lyme, parvovirus, and Q fever, but many times (as with myself and my younger son) you know that a virus started the CFS but don't know exactly what the virus was.
Here's a good article at a great CFS website:
http://www.phoenix-cfs.org/GeneVariationsCFS.htm
Here's another summary of a study conducted by the NJ CFS Association that explains how both genetic and infectious components interrelate:
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=7175&t=CFIDS_FM
(if that link doesn't print fully in the comment box, e-mail me)
Bottom line is that your kids might get CFS...but they might not. Hope this helps you -
Sue
Thanks so much! :)
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