Tay-Sachs disease

Treatment:

Only supportive treatment is available.

The stress of illness can often be helped by joining support groups where members share common experiences and problems. See Tay-Sachs - support group.

Expectations (prognosis):

Children affected with this disease have progressive symptoms and usually die by 3 years old.

Complications:

Note: Symptoms appear during the first 3 to 10 months of life and progress to loss of all voluntary movements, spasticity and seizures, and eventually death by 3 years old.

Calling your health care provider:

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if this is the child's first seizure, if the seizure is different than other previous seizures, if the child has difficulty breathing, or if the seizure lasts longer than 2-3 minutes.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if your child experiences a seizure lasting less than 2-3 minutes or has other noticeable behavioral changes.