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Step 1
Be aware that Tay-Sachs disease is particularly seen in people of Eastern European and Jewish descent. A simple blood test can identify carriers of Tay-Sachs disease, for which there is no cure.
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Step 2
Realize that both parents must have the mutated gene to have a child that is affected with Tay-Sachs disease. Prenatal diagnosis of the disease is available if you're concerned about this genetic disorder.
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Step 3
Note that babies born with Tay-Sachs disease appear normal at birth and have normal development for the first few months of life. Deterioration of physical and mental abilities begin to occur as the nerve cells become distended by fatty material.
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Step 4
Prepare for the relentless decline of a child born with this genetic disorder. He'll become deaf, blind and unable to swallow. He will be paralysed as his muscles atrophy. Seizures occur as well as dementia. There is no cure for Tay-Sachs disease.
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Step 5
Understand the limitations of treatment. Treatment consists of medications to control the seizures and eventually a tracheotomy to keep the airway open and a feeding tube to give the child nutrition, hydration and medication. Death usually comes by age 4 from recurring infections.
