 |
| Source: Pixar Bay |
Is there a way to know in advance what diseases your child may have in the future? Except for the high cost, many parents are interested. For example, if a parent has a genetic or chronic illness, the child is also likely to be genetically affected by the same disease. Parents can consult with their pediatrician in advance to take steps to protect their children.
Smithsonian writer Sarah Elizabeth Richards explained that if a child has a family history of genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, he or she can prevent it by taking action before symptoms develop. Parents can meet with a pediatrician to get information about diet and lifestyle, and help their children.
But not all diseases are so simple. Certain cancers or intractable diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease are genetically affected. However, it is known that the prevention of such diseases is not very effective and the role that parents can play is very limited.
According to Dr. Rainey Friedman Ross, a research scientist at the University of Chicago's Center for Clinical Medicine Ethics, "I think many people will be able to take appropriate action if they know in advance the likelihood of their child's outbreak. But in fact it is not. Rather, it is likely that the whole family will suffer. "
Ross said in an interview with Smithsonian that "we will only add unnecessary stress and anxiety and make our parents almost crazy." "You can tell by looking at the 'helicopter parents' who are trying to control every aspect of their child's life."
On the other hand, geneticist Dr. Bendon Colby said: "A genetic test of childhood will give us an optimistic view of the possible outbreak of the disease and a world where parents can do more for their children." For example, if you know you are at risk for breast cancer, you can be careful not to be exposed to the usual radiation.
But Ross opposed it and said, "It can be a burden to your child with an unwanted medical identity." "By changing the way we nurture, we can not prevent cancer in adulthood," he said. "There is so much we do not know yet."
