Re: Need feedback: Women with pectus on spectrum

[Guest guest]

Hi Jen,

I think a geneticist could be a help. It seems like you have to have

a set of symptoms or family history of symptoms to get a diagnosis.

My family physician mentioned it to me because I am 5'11 " and very

thin (naturally) with very long fingers and unusually long toes. I

have extremely flexible joints and am flat-footed because of it (even

had arch braces for a period as a child.) I also have poor posture

which I have always just attributed to being tall (thinking I

subconciously taught myself to hunch down when I grew taller than my

peers.)

She isn't being alarmist about it, but feels it wouldn't hurt to have

an electrocardiogram to take a look at my aorta. She's not even in a

rush to do it. After looking at the Marfan's syndrome site, I agree

it is a good idea to take a look. I don't have any other issues that

are related, so I am not panicked about it. Consequently I don't

know much about it, but just thought I would share in case it made

sense to any of you.

Blessings,

> > >

> > > Hi, Sue. I have pectus carinatum. I have raised collarbones

> too.

> > > Since I discovered that my older son has Asperger's, I suspect

I

> > may

> > > have some Aspie traits myself. My Aspie son does not have any

> > pectus

> > > abnormalities, but his little brother has pectus

> excavatum.

> > > is not on the spectrum as far as I know, but he had

> > > developmental delays as an infant and toddler, along with

> allergic

> > > colitis. He seems to be fairly well caught up now

> developmentally,

> > > but he has low muscle tone and hypermobile joints. He had

> > > plagiocephaly as a baby, with flattening on the sides of his

> head.

> > > It improved with craniosacral therapy, but he still has a

narrow

> > > forehead. When we look at old pictures of me at that age there

> is

> > a

> > > very strong resemblance.

> > >

> > > Though that might make a case for a genetic cause, I still

think

> > > vitamin D deficiency during gestation and early infancy might

> play

> > a

> > > role in pectus abnormalities. I was the second born child in

my

> > > family, like . I was born 2 years after my brother,

> > was

> > > born 2 1/2 years after his brother. I wonder if it is a matter

> of

> > > maternal vitamin stores being low during the second pregancy.

> > >

> > > In 's case the pectus excavatum was not visible until he

> was

> > > about a month old. I don't know when the pectus carinatum

> > developed

> > > for me.

> > >

> > > As far as low endurance. I have somewhat low muscle tone

myself

> > and

> > > I get winded pretty easily, but I don't exercise regularly. I

do

> > > have very poor posture. For some reason I feel like when I sit

> up

> > > straight I have to work harder to breathe. So I tend to round

my

> > > back and sit with my shoulders forward. How is your posture?

> > >

> > > I don't know if this helps or not, but let me know what you

think.

> > >

> > > Jen

> > > http://www.jstevens.wordpress.com

> > > http://www.healthybodyhealthyfamily.org

> > >

> >

>