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Spongy degeneration of the brain; Aspartoacylase deficiency
Treatment mostly aims to ease the symptoms of the disease. Lithium and other drugs are being investigated.
Additional information and resources are available from:
With Canavan disease, the central nervous system breaks down. Patients are likely to become disabled.
Death often occurs before 18 months of age. However, some patients live until they are teenagers or, rarely, young adults.
This is often a fatal disorder. It includes severe disabilities such as:
Call your health care provider if your child has any symptoms of Canavan disease.
Rezvani I. Defects in metabolism of amino acids. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 85.
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