Brighter Days Video

MeCP2 Duplication: Rare or Common?

MECP2 and Stress
8 November 2009 For some time, researchers at McGill Univeristy have been doing interesting research on stress in mice. Michael Meaney, Moische Szyf, and others at McGill have shown that stressed mother mice treat their babies differently and this stresses the babies, but the surprising thing is that the babies grow up to respond excessively to stress, as a result this second generation of mothers also become stressed mothers, whose behavior then stresses their babies and thus stress is transmitted from generation to generation.

H1N1 + MECP2 = ?
4 November 2009 – About H1N1 and MECP2 Many parents of individuals with MECP2 Duplication naturally have been concerned about the H1N1 virus because most who have MECP2 Duplication have weak immune systems and are very vulnerable to respiratory infections. There isn’t much information available, but here are some bits of information. Of course, this is not intended as medical advice, and individuals and families are, of course, advised to get individual medical advise from their own doctors. Vaccination Our son, David, received the H1N1 vaccine eight days ago and the regular flu vaccine about two w

Is all autism related to the MECP2 Gene?
29 October 2009 – The relationship between MECP2 Duplication syndrome, Rett Syndrome, and autism appears to be a complex one.  Boys with MECP2 Duplication syndrome and girls with Rett syndrome clearly have autistic features associated with atypical MECP2 genetics. In some other cases of autism, atypical MECP2 genes also seem to be implicated. It has generally been believed, however, that most autism was not related to the MECP2 gene or its expression. An article in  a recent edition of the

Maintaining Walking: Speculations
I need to start this post with two disclaimers: Although we are delighted that our son can still walk independently at age 19 in spite of MECP2 Duplication syndrome, we can’t take credit for this. Like most parents, we do the best we can for our son, but we know that much of this is out of our hands. We can’t take credit for his successes, and we try not to blame ourselves when things don’t go so well. My thoughts that I am sharing below are only speculations, based on my own limited knowledge and experience. Families and professionals working with children or adults with MECP2 duplication syndrome are welcome to consider them as hypothe

Medical Fragility & Pandemic Planning
This post may be disturbing to some readers, but the implications of the H1N1 pandemic for children and adults with MECP2 Duplication Syndrome, who are epileptic, or who are otherwise medically fragile. The current concern about the H1N1 pandemic is a difficult topic for families of children with MECP2 Duplication Syndrome or other disabilities associated with medical fragility.  Families who are already challenged  with significant health needs on a daily basis may have difficulty even thinking about the potential complications of a pandemic. Although this is a difficult topic, it is a topic that needs to be carefully considered. Although the H1N1 virus has not