What Are The Possible Symptoms Of Turner Syndrome?

Turner syndrome seems to be caused by a partially or completely missing X chromosome. This means that it should only affect females. It can result in several medical issues and developmental problems. Many of these can be physically visible. Some patients are diagnosed before they are born. However, some cases may only be diagnosed during the patient's infancy or early childhood.

Growth hormone therapy for Turner syndrome appears to be fairly important. Estrogen therapy for Turner syndrome looks to be vital for patients to start puberty. Turner syndrome treatment, in general, is quite important. Patients may need a wide range of doctors on their treatment team. Developmental therapists for Turner syndrome are likely among them. Patients may also need a cardiologist, endocrinologist, and an orthopedist for Turner syndrome, among others. This team may change over time as their symptoms can as well.

Low-Set Ears

It appears that Turner syndrome patients often have low-set ears. They should be present from the individual's birth. In fact, they may even lead to a doctor diagnosing this condition in the patient's infancy. Besides being low-set, the ears of individuals with Turner syndrome seems to be fairly prominent as well. They may stick outward rather than stay flat again the patient's head.

Patients may also deal with middle ear infections more often. The bones in their ear may not vibrate the way they should. This appears to cause them to be at a higher risk of hearing loss than individuals without this condition. This loss may also be the result of their nerves progressively losing their function. Patients may be able to hear normally when they are born because of this, but it may not stay at the same level.

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Jaw And Palate Abnormalities

Jaw and palate abnormalities also seem to be a common symptom of Turner syndrome. Individuals with this condition may have a narrow and high palate. They could also deal with an unusually small or receding lower jaw. These abnormalities may mean that they will have issues with their tooth development. This could be why Turner syndrome patients often seem to have a misaligned bite. It may also be part of the reason why they are at a higher risk of tooth decay.

Patients also appear to have several other issues with their dental health. This can include enamel that is too thin and roots that are too short. Individuals also seem to have mouths crowded with adult teeth, not enough dentin, and smaller teeth. This can mean that they need teeth more often, or they develop periodontal disease.

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Slow Growth

Many Turner syndrome patients seem to experience slow growth. If this is actually the case, it may start to appear during their infancy. However, it appears that it is likely to continue throughout their childhood. This can result in most patients being shorter in stature than individuals without this condition. It appears to be linked to problems with the short-stature homeobox (SHOX) gene. In fact, some evidence seems to claim that issues with this gene are among the main causes of Turner syndrome. Missing an X chromosome from this gene may have significant effects on the individual's skeletal development, hence their slow growth and short stature. Their growth appears to decline fairly quickly between the ages of two and four.

Turner syndrome patients do not seem to lack growth hormone. However, their bodies do not appear to use it efficiently. This may be another reason why they experience slow growth and short stature. It could also be why when they receive hormone therapy, that they can see a significant increase in their growth.

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Wide Neck

Individuals with this condition may have a weblike or wide neck. This appears to occur in approximately thirty percent of patients. The webbing may begin at the sides of their neck. It seems likely to extend to their shoulders. The folds of skin can resemble an amphibian's hands, which may be why many individuals call this symptom a webbed neck. The patient's hairline may reach a low part of the back of their neck. This appears to be in contrast to normal, where the hairline ends on the back of the head.

Patients do not seem to experience issues directly because of their neck. However, this symptom may also be accompanied by bone abnormalities. Should this be the case, it can trigger issues with the patient's skeletal structure. It is also worth noting that a webbed or wide neck does not look too good. This may cause self-esteem issues and anxieties for patients in the future.

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Short Toes And Fingers

Short toes and fingers appear to occur often for individuals with Turner syndrome. The nails on both may be narrower than average as well. They may also turn upward. Patients may also deal with swelling in the hands and feet at birth and through infancy. The short fingers and toes may be connected to the patient's slow growth and skeletal abnormalities. It may be possible to treat this symptom with synthetic growth hormone. However, the timing of the treatment seems to be vital here. If patients do not receive treatment before their growth plates have closed, it is not likely to work. X-rays may assist with this.