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Is Diabetes Risk In Your Genes?

Some health problems that are connected to heredity follow fairly straightforward patterns of heritability. Other health conditions, while still connected to heredity; do not follow a predictable pattern. This can make things difficult for people who are charting their family medical history because when you find out that one or more relatives have a certain condition, you will not likely know right away whether it is a condition that follows a pattern or one that does not until you have a chance to ask a doctor or do a little research. Diabetes is one health condition that does not follow … Continue reading →

Genetics and Environment Affects Toddlers Sleep

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How well does your toddler, sleep? You may have heard it said that how well a toddler sleeps can be predicted by how well her parents slept when they were that age. Other theories point to the environment that the toddler is trying to sleep in. So, which is it, then? Is it something handed down through the family genetically, or something based on the situation? A new study reveals some interesting answers. Sleep is very important. Missing out on sleep can leave both adults, and children, lethargic and cranky. Parents who have toddlers who do not sleep well quickly … Continue reading →

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – Could It Be In Your Genes?

Sometimes, I like to joke around and say that I did not inherit the “clean gene” because housekeeping does not come naturally to me. While keeping a tidy home may be second nature for some people, I actually have to work pretty hard at it. Did you know that for the most part, your housekeeping behaviors are most likely influenced in large part by the home environment that you grew up in and not by genetics? For individuals that suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, however, the concept of the “clean gene” has some truth to it and it is no … Continue reading →

In the Genes?

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Last night my daughter was talking about how she wanted to be a mom someday. “But I’ll probably have to take medicine,” she said, making a face, “Because you have to take medicine and Grandma has to take medicine.” Looking back on it, I could have just said something like, “Different people may need different medicine at different times” and been done with it. But I said something that I thought would be reassuring for her, then wondered if maybe it wasn’t. What I said was, “Actually, you know what? Those are the kinds of things you get from genes, … Continue reading →

October: Adoption Blog Month in Review

In the adoption blogs for October you’ll find several series: one series on research on “how adopted children turn out” and the genes-vs.-environment question, one on giving back and how adoption makes the world seem a bit smaller, and one on single parent adoption. Media reviews included a workbook helping parents imagine what an inter-country move might be like for their child and think through related decisions. I also reviewed a wonderful resource for parents who think their child may have been exposed to alcohol prenatally. Another review was of an incredible story of an Ethiopian woman who runs two … Continue reading →

How Much is Genes, How Much is Environment?

A generation or two ago, adoptive parents (at least adoptive parents of infants) were told that their children were a blank slate. There would be no “embarrassing” sharing of medical or social information from the birth family; that was irrelevant. It would be as though the child was born to the family. Then science began to validate that many more illnesses than previously believed had genetic roots, and that many behavioral problems and mental illnesses had physical roots. Researchers began to study identical twins separated at birth, siblings raised with their birth families, and birth parents of children adopted at … Continue reading →

Study Suggests Fainting Runs in the Family

A new study suggests that fainting might run in families. There seems to be a genetic basis that influences whether or not a person is prone to fainting, (but it isn’t due to a “fainting gene”). Researchers came to this conclusion after studying twins. When I think about the concept of fainting being something that runs in a family, I think of the Victorian Era, and the corset. In the 1830’s, it was believed that a corset was a medical necessity. It was believed that women were fragile, and required the support that a corset can provide in order for … Continue reading →

Oetsi the “Iceman” Had Brown Eyes

Genetics and genealogy are two entirely separate fields of study that have begun to overlap in recent years. Scientists have been looking into the DNA of Oetzi the “Iceman”. It is pretty amazing what they could learn about him from his genes! Imagine how much could be learned about your ancestors through their DNA. Oetzi, who is also called “the Iceman”, is the name that was given to the 5,300 year old body that was found in 1991. He was found frozen in the Italian Alps. His name comes from the Otz valley portion of the Italian Apps that he … Continue reading →

Your Ancestor Might Have Been a Neanderthal

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If your family is somewhat unrefined, you may have joked that you descended from Neanderthals. It turns out that there is some truth to this concept after all. More and more, genealogy has been incorporating what has been learned about genetics, and the human genome, in order to determine family relationships. The scientific name for Neanderthals is Homo neanderthalensis. Modern humans have the scientific name Homo sapiens sapiens. Neanderthals were not the dumb, clumsy, cavemen that you might picture them as. They had the gene for language. They were able to produce music and art. The creation of their tools … Continue reading →

Understanding the Relationship Between Pets and Allergies

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Does your allergic child want a puppy? Can having a cat or dog in your house cause your baby to become allergic to animals? It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction when it comes to allergies, pets, and what is safest for your child. Before you decide to ban all animals from your home, forever, there are some things you should know about pet related allergies. There are many parents who will not consider getting a dog or cat until after their baby gets older. Some parents will hold off until their child is in preschool, or may … Continue reading →