By Claire Moodie.
What Jess Jackson lacks in size, she more than makes up for with inner strength.
The 11-year-old, from the southern Perth suburb of Baldivis, is small for her age. In fact she is as light as the average six-year-old because of a mystery condition that has baffled doctors for years.
She was born with multiple medical problems that have twice required cranio-facial surgery. The first time the entire back of her skull was removed.
But doctors have not been able to diagnose her rare condition.
Now her case has been taken up by a new panel of specialists in Western Australia, brought together to tackle undiagnosed, complex diseases.
Director of the Undiagnosed Diseases Program, clinical geneticist, Gareth Baynam, says a diagnosis would allow Jess’s treatment to be targeted.
“If we can say ‘look, it’s this particular condition and it’s due to this particular gene change’, from that new knowledge we can then say there’s a drug that we didn’t think about before,” Dr Baynam said.
190,000 West Australians affected by rare diseases
Doctors say the approach makes economic sense. Rare diseases only affect 6 to 8 per cent of Australia’s population, but their cost to the health system is believed to be at least three times higher.
Rare diseases are defined as conditions that are usually genetic in origin and affect fewer than one in 2,000 people.
They have been identified as a public health priority because they collectively affect up to 190,000 West Australians, including 63,000 children.
Top Comments
I can't imagine how hard it must be to have a disease that's so rare that no one can diagnose it. I've got a disease that only 1 in 100,000 - 200,000 people has (achalasia for anyone taking notes), and while I was lucky and was diagnosed the afternoon of presenting to the ED for the first time, I know of other people, mostly in the US who were undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for years and years. Lots of them were sent to psychologists or psychiatrists and told that they were bulimic or anorexic and that it was all in their head. I would have gone absolutely spare if someone had told me that the reason I was throwing up 80% of my meals was because I had a mental illness when I knew full well that there was a physical issue.
I wish all of these people the very best and hope that they can receive a correct diagnosis, and even better, treatment for whatever they have.
I saw the ABC TV item, and it referred to cosmetic surgery for Jess. Note for Jess's mum: they should go easy! She is an absolutely beautiful child. A stunner, and she has an amazing voice. Make sure the surgeons don't aim for "correcting" to "standard" looks.