ProgeriaThe genetic disorder I chose is called Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome. It is more commonly known as Progeria. I chose to write my article about Progeria because it is a disease that many people are familiar with, because it has made headlines and been the subject of books and films. However, I have never heard of it until now. Hutchinson Gilford Progeria syndrome is a rare genetic disorder. It was discovered in 1886 by Hastings Gilford and Jonathan Hutchinson. However, it didn't come to people's attention until 1981. That's when two children, suffering from Progeria, were discovered at Disneyland. These two children came from South Africa and Texas. They were discovered by the media, who then reported on them. Progeria causes premature aging and a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years. No signs are visible at birth, but they usually appear between one and two years of age. Some signs and symptoms are dwarfism, loss of body fat and hair, aged-looking skin, hip dislocation, heart disease, small jaw and face, and a pinched nose. Children with Progeria never reach sexual maturity and have a thin, high-pitched voice. This disease does not affect their mental abilities, in fact their intelligence is normal or above normal. At the age of ten, these children are barely the height of a three-year-old. However, they only reach the size of a five-year-old child and have delayed dental formation. The only major symptom and problem encountered in Progeria patients is heart disease. Heart disease, or atherosclerosis, is a major problem that many of these children face. In fact, eighty percent of them die from heart complications. Due to this major heart problem, they may have an enlarged heart, high blood pressure or even chest pain due to poor blood circulation to...... middle of paper ...... we n Couldn't have said that twenty years ago. Although there is only one organization dedicated solely to Progeria research, we are continually learning more about Progeria every day. With the discovery of new information and new treatments, the hope of finding a cure is even greater. Hopefully, over the next few years, we can see even greater improvement in research and discoveries about Progeria.Biblography “About Progeria”. Progeria Research Foundation. Np, and Web. November 21, 2013. Ha Baek, Jean, Tomás McKenna and Maria Eriksson. “Chapter 3 Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome”. Genetic disorders. Np: InTech, 2013. 65-87. Print.Wynbrandt, James and Mark D. Ludman. “Progeria.” The Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders and Birth Defects. New York, NY: Facts on the Record, 2000. 320-21. Print.