During holiday visits, gather the family medical history

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During holiday visits, gather the family medical history

By LYNDA G. SHRAGER Albany Times Union

ALBANY, N.Y. — U.S. Surgeon General H. Carmona declared

Thanksgiving " National Family History Day. "

The health campaign focuses on creating a family health history and

encourages families to compile one now, during family events this

holiday season.

So gather as many generations of blood relatives as possible,

including your parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, half brothers

and sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, children and grandchildren.

If you're married with children, include your spouse's family history

as well. Non-blood relatives may have good information on your family,

too. By mapping your family medical history and creating a medical

family tree, sometimes called a medical pedigree, you can identify

some health risks and take steps to prevent them.

For example, if there is a family history of breast cancer, earlier

and more frequent mammograms might be appropriate. Knowing you may be

at risk for certain diseases might encourage you to modify diet,

exercise and unhealthy behaviors.

Finally, an accurate family history may help your doctor with making a

diagnosis and guide the selection of necessary diagnostic tests.

Compiling a complete family medical history is one of the most

precious gifts you can give this holiday season, for you, your

children and generations to come.

Gather information:

u Ask relatives about their own health conditions including at what

age they were diagnosed with specific conditions.

u Include habits and lifestyles (if Aunt Joan developed lung cancer

from smoking you had better not start).

u Find out as much as possible about deceased relatives including

medical conditions, age at death and the cause. (If Grandpa Sam died

at age 90 it is of less concern than if he died at 60.)

u Other information regarding deceased relatives might be found on

death certificates, which you can obtain from the city or town hall in

the municipality where they died.

u Family records including letters, diaries, military records,

adoption records, obituaries and funeral home records might provide

important information.

u If someone who was otherwise healthy died suddenly (not from an

accident or trauma) this could be a red flag.

What to ask:

u Thousands of diseases and conditions are linked to heredity. What's

in your family history? Psychiatric illnesses like depression and

schizophrenia also have a genetic component.

— Have there been miscarriages, stillbirths, or infant deaths?

Create your tree:

u Put the oldest generation on top (grandparents), with the next line

below for your parents, aunts and uncles. The next line down would

include yourself, siblings and cousins. Continue in this manner.

u Use symbols for clarity, such as squares for males and circles for

females. Place an " x " through the square or circle to signify a

deceased relative. Place brackets around someone who is adopted.

u Put health information, age and ethnicity next to each name/symbol.

Keep in mind:

u Review and update information periodically.

u This information is personal and confidential. Share only with

appropriate medical personnel.

u If a medical condition seems to run in the family, consult your

doctor and a professional specializing in genetics to further

interpret the data.

For more information, go to http://www.familyhistory.hhs.gov.

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