The ill-famed Pierre Robin Syndrome, also known as the Pierre Robin Sequence or the Pierre Robin Malformation, causes facial disfiguration. Here is some information about the causes and treatment options for this disorder.
A syndrome is often commonly defined as a symptom. The term syndrome follows a specific malformation or a disorder when it is used in the biological or medical sense. Some of the common syndromes that are related to the Pierre Robin Sequence are the Stickler Syndrome and the Velocardiofacial Syndrome.
What is the Pierre Robin Syndrome?
Named after the famous French orthodontist and surgeon Pierre Robin, patients of the Pierre Robin malformation or syndrome suffer from facial abnormalities, especially near the mouth and the jaw. This syndrome is not hereditary, nor is it caused due to any defect in the genes. In fact, the Pierre Robin sequence has got nothing to with genetics. It is a chain of developmental malformations. The exact cause behind the occurrence of this syndrome has not been identified till date.
Research conducted by experts show that a majority of times this syndrome is related to the positioning of the fetus in the initial pregnancy stages. Some of the experts have put forth a theory that this syndrome occurs during the development of bones of the fetus, when the growth of the jaw gets obstructed due to the collar bones.
Common Symptoms
The most common symptom of this syndrome is a smaller lower jaw, which is scientifically known as micrognathia. Sometimes the patient also suffers from a condition known as glossoptosis. In this condition, the patient is unable to control the tongue as it falls backwards towards the throat. The patient also tends to suffer from minor breathing problems. Another common symptom is the absence of the horseshoe-shaped cleft palate.
Prognosis
The occurrence of Pierre Robin malformation is natural and there are excellent cures and treatments available to fight it. The patient usually leads a very normal and a very healthy life. However, there are a few minor problems that can occur. During the stages of infancy, the child sometimes needs help in things like eating. Children also tend to face ear infections, and a slightly diminished sense of hearing. All these problems can, however, be avoided with a little care.
Another symptom known to occur is a slightly smaller size of the patients body. The syndrome is not genetic or hereditary, and hence, children of the patients are not affected by the same syndrome. Such a case of the patient’s offspring being affected by the same syndrome is a very, very rare.
Treatment and Cure
The treatment options that are commonly needed and used include minor surgeries to repair or rectify the cleft palate, and/or to improve breathing. Surgeries used as a cure for this syndrome have become so sophisticated and modernized, that post surgery all signs of the syndrome are totally wiped out.
For parents of the children affected, the syndrome is not an abnormality, its occurrence is totally natural. The child will be as healthy as other children. It is important to give the child all the support that he/she needs. To avail the best possible cure, it is advisable to talk to parents of other patients and organizations that specialize in the cure of the Pierre Robin malformation. In many countries, these organizations are run by the government.
