Hello everyone,

I am new to this site and had some questions. My grandfather, uncles, an aunt and cousins have all passed from HD. With exception to my Aunt, everyone had symptoms and were diagnosed in their 20's, early 30's. My father passed away when he was 48 from cancer. He waited to have a family until he was in his 30's and figured that he didn't have HD. I am now 38 and have no symptoms, but I have a 9 year old daughter who has some vocal tics and has a few random motor tics. I was researching Tourette's and Chronic Tic Disorder and one article I ran across stated that some things had to be ruled out before other disorders could be classified. One of those was HD, which scared the hell out of me. I, like my father, assumed that I was not at risk, but now I question that. I know it is a giant leap from a tic to HD, but with my family history I had to take notice. Are there others out there that fealt you were no longer at risk and it turned out your relative passed before having symptoms and being diagnosed? I am ok with being tested for myself, but if I tested positive, I could not bare the fact that I may have given it to my daughter. Any advice, information? Thank you

My husbands grandmother was diagnosed with Parkinsons, but later changed to HD. She had three sons. Since there is a 50/50 chance with HD, you would think that the odds would be with one of them. The oldest and youngest son were diagnosed with HD, and have passed; one from pneumonia, and the other from esophageal cancer. The middle son was killed in a car wreck at the age of 31 without any diagnosis of HD. Son#1 had 2 sons, one has HD. Son # 3 had 1 son, also diagnosed with HD. And Son # 2 had 2 sons, 1 is into alcohol and drugs so no diagnoses yet, the other , my husband, was tested and diagnosed with HD at the age of 40, but was showing symptoms in his 30's. Within the extended family, there are 14 confirmed cases of HD, some diagnosed in their teens, others in their 40's. We truly had thought my husband had "escaped" this disease, but we were wrong.

It would be very hard not knowing what is going on with your family. Unfortunately, the only definitive way to know is to test. Your daughter's tic's could be a number of things, Tourettes, etc. At such an early onset, if it were JHD, it would likely have some other cognitive and motor symptoms. Your family's illness tends to onset earlier, and with you being 38 and asymptomatic, I would think it's more likely something else. Also your father asymptomatic until 48. We can't say "free and clear", but I do feel time is on your side, and you should explore other causes for your daughter's tics.

Good luck.
Patty