ROLE OF GENETICS IN DEVELOPMENT AND ITS ASSOCIATED DISORDERS
Abstract
There are a number of factors which contribute to child development. But among them, genetic role has been proven to be the main factor. The genetic makeup of a child depends both on the genetic traits of the parents, male and female. Considering this sharing of genes between the two parents, the child usually end up adopting his or her traits from the parents. However, there are some traits which may result into disorders, genetic disorders. For instance, this paper has looked at one of the disorders associated with genetics, sickle cell anemia and how it results as well as its impacts.
Introduction
While it has not been possible for every single factor that contributes to a child development to be accounted, researchers have looked into and presented some apparent factors. These factors include genetics, experiences and relationships. By scrutinizing the roles played by each of these factors, researchers have been able to give an account of how they contribute to child development. These influences can therefore be thought of, as building blocks. And while many people have same building blocks, the components can be merged in an infinite ways. When considering a child’s development traits, the key question that comes in is how much of this process has been shaped by genetic background compared to lifetime experiences? Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Research on genetics has shown that the genetic content of a child plays a major role on such a child’s behavior and characteristics. Considering the aspect of conception, genetics have significant impacts on the fetal growth as well as development (Blumenthal, 2015). The content of the genetics is what affects the physically growth of a child more. Basically, the genes have trigger impacts which differ from one couple to another. Those triggers therefore determine the functioning of metabolic system of an infant. The difference in trigger impacts by different couple is the reason behind different development traits in children (Blumenthal, 2015).
Children usually inherit some genetic traits from their parents. In the case where the chromosomes contributed by the two parents have some abnormalities, the abnormalities are passed on to the offspring to cause what is referred to as genetic disorders. Chromosome abnormalities normally occur in different ways (Blumenthal, 2015). Mainly, they happen as a result of errors while cell division takes place as the sperm and egg are in the process of development, meiosis process. The process causes halving of the chromosomes so that each parent contributes 23 chromosomes to the pregnancy (Lage, Karlberg, Størling, Olason, Pedersen, Rigina, & Moreau, 2017). This implies that the fetus after fertilization takes place should have 46 chromosomes. If the process of meiosis does not properly take place, upon fertilization the baby could have extra chromosome or less. The resultant baby usually has genetic disorders.
Sickle cell disease, commonly known as sickle cell anemia is one of the major chromosomal disorder disease which has been a threat to human life for long. Sickle cell disease is a chromosomal disorder of the victims’ blood which comes as a result of inherited unusual hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a component of red blood cells responsible for suppling oxygen with the red blood cells (Serjeant & Serjeant, 2012). The abnormality of the red blood cells is associated with its sickle shape form and which makes them delicate and susceptible to rupture. The anemia condition is therefore as a result of reduced red blood cells as a result of rupture. Also, these sickled cells have the ability to block blood vessels, and lead to tissue and organ damage.
This disease is inherited in a form of autosomal recessive form. Meaning that, it can be transferred from the parent who is carrying it to both male and female children equally. However, studies have shown that for sickle cell gene to be passed to the offspring, both parents must contribute each, so that the child has two sickle cell genes (Serjeant & Serjeant, 2012). Otherwise, if its only one parent who contributes, the resulting condition is known as sickle cell trait and does not lead to a sickle cell anemia. People under this condition are just like any normal person. When two people with sickle cell trait mate, their offspring has high chances of being sickle cell anemic.
Conclusion
Generally, the paper has been able to look into several factors which contribute to growth and development of children, although putting more emphasis on genetics than the rest of the factors. Trigger impacts on the metabolic system of an infant have been depicted as the main cause of difference in development among different people. Also the paper has set it clear on the genetic disorders which are inherited from parents to children with an eye on the chromosomal abnormalities leading to these disorders. Through this paper, people are able to understand the reason behind some situations which are experienced in normal life situations. For instance, some myths have associated sickle cell anemia with evil powers. Especially considering the cases where one of the parents is associated with single cell anemia yet the offspring’s are normal. This is one of the doubts which have been set clear by this paper that for the impact to be felt both of the parents must be sickle cell anemic. However, further research is needed to scrutinize other factors which may have an impact in child development and growth.
References
Blumenthal, M. N. (2015). The role of genetics in the development of asthma and atopy. Current opinion in allergy and clinical immunology, 5(2), 141-145.
Lage, K., Karlberg, E. O., Størling, Z. M., Olason, P. I., Pedersen, A. G., Rigina, O., … & Moreau, Y. (2017). A human phenome-interactome network of protein complexes implicated in genetic disorders. Nature biotechnology, 25(3), 309.
Serjeant, G. R., & Serjeant, B. E. (2012). Sickle cell disease(Vol. 3). New York: Oxford university press.