Menkes syndrome

Alternative names:

kinky hair disease; Menkes kinky hair syndrome; steely hair disease

Treatment:

No truly effective treatment is available for Menkes syndrome. Injection of copper has been used with mixed results. Present therapy consists of:

• copper acetate administered into a vein (intravenously)
• subcutaneous (injected under the skin) copper histidinate

Expectations (prognosis):

Menkes is a serious disorder with little effective of treatment.

Complications:

Death usually occurs in the first few years of life.

Calling your health care provider:

Consult with your health care provider if you have a family history of Menkes syndrome and you plan to have children. A baby with this condition will often show symptoms early in infancy.