Insomnia in Family Genes: An Unpleasing Inheritance

Although most people develop insomnia during adulthood and on periods in their lives that are very stressful, insomnia in kids is also possible. This is very much true for some people who are unfortunately born with insomnia in family genes. Thus, insomnia can be an inherited condition too.

Getting To Know The Condition

The condition behind insomnia in family genes, is called Fatal Familial Insomnia. This is actually an extremely rare gene disorder that affects less than fifty families all over the world.

Having insomnia in family heredity can be a burden that could sometimes lead into a fatal ending. As soon as the condition manifests, you would not be able to sleep. In fact, within a span of 18 months, you would completely lose your ability to sleep.

Having insomnia in family genes is caused by a mutation of a special protein that causes plaque to build up in your thalamus, which is the part of your brain that is in charge of controlling sleep.

This would be the initial stage of having fatal familial insomnia. Generally, you would start to develop insomnia and within four months of further progression, you can start having panic attacks and groundless fears of everything around you. For the next five months, your panic attacks would become even more prominent. Additionally, you would start having hallucinations because

of sleep deprivation.

During the condition’s last few stages, which are usually about three months, you would completely lose your ability to sleep. When this happens, you may also experience rapid weight loss that is beyond the normal rate. The last stage of the condition would typically result to dementia. During this stage, you may also become mute, which would continue to happen for the final 6 months of the condition’s progression.

Generally, this is what happens throughout the condition’s final stage and in time would lean to death. Sadly, experts have not yet found any treatment or cure for Fatal Familial Insomnia.

Children With Insomnia In Family Heritage

Children who have insomnia in family genes are quite ill-fated since at a young age, sleep is very important. Additionally, most parents overlook the possibility that kids can also have insomnia. So, if you know that your family has had a rich history of insomnia cases, it would be recommended that you give your child adequate attention, especially regarding his/her sleeping patterns.

Once you see signs of your child having sleeping problems and that you are extremely sure that he/she is clear of any stresses or physical discomforts and pains, then it would be best that you have him/her checked-up by your doctor to look out for the probability of inherited insomnia.