Children of The Dark, Xp

I resiliently watched, a true drama called children of the dark. It’s about a rare genetic disorder. A family living with the disorder, Xeroderma Pigmentosum. (XP) Which means these two children in the true drama, can not be exposed to daylight. I had never heard of this before, and it intrigued me. I watched this drama, with tears in my eyes all the way till the end I found it a very moving story.

The story out line.

The true story starts, when the family are on a picnic. One of the little girls, is complaining her arm is hurting, her mother has a look and, finds her daughters arm was scolded. After a medical examination, the problem is diagnosed and the out look is not good. Both the girls have been, diagnosed with XP. The two girls must now live the rest of their lives in darkened rooms, or risk skin cancer, blindness, and even mental problems. The girls can no longer play out in daylight, so they spend their days in doors, and play out at night. With the life style that the family have to lead, society had branded them freaks, and the family face anger, and agony. The search for a cure is dashed, and they must struggle to find a place where they can live in safety and finely be accepted by society.

This got me thinking what is Xeroderma Pigmentosum?

XP is a rare genetic disorder, that causes extreme sensitivity, to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Unless someone with XP is protected from the sunlight, the results are very unconformable, and painful, for the suffer their skin and eyes could be severely damaged.

What are the symptoms?

1 An unusually severe sunburn. This usually occurs during a child’s first sun exposure.

2 Many freckles develop at a young age.

3 Irregular dark spots on the skin.

4 Thin skin.

5 Rough surfaced growths.

6Eye’s that become sensitive, irritated, bloodshot, and clouded because of the sun.

7 Blistering.

8 Premature ageing.

9 Crusting skin.

10 Spidery blood vessels.

11 Oozing raw skin surface.

12 Scaly skin.

13 Limited growth of hair on chest and legs.

What are the causes of XP?

Ultraviolet light, damages the DNA in cells, and disrupts normal cell functioning. DNA with in our genes, contains all coded information, needed to direct, cell functions. Two factors combine to cause the abnormalities in XP.

Image via Wikipedia

Number 1.

A person inherits traits from each parent which, when combined lead to an unusual, sensitivity to damaging effects of ultraviolet light.

Image via Wikipedia

Number 2

Exposure to the sun, which contains ultraviolet light, and leads to changes in the skin and eyes.

Image via Wikipedia

In XP the DNA repair system dose not function properly. As a result, un-repaired DNA damage builds and causes cancerous, cell changes or cell death.

Is there a treatment?

Managing the condition by reducing exposure to the sun is the safest form of treatment so far. A full cover up from head to toe in protective clothing, and sun glasses need to be worn if going out side in the daylight sometimes it is necessary to do this, as you will see in the video.

Parents with children that suffer from this condition I have a strong admiration for. The children themselves have taken their life style in there stride, an amazing achievement for just a child. I hope one day there is a cure for XP.