Alternatively, you may be reassured that you have escaped the malady present in your ancestors based on the inheritance pattern of the disease.For instance, if depression runs in your family and it took five attempts to get the correct prescription that finally helped your mother, find out which medications had unpleasant side effects and which one did the trick. Response to medications can also be an inherited tendency.So, if you discover that your relatives suffer from this disorder, keep a close eye on your teenagers and don’t delay in getting treatment at the first signs. The peak age of onset of this illness is in the 15-19 age range. Twenty-five to fifty percent of patients with bipolar disorder (manic depression) attempt suicide once, and 19% of manic-depressive patients die due to suicide.If realizing that adult-onset diabetes runs in your family gives you the incentive to improve your diet and adopt an exercise program, then these actions may delay the onset of the disease or prevent it altogether!.There is also a superb compendium of common genetic disorders, including a wealth of information on inheritance, treatment, and prevention.įollowing are examples of how Past Imperfect can play a significant role in not only your health, but the health of your entire family: She then does much of the legwork for you, by providing myriad phone numbers, addresses, and even websites in the appendices. Her examples of real-life families poignantly illustrate the value of undertaking this pursuit. Carol Daus’s expert advice ranges from hints on how to broach this potentially sensitive subject with your relatives to what information can be gleaned from cemeteries! Past Imperfect has the unusual distinction of being not only an excellent reference manual on both genetics and genealogy, but it is also a book that is interesting and enjoyable to sit down and read from start to finish. Past Imperfect is a step-by-step guide to the ins and outs of tracing your family medical history. A blood test can tell you if you are at an increased risk, and if you are, then you may want to have genetic testing during your pregnancy or choose other options for having children. If you have a similar history, you may have a 1 in 20 chance of having a child with birth defects and mental retardation. As a prenatal genetic counselor, I see many couples with a family history of multiple miscarriages. And in illnesses where heredity plays a larger role, awareness and early detection can have an enormous impact on the outcome.Īt the very least, if you research your family medical history, you will become aware of some potential problems and can prepare yourself to deal with them. In other words, lifestyle can shift the scales and determine whether or not a genetic propensity toward a disease will become a reality. Many disorders have a genetic component, over which you have no control, as well as an “environmental” element, in which you do have a say. The reality is that discovering your medical history can make a difference in your future. If unearthing your family medical history only made you aware of your ultimate fate, it would have limited value. Click below to purchase this book:Ĭhapter 1: Real People Facing Family Health DecisionsĬhapter 2: Your Family – Your Best ResourceĬhapter 3: Government Sources and StatisticsĪppendix A: National Archives and BranchesĪppendix C: Libraries with Excellent Genealogical CollectionsĪppendix D: Genealogical and Historical SocietiesĪppendix E: National Genetic Voluntary Organizations Knowledge is power, and knowing your family medical history can save your life. It's a "must read" for anyone who cares about their health or the health of their family. Past Imperfect features the names, addresses, and phone numbers of archives, genetic volunteer organizations, libraries, and genealogical societies from throughout the nation. And you'll be introduced to real people whose lives have been saved because of what they learned about their own family medical histories. You'll also see how easy it is to take advantage of recent scientific discoveries to prevent deadly diseases from striking you and your loved ones. In simple, easy-to-understand terms, Daus explains everything from how to interview your living relatives to how to find old medical records. Has anyone in your family ever suffered from depression? Alzheimer's? Breast cancer? Are you at risk? In Past Imperfect, author Carol Daus takes you step-by-step through the fascinating process of tracing your family medical history.
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