Monday, December 8, 2014

Researchers believe sequencing genomes will be more beneficial if done at the early stages of life.

This story demonstrates the need for genetic testing to be done in a child early age to determine any future health problems. A little girl by the name of Mya was six month old and had already gone to the emergency room eight to nine times. Physicians could not understand why she was not developing properly, and were puzzled as to what to could be troubling her since there best guest did not agree with the diagnosis. 
Genetic testing can help extend a person life
The genetic screening was at this time the best method, since they believed that Mya genes would hold the answers. Although according to the writer it is believed to not be 100% accurate, “Genetic screening, especially whole-genome screening in which people can learn about their possible risk for certain disease, remains controversial.” It is because there is a limited amount of certainty of whether a gene would express it self later in life or remain dormant, although I believe even if the probability isn’t a 100% certain if there is even a small percentage that a child could get a serious disorder later in life that it should be looked into as soon as possible. Since DNA is the blueprint, it I worth considering having genomic testing for infants as soon as possible, since it would help lead the way for a better diagnosis and more efficient treatment. In Mya situation genomic testing showed that she posses a mutant gene that slowed the transporting of citrate, which was is essential for the cells to get their energy. The physicians started giving her supplement for her disorder and it is said that she is now lived twice the lifespan of the infant that have the same gene mutation.
Based on the article there should be more genomic testing done to help expand the lifespan of in infants like Mya. The article reports that the testing costs around five grand and that a night stay in intensive care cost around eight grand. For those prices I would go with the genetic testing since it less and is more beneficial since it would most lily have a database of disorders and diseases that the testing can match up and compare to the various possibility, compared to a physician that is limited to only the knowledge they have based on observation.

2 comments:

  1. Studies like this are very important. If we could find diseases earlier, they might be easier to treat, I found this very interesting.

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  2. I completely agree that genomic testing like this can help physicians care for their patients. I liked the point you made about how if someone even has a small chance if a disease in the future, it should be addressed immediately. I agree with this and can see why many people are for genomic testing.

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