SALS turns into FALS

[jethro]

ALS makes changes in DNA. Genes are in chromosomes which consists of proteins and DNA.
Does it mean that SALS can turn into FALS? SALS is specific for older population, but some young people have it in reproductive age.
This question is generated after i heard new born baby scream in Neuromuscular dpt. Baby surrounded with old people having such a disease like ALS. Horrible. What happened? Girl, 27 y. old gave birth to baby. She has SALS. Is it possible that her baby has FALS? I have two kids: 8 y.o. and 14 months old. ALS is a disease which occures maybe years before we notice it. I guess you do understand what makes me wonder.

 

[Nikki J]

No ALS does not change your basic DNA. Many things in the environment can change gene expression. That is not the same thing.

It is commonly believed that people who have SALS have a genetic predisposition toward ALS that is only triggered by a series of life events and exposures. There are identical twins where one has it and the other never gets it. The children of SALS may inherit the predisposition but they live different lives than their parent did so the vast majority never get ALS. Their risk is just a smidge above the general population - negligible

I do have FALS I was born with our genetic mutation. My mother was well when she had me but she also had her mutation from birth

Some FALS famiies are choosing to have children via IVF where the embryos are tested and only ones without the family mutation implanted

If the baby was a patient in the neuromuscular department s/he was there for something else. There is a perfectly horrible disease called SMA that has a form that affects infants. They die before age 2. There is now a genetic treatment that helps

 

[jethro]

@nikki No, i was not clear. mother, 27 y.o. with ALS gave birth. She has SALS and i thought theres possibility that baby got FALS.

 

[Nikki J]

No not if the mom is truly SALS and not somehow unrecognized FALS ( adopted or parent died or deserted her or some other scenario). They usually offer genetic testing for identified ALS mutations when people are very young apparent SALS.