Where does a child’s ichthyosis come from

Where does a child’s ichthyosis come from if no family members across generations suffer from it?

Many people are confused why a child gets ichthyosis despite no recorded cases among generations of paternal and maternal relatives. This is mostly attributed to recessive inheritance and spontaneous gene mutation.

First, recessive inheritance. The lack of ichthyosis symptoms in family members does not mean no one carries the disease-causing genes. If each parent carries one pathogenic gene copy, they stay completely healthy or only have extremely mild, unnoticeable symptoms. When the child inherits two pathogenic genes from both parents, they will develop the disease with obvious symptoms.

Second, gene mutation. Accidental spontaneous genetic mutations take place in the early embryonic development of the fetus. Parents with normal genes and blank family medical histories can still have affected children.

There is also acquired ichthyosis induced by certain illnesses or medications in later life, which is not hereditary.

Therefore, children may develop ichthyosis even with a disease-free family history. It is advisable to consult professional dermatologists for proper treatment of ichthyosis. If you are plagued by ichthyosis, you may turn to dermatologists of Zhangjian Therapy for consultation.