Working With a Progeria Patient Nurses see it all. It's a pretty safe bet there is not much one can do to shock a nurse. There is, however, one condition that most nurses will most likely never see, and it is called progeria. What is Progeria? The technical name for this condition is Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, but it's more commonly referred to as progeria. This condition is extremely rare, and sadly it is also fatal. This disease is caused by the mutation gene that holds the nucleus of a cell together. Progeria accelerates aging very drastically in children. Born with a normal appearance, within two years a child with this condition shows prominent symptoms. Related: Patients with Photodermatitis
Caring for a Progeria Patient A nurse gives a summary of her 7 years caring for a young man with Progeria. “I was hired to work as a private nurse for Jake, a 3 year old that was the most adorable child I'd ever seen. Jake had just turned 3, and had all the energy of a normal 3 year old boy. He was diagnosed 6 months prior with progenies, and his parents wanted to secure medical care for him while they worked. At first glance, I found Jake to look good, other than a slight sign of being underweight, or so it appeared. The fact was, Jake was already experiencing bone determination, and it gave the appearance of being emaciated. Our first 3 months together were more like a nanny-child relationship; he had very limited medical problems. It was in the 4th month that I went to bathe Jake, and noticed his hair falling out, literally in clumps. I examined him that night, and could see obvious signs of the disease progressing. The following week, as I read to Jake, he jumped up from his bed to grab a book, and fell to the floor in pain. At 4 years of age, Jake had broken his hip due to osteoporosis. 3 weeks after surgery, Jake returned home, a little weak, but doing ok. I started to see what this condition does first hand. This beautiful little 4 year old wanted to run, jump and play. Yet, here he was, confined to bed, with a sore hip, and aching bones and joints.