Friedreich's ataxia

Friedreich’s ataxia is an inherited disorder of the nervous system. The disease causes certain nerve cells to deteriorate over time, resulting in progressive loss of voluntary muscular coordination. Many people with Friedreich’s ataxia also have heart disease. The heart may be enlarged or the heart muscle may become too thick. Heart rhythm abnormalities and heart failure may occur. 

Symptoms

Symptoms of Friedreich’s ataxia usually begin between ages 5 and 15 and may include:

• difficulty walking
• clumsy, shaking movements of arms and legs
• foot deformities
• loss of sensation (especially of vibration) in arms and legs
• abnormal speech
• muscle weakness
• cardiac symptoms (shortness of breath, rapid or irregular heartbeat, symptoms of heart failure

Additional resources:

www.ataxia.org
www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/friedreichs_ataxia/friedreichs_ataxia.htm