Genetic Info on Polydactyly
I have posted on this board before. My 4 year old son was born with an extra thumb (only partial, but with bone and nail). The doctor said it was a fluke so my husband and I didn't think anything of it. We had his surgically removed at 1 year. We were totally surprised when our second son (now 4 months) was also born with an extra thumb. His is more severe than the 4 year olds. My thought now is that this is definately not a fluke, but something genetic. However, no one in any of our family histories has this condition. I would like to learn more about how it is transmitted genetically, whether it is the result of a gene my husband or I carry, or the result of some sort of mutation in our genes. I also would like information on the likelihood of future children also having extra digits (I would say the likelihood is pretty good).
I have searched the internet for general information on polydactyly and have learned a lot, but if anyone has more specific information on who I could talk to (or where I should go) to get answers to my specific questions I would appreciate hearing from you.
I don't really have any resource to find more specific info., but I can tell you my experience. I was born with an extra bone in my left thumb. I have 5 brothers and sisters and none of them had extra digits, my mother has 9 brothers and sisters - none of them had it, no one on my dad's side has it and I have countless cousins and none of them have it. My first son didn't have any extra digits, but my second son has 2 thumbs on each hand!! The doctor's told me, and everything I've seen has said there is a 50% chance of another child having it. The doctor also told us that it really isn't that uncommon, it happens in about 1 in 1000 births.
debbiekc
Unregistered User
(3/30/04 9:01 pm) Reply
polydactyly children
Hi! My Godson was born with an extra thumb and no one on either side of his Mother nor Father's family has any extra digits in the family. The dr's have said it is just a rare thing that happens but now my friend is worried about it maybe being something more. I have not found much information on this, and everything that I do find encourages that she take him for tests to check for certain rare diseases. Has anyone read about anything like this also? Her first born (daughter) was born with the correct number of digits.
Any info you can share would be most appreciated. Thanks!
As you can imagine, she is a bit shocked. They see a specialist at the end of May when he turns 4 months old to discuss removing it.
Thanks again.
~Debbie
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