Talk

I’ve got twins on my mother’s side and twins on my father’s side, too. On my mother’s side, they seem to appear every other generation, so the joke among my cousins is “which one of us will have the twins?”

Whether twins really do run in families or whether this is an old wives’ tale is a question many people ask. Senior genetic counselor Lisa Kessler, just answered that over at MedHelp’s genetic forum, where she is the moderator.

She explains that having identical twins is not typically something that runs in families, butBirth control and family planning
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Family troubles - resources having fraternal twins does — and it happens more frequently after the second pregnancy. Interestingly, this only applies to a history of twins on the woman’s side of the family. A history of twins on the father’s side doesn’t increase the chance of having twins.

So now we know. And now it’s up to my cousins to pass on the family tradition of twins!

Over at the medical genetics forum on MedHelp, senior genetics counselor Lisa Kessler responds to an inquiry about the inheritance patterns of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Many people assume serious conditions such as ALS are either hereditary or they are not. We are increasingly finding, however, that for many conditions — ALS being one of them — it’s not black and white. ALS is particularly interesting in that in can be inherited in different ways. Here’s how Lisa explains it:

Lisa’s answer: Approximately 10% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases are familial. As you know, ALS is a neurodegenerative disorder in which motor neurons (nerve cells that communicate to muscle cells) in the brain, brainstem, and spinal cord die. This causes paralysis and death. ALS usually begins in middle adult life, and the lifetime risk of developing ALS is 1 in 800. (more…)

At DNA Direct, our genetic counselors receive many questions about developmental delay — is it genetic, is it inherited, is it my fault? Our senior genetic counselor, Lisa Kessler, also moderates a medical genetics forum on MedHelp. Recently, she had advice for one frustrated mother seeking diagnosis for developmental delay. Lisa’s comments may resonate with many families:

Question: My 20 month old is on her third round of genetic testing. She has Global developmental delay, plus hypotonia. If these come back negative should I keep pursuing a diagnosis or throw in the towel?

Lisa’s Answer: Searching for a cause of developmental delay can be difficult and does not always provide parents with the answers that they are seeking. Only you can answer the question about when to take a break, stop, or keep going. (more…)