Symptoms of Infantile Tay-Sachs. Most affected infants have nerve damage starting in utero (before birth), with symptoms appearing from age 3 to 6 months, in most cases. Progression is rapid, and the child will typically pass away by 4 or 5 years old. read more
Tay-Sachs is, if I recall correctly from my physiology classes, a recessive genetic disease where a bad gene causes a deficiency or lack of a functional hexosaminidase A enzyme that breaks down gangliosides in neurons. Essentially, lacking that enzyme means toxic products accumulate in nerve cells all over the body. read more
Adult Tay-Sachs is the mildest form. Symptoms appear during adolescence or adulthood. People with the adult form of Tay-Sachs disease usually have these symptoms: muscle weakness; slurred speech; unsteady gait; memory problems; tremors; The severity of symptoms and life expectancy varies. read more