What is Tay-Sachs disease?
An infant with Tay-Sachs disease has a rare inherited disorder that results in severe damage to the nerve cells in the brain. Tay-Sachs disease is a hereditary illness. The body does not make a molecule that is required to break down fatty substances in the body. The substances collect in the nervous tissue, resulting in damage to the brain and nerves. Children with Tay-Sachs disease usually die before they reach 4 years old. Tay-Sachs disease affects approximately 1 out of every 320,000 newborns in the US each year.

What are the symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease?
Symptoms of Tay-Sachs disease include blindness, deafness, inability to swallow, inability to roll over, inability to crawl, severe muscle spasms, seizures, and severe muscle weakness.

How does the doctor treat Tay-Sachs disease?
There is no treatment for Tay-Sachs disease.