NF Team.com

What is NF, really?
NEUROFIBROMATOSIS

NF (the common abbreviation for Neurofibromatosis) is a genetic disorder that is usually diagnosed in childhood. The term covers three distinct types: NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis.

NF not rare, in fact it is more prevalent than cystic fibrosis, hereditary muscular dystrophy, and Huntington's disease combined. It strikes one in every 3,000 births, and affects people of all races and ethnic origins throughout the world. Half of all cases occur as the result of a "spontaneous genetic mutation" in families with no history of the disorder. This means that anyone's next child could be born with NF.

NF causes tumors to form on nerves anywhere in the body, including the brain and spinal cord. It can lead to loss of vision and hearing, disfigurement, loss of limbs, skeletal defects, and various forms of cancer, including juvenile leukemia. Learning disabilities occur at a rate five to six times higher among children with NF than those in the general population. Half of all children with NF require special education. Many of these children also have speech and motor deficits, or psycho-social and behavioral problems, which require therapy. Individuals with NF have a higher incidence of stroke, structural heart defects, hypertension and other cardiovascular complications, which can affect even very young children.

It should be noted that individuals with NF are impacted differently and no one can accurately predict its severity. Some people are severely affected whereas others have no major health problems due to neurofibromatosis.

Please visit: www.CTF.org for more detailed information on the three different types of neurofibromatosis and the Children's Tumor Foundation.