Birth Defects Quiz Review

hereditary – This birth defect affects the respiratory and digestive systems. Many with it die before reaching adulthood, although treatment now allows people with the condition to live longer than in the past. Most common among people of Caucasian heritage.

• Down Syndrome

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate

• Cerebral Palsy

hereditary and/or environmental – A gap in the upper lip and/or palate causes problems with eating, swallowing, speech, and appearance.

• Down Syndrome

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate

• Cerebral Palsy

chromosomal – A group of problems that may include, among other conditions, mental disabilities, problems of the heart, blood, and digestive systems; and poor muscle tone. The presence of an extra 21 chromosome.

• Down Syndrome

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate

• Cerebral Palsy

environmental - A general term for a variety of problems of the motor system. The symptoms can include lack of coordination, stiffness, jerking, difficulty with speech, and paralysis. It results from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth. The cause of the damage may vary.

• Down Syndrome

• Cystic Fibrosis

• Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate

• Cerebral Palsy

hereditary – Caused by the lack of a specific chemical in the baby’s blood. The body cannot process and use certain fats. This leads to severe brain damage and death, usually by age four. Most common in families of Eastern European Jewish descent.

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• Tay-Sachs Disease

• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

• PKU

hereditary – Malformed red blood cells interfere with the supply of oxygen to all parts of the body. The symptoms include tiredness, lack of appetite, and pain. It can lead to early death. Most common among people of African American heritage.

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• Tay-Sachs Disease

• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

• PKU

combination of hereditary and environmental - An incompletely formed spinal cord may lead to stiff joints, difficulty moving the legs, partial paralysis, and problems with the kidneys and urinary tract. 70 of every 100 children with SB also have hydrocephalus, in which an excess of fluid surrounds the brain, causing brain damage. Taking a folic acid supplement during pregnancy may reduce incidence.

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• Tay-Sachs Disease

• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

• PKU

hereditary - This is a condition in which the body is unable to process and use a specific protein. Mental disability can result. Newborns are tested for this as required by law.

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• Tay-Sachs Disease

• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

• PKU

hereditary – There are many different types of this birth defect; all involve a progressive weakness and shrinking of the muscles. The most common form begins between the ages of two and six. The most common form is carried by females but affects only males.

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• Muscular Dystrophy

• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

• PKU

Which of the follow birth defects are heredity?

• Tay-Sachs Disease

• Sickle Cell Anemia

• PKU

• Muscular Dystrophy

• Cystic Fibrosis