As Ella’s father Frederick has disease Parkinson’s disease-causing his limb and hands to shake often. It is a progressive disorder linked to the nervous system and influences the movement of people. The disease develops gradually starting from a minor tremor while it poses threats of slowing bodily movement. The disease causes dopamine deficiency in the brain that influences movement as patients lose balance. It declines the ability to move muscles and often leads to slow movement. Impaired posture and difficulty in maintaining balance are also common problems associated with the disease. It also affects unconscious movements such as blinking, smiling, and swinging arms (Atlas, Matthews, Fritsvold, & Vinall, 2014).
Ella faces risks of developing Parkinson’s disease as under certain conditions the risk passes down to children. The illness might have potential impacts on Ella as mutations in some genes passes down to the next generations. The evidence also shows that 15 percent of the patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease have a family history of the disease. Ella also faces risks of developing depression and dementia. Ella is the first generation due to facing high risks of developing Parkinson’s disease. While the grandchildren of Fredrick also face risk of developing the disease (Jacopini, 2000).
If Ella inherits a recessive gene from her father she becomes more vulnerable. Doctors recognize that recessive genes do not always establish diseases. Environmental factors also play a significant role in disease transmission. If the grandchildren inherit recessive genes they also encounter risks. Exposure to certain environmental factors and toxins also increases the risks for family members and the next generations. The risk of facing a loss of voluntary muscles is high in Ella compared to the next generations (Ray & Street, 2006). Ella and the grandchildren of Fredrick face risks of inheriting the genes that can cause tremors at middle age or late age. The chances of developing the disease are low in Ella because men face high risks of developing Parkinson’s disease. If she develops the disease she will experience complications in sleeping and suffer from depression (Jacopini, 2000).
References
Atlas, S., Matthews, J. R., Fritsvold, E., & Vinall, P. E. (2014). Social implications of chronic illness & disability.
Jacopini, G. (2000). The experience of disease: psychosocial aspects of movement disorders… J Neurosci Nurs, 32 (5), 263-5.
Ray, R. A., & Street, A. F. (2006). Caregiver bodywork: family members’ experiences of caring for a person with motor neurone disease. J Adv Nurs, 56 (1), 35-43.
