Osteogenesis Imperfecta Essay

Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or the imperfect formation of bones, also called brittle bone disease, is a bone disease that causes bones to break from mild trauma or no apparent reason. Evidence states, that this bone breaking disease has been around since ancient times, the first case was observed in an Egyptian infant mummy from 1000 B.C.. Another case was seen in a very fierce strong leader in around the 9th century, Ivar Ragnarsson, Ivar the Boneless, had to be carried into battle on a shield because of his soft legs. The condition got its name in about the early 1840s. in the 20th century this case was recognized as a disease that people are born with rather than catching it later on.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta is not a disease you can run from, its

Doctors not only use signs and systems to determine if a person has OI, they preform genetic

testing to confirm it. Some symptoms but not all of OI are bone deformity, pain, low bone density, short stature, hearing loss, loose joints, ligament laxity and muscle weakness, and brittle teeth. These symptoms can differ in many different ways and have no distinct way to determine. In severe cases, early deaths have occurred.

While OI can be managed, there is no way to cure or prevent this genetic disorder. Ways OI can be treated or managed is through fracture care, physical therapy, safe exercise, surgeries, medicines and a healthy life style. There is so way to prevent OI, other than simply not having a child if you know you carry the disorder, but you can take some precautions to lessen the nightmares of OI. Some precautions to take with sufferers of OI are using caution with IV insertion, not pulling on limbs or bones, handling babies with caution, and dispensing medication based on size not age of shorter adults with OI.

Finally, here are some unknown facts, statistics and additional information about OI.

1. This is a lifelong