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Krabbe disease

Alternative Names:

Globoid cell leukodystrophy; Galactosylcerebrosidase deficiency; Galactosylceramidase deficiency

Treatment:

There is no specific treatment for Krabbe disease.

Some people have had a bone marrow transplant in the early stages of the disease, but this treatment has risks.

Support Groups:

United Leukodystrophy Foundation -- www.ulf.org

Expectations (prognosis):

The outcome is likely to be poor. On average, infants with early-onset cases die before age 2. People who develop the disease at a later age have survived into adulthood with nervous system disease.

Complications:

This disease leads to progressive damage to the central nervous system . It can cause blindness, deafness, and severe problems with muscle tone. The disease is usually deadly.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if your child develops symptoms of this disorder. Seizures, loss of consciousness , or abnormal posturing may be emergency symptoms.

Review Date: 5/22/2007
Reviewed By: Brian Kirmse, M.D., Department of Human Genetics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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