Q: What is the likelihood that my child will have RA, if I have RA?
like Ellen said, it's impossible to say. However, given your family history and your own experience with the disease, should your daughter develop symptoms of RA, it's more likely that she will be diagnosed and treated quickly, which increases the chances of her joints not developing the same kind of damage they might otherwise.
There can be an increased risk but I can't tell you how much. In my family, my mother's mother had it but only one of her 3 children (my aunt). My aunt had 3 children, and only one of her children got it (my cousin a year older than me). My mother didn't have it, but I have it, however none of my four sisters has it (though two have other rheumatological conditions...). So - it can even skip generations. Of course, I'm concerned about my one daughter...
The most important thing is to be aware of the possibility, and let your children know (when they're old enough and on their own) of the risk because that way, it might be picked up earlier if they begin to have problems. Family history is helpful, but it doesn't guarantee anything either way.
Hi RA Mother,
RA is a mystery to researchers for whatever reason. They don't know what causes it but will throw that "linked to genetics" subtitle in wherever they can. Can it be? I believe it is. Doctor call it the "Heredity factor."
From all my research over the years, I have learned that it is more likely to be passed from woman to woman.
As a result of this, I am 3rd generation. Grandma and Ma had it. No one in my family can tell me anything about great Grandma. However, my 2 aunts do not have it and only one of my female cousins has. There are several men in the family and none of them have it including all my 4 brothers.
As you said in your posting, i think it would be a good idea to keep an eye out for symptoms. There is a possibility of it skipping a generation. However, no need to have her tested before symptoms start because aside from the RA factor, the other criteria depends on symptoms. But since your family did not keep you in the loop, I would give your daughter the education she needs about RA and MS issues and the family history. No need for her not to know what is going on. There are too many ways to get the information we all need nowadays to leave anyone in the dark. My mother started educating me when she saw my symptoms. Way back then word of mouth was about all we had.
I wish you well and will send positive thoughts for your daughter.
Ronie
Thank you all for your responses. My daughter has more of an education regarding RA than most. She is 14, and the one that told me about this website, She saw an interview on the Weather Channel with Deborah Norville. She came down stairs after getting ready for school one morning last week and told me about this woman who had lost her mother due to RA complications and started this webcast. I asked her if that bothered her and if it made her worry, but she said no, but that I should check out the website and see what it had to offer. Since I had RA for many years before I had her, she has grown up with it and seen me fight it her entire life. She knows all about the drugs and the side effects, thanks to the television commercials. One morning I had an appointment with me Rheumatologist to start me on Enbrel. I didn't sat much to her about it, only that I had to go to the hospital where my doctor was, for the first shot. I kissed her good bye at school and went on my way. Nervous, because Enbrel was still in it's early stages of trials and not knowing quite what to expect. I picked her up from school that afternoon and as she approached my car I could see joy and relief on her face as she ran towards my car. I got out and she flew into my arms. It was then I knew that she had seen a commercial an tv and heard the warning that Enbrel might cause death! I was mortified that she had kept it to herself, but even more ashamed for not sharing more information with her. She was only in 2nd or 3rd grade. We cried and laughed and hugged. I have never kept her out of the loop since. I give her all of the facts about everything.
No matter how we might want to keep our kids on an as needed to know basis, we have to remember that they have information at their fingertips at all times.
The enbrel failed, I had a major reaction to it 4 weeks later, as I got of the steroids I was on I found out I was allergic and broke out in hives head to toe. I had been on everything the docs threw at me before that point, and all medications failed. I finally gave up. I now see a wonderful Ostoepathic doctor weekly for manipulations, which helps me with my pain and sleep issues. I take my anti inflammatories and I have pain medication on hand for when it gets real bad. My hands are gnarly, as well as my feet. But you know...at least I don't feel sick from the medications anymore. I still flare, fight fatigue, and nausea, and deal with pain on a daily basis but, I no longer live in quiet fear that my meds are giong to kill me.
My daughter once wrote a paper on me a couple of years ago entitled "My Mom, My Hero" She wrote an eloquent informative piece, and educated every child and adult in that room about auto immune disorders, and the effect it has not only on the hosts body, but the family as well....My Daughter, My Hero!
Thank you all again, and thank you to my daughter for leading me to you all.
Ally
I was diagnosed with RA in 1994. I was asked by my doc if anyone in my family had been diagnosed with this disease. The kicker of it all is, NO, no one in my family has RA. I was then told that RA is usually not hereditary, my RA was blamed on my occupation. I had been a master barber since the late 80's, and my doc told me my RA was caused from repitious movement day after day. Standing and cutting hair for 10 hours a day. I have one son, fixing to be 27 y/o in Dec. He hasn't had symptoms as of yet, but his job requirement is staying on the computer 8 hrs plus everyday.
I have started having pain in my arms, wrist, and neck, and scheduled for a MRI in a week or so. Neurologist thinks it mat be corpul tunnel. This has raised a red flag with him. So i do wonder if what my doc told me is correct. Is RA hereditary?
I pray everyday that my daughter does not start to show symptoms, but if she does, I have more information to help her deal with it than I ever had. My last rheumatologist was the Dean of Rheumatology at UMASS Medical Center. She was as good as they come, but she never once said anything about passing it on to my daughter. I guess they really don't know. There does appear to be a hereditary factor, then I talk to people like you that say there was none in their family. So, that gives me hope for my daughter. Thank you for taking the time to tell me your story. All of you, thank you.
Hi all,
Like Kellnlisa there is no history of RA in my family at all. I was formally diagnosed at 2 years old and had a very difficult childhood and adolescence from it, being in and out of wheelchairs/hospitals/new trial drugs etc etc. I am incredibly lucky however that I didn't develop any permanent physical deformities from it, aside from having to monitor low bone density and am now told that due to my RA being of such a volatile nature from such a young age I should not suffer any extreme flare ups again and only have the chronic but relatively mild effects (touch wood). Im now 25 and thinking of children and so of course I am concerned about my children having RA. My rheumatologist has assured me that there is not much of a risk that any children I have will develop it as according to her there is no familial link. Im still not entirely convinced that there isn't but she is the one with a medical degree and 30 odd years experience and for most of my life has been pretty spot on. So I guess all I and anyone else in my position can do is learn all we can, make our choices, go with it and deal with whatever happens when and if it happens.
xx
If you have RA and your spouse does not the chances that your child will inherit the susceptibility - there is no such thing as inheriting the disorder - will be about 50-50. Whether or not a person with inherited susceptibility gets the condition is dependent on the environment, the other things happening in his or her life. That is also true of other genetic predispositions, like breast cancer.
There is a good explanation at the 'arthritis alternatives' website.
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my age is 38 female. i am suffering from Ra after my daughters birth. it is severe now. can my daughter now age 25 get the same disorders and Ar. what is test and precautions to be used by me to safeguard my daughter from RA. What are the symptoms and tests and treatment.
my age is 38 female. i am suffering from Ra after my daughters birth. it is severe now. can my daughter now age 25 get the same disorders and Ar. what is test and precautions to be used by me to safeguard my daughter from RA. What are the symptoms and tests and treatment.
My paternal Great Grandmother had RA, and one of my paternal Aunts have RA. I was officially diagonosed on 3/7/11 with RA. My mother's family does not have it, and as far as I know, there are no other members of my Dad's family who have RA.
You know what to watch for with your daughter...Catch it early and treat it early and she has a good chance at normalcy.
T
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Thank you Ellen, I have had RA for 20 years+ . I have 3 half sisters on my father's side, and sister on my mother's side, all have RA. Prior to this I had a great Aunt that had MS. My daughter's grandfather on her father's side had RA, don't know who else might have had it for they all passed away.
It would seem that my daughter has it coming at her from both sides of her DNA.
When I got pregnant for her 14 years ago, my rheumatologist never said anything about the risks of passing it on. Back then they hadn't identified any genetic links. All I was ever told was that it seems to run in some families, but then sometimes it comes out of nowhere. So, they didn't think it was genetic, but now we know differently.