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Ectodermal Dysplasia

Background

Ectodermal Dysplasia (ED) is not a single disorder, but a group of closely related conditions of which more than one hundred and sixty different syndromes have been identified. The Ectodermal Dysplasias (EDs) are genetic disorders affecting the development or function of the teeth, hair, nails and sweat glands. Depending on the particular syndrome ED can also affect the skin, the lens or retina of the eye, parts of the inner ear, the development of fingers and toes, the nerves and other parts of the body. The prevalence of the various types of ED is thought to be about 7 in 10,000 live births. EDs have been reported most often in caucasians, but they occur in all population groups. Hidrotic ED has been reported in an extensive kindred of French extraction. X-linked hypohidrotic ED has full expression predominantly in males. Female carriers outnumber affected men, but most show few, if any, signs of the condition although some do manifest it very clearly. Most of the other EDs affect males and females equally.

What are the symptoms? View What are the symptoms?

Medical text written October 2005 by the Ectodermal Dysplasia Society and Contact a Family. Approved October 2005 by Professor A Clarke, Professor in Clinical Genetics,Institute of Medical Genetics, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK. Additional material on Eye Problems and Ectodermal Dysplasia written July 2006 by Dr C Willoughby, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon and Senior Lecturer in Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK.

 

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