Genetic Counseling
Here on WEGO Health, we do our best to not only share what conversations are going on in our other health communities but we also share tips on how to encourage the best health practices in our communities. Some tips of encouragement are easy, tell others to: eat healthy, get lots of rest, listen to your body, ask your doctor questions, etc. In fact, it is pretty easy to encourage members in your online communities advice when it's been proven over and over. But how do you react when members of your community ask tougher questions?
Family planning is a huge part of a person's life in modern day, especially because deciding to have children is so exciting, important, and life-changing. When we have children, we know, consciously, that we're likely to pass on a lot of our own traits onto them (often crossing our fingers and hope they get our best qualities!). And across the board, no matter what parents' particular hopes and dreams for their children will be, having a child who is healthy is by far number one. But if you or someone you know has a genetic disease, in addition to the struggle of caring for their own health, the concept of child planning can take on a whole new form.
Have you struggled with the desire to have children of your own and the worry of passing on an illness, disease, or disposition? Have people in your online communities talked about this worry? What did you say to them? What did someone say to you?
One thing that might be worth recommending, if you haven't before, is Genetic Counseling. It's a relatively new practice that aims at, according to the Journal of Genetic Counseling, "helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. This process integrates the following:
• Interpretation of family and medical histories to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence.
• Education about inheritance, testing, management, prevention, resources and research.
• Counseling to promote informed choices and adaptations to the risk or condition."
Who should see a genetic counselor?
* Those who have, or are concerned that they might have, an inherited disorder or birth defect.
* Women who are pregnant or planning to be after age 35.
* Couples who already have a child with mental retardation, an inherited disorder or a birth defect.
* Couples whose infant has a genetic disease diagnosed by routine newborn screening.
* Women who have had babies who died in infancy or three or more miscarriages.
* People concerned that their jobs, lifestyles or medical history may pose a risk to outcome of pregnancy. Common causes of concern include exposure to radiation, medications, illegal drugs, chemicals or infections.
* Couples who would like testing or more information about genetic conditions that occur frequently in their ethnic group.
* Couples who are first cousins or other close blood relatives.
* Pregnant women whose ultrasound examinations or blood testing indicate that their pregnancy may be at increased risk for certain complications or birth defects.
Do you have any sources you'd recommend for someone looking into Genetic Counseling?
Here are a few I found:
• From March of Dimes' Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center: Genetic Counseling. What is GC? Is GC for you? What happens at an GC appointment? Help finding a Genetic Counselor.
• WebMD's Genetic Counseling
• Interested in learning what makes a Genetic Counselor? Check out the American Board of Genetic Counseling's Site
• The National Society of Genetic Counselors Site
• Human Genome Project (US Dept of Energy)'s Page on Genetic Counseling
• GC and Sickle Cell Disease on the SCDAA site
• Wellsphere's articles on Genetic Counseling
• GC on MayoClinic.com
• Genetic Counseling content on the US Dept of Health & Human Services site
• Genetic Counseling from the National Institutes of Health/Medline Plus
On WEGO Health:
• Inheritance Often Includes Health Problems - Thanks Mom & Dad
• Potential blood test for bipolar in the works?
• The Genetics of Dystonia - DYT1
• Genetic Counseling discussion in the Cancer Group
Have you gone through genetic counseling or genetic tests? What was your experience?
What do you know about Genetic Counseling?
How does GC affect your particular health community?
What would you tell someone in your health community considering GC?
Family planning is a huge part of a person's life in modern day, especially because deciding to have children is so exciting, important, and life-changing. When we have children, we know, consciously, that we're likely to pass on a lot of our own traits onto them (often crossing our fingers and hope they get our best qualities!). And across the board, no matter what parents' particular hopes and dreams for their children will be, having a child who is healthy is by far number one. But if you or someone you know has a genetic disease, in addition to the struggle of caring for their own health, the concept of child planning can take on a whole new form.
Have you struggled with the desire to have children of your own and the worry of passing on an illness, disease, or disposition? Have people in your online communities talked about this worry? What did you say to them? What did someone say to you?
One thing that might be worth recommending, if you haven't before, is Genetic Counseling. It's a relatively new practice that aims at, according to the Journal of Genetic Counseling, "helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. This process integrates the following:
• Interpretation of family and medical histories to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence.
• Education about inheritance, testing, management, prevention, resources and research.
• Counseling to promote informed choices and adaptations to the risk or condition."
Who should see a genetic counselor?
* Those who have, or are concerned that they might have, an inherited disorder or birth defect.
* Women who are pregnant or planning to be after age 35.
* Couples who already have a child with mental retardation, an inherited disorder or a birth defect.
* Couples whose infant has a genetic disease diagnosed by routine newborn screening.
* Women who have had babies who died in infancy or three or more miscarriages.
* People concerned that their jobs, lifestyles or medical history may pose a risk to outcome of pregnancy. Common causes of concern include exposure to radiation, medications, illegal drugs, chemicals or infections.
* Couples who would like testing or more information about genetic conditions that occur frequently in their ethnic group.
* Couples who are first cousins or other close blood relatives.
* Pregnant women whose ultrasound examinations or blood testing indicate that their pregnancy may be at increased risk for certain complications or birth defects.
Do you have any sources you'd recommend for someone looking into Genetic Counseling?
Here are a few I found:
• From March of Dimes' Pregnancy and Newborn Health Education Center: Genetic Counseling. What is GC? Is GC for you? What happens at an GC appointment? Help finding a Genetic Counselor.
• WebMD's Genetic Counseling
• Interested in learning what makes a Genetic Counselor? Check out the American Board of Genetic Counseling's Site
• The National Society of Genetic Counselors Site
• Human Genome Project (US Dept of Energy)'s Page on Genetic Counseling
• GC and Sickle Cell Disease on the SCDAA site
• Wellsphere's articles on Genetic Counseling
• GC on MayoClinic.com
• Genetic Counseling content on the US Dept of Health & Human Services site
• Genetic Counseling from the National Institutes of Health/Medline Plus
On WEGO Health:
• Inheritance Often Includes Health Problems - Thanks Mom & Dad
• Potential blood test for bipolar in the works?
• The Genetics of Dystonia - DYT1
• Genetic Counseling discussion in the Cancer Group
Have you gone through genetic counseling or genetic tests? What was your experience?
What do you know about Genetic Counseling?
How does GC affect your particular health community?
What would you tell someone in your health community considering GC?
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