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Conditions

Moebius Syndrome

Moebius Syndrome

Moebius syndrome is a rare condition that affects the 6th and 7th cranial nerves, resulting in paralysis of the muscles that control face and eye movements. This means that those affected by Moebius syndrome are unable to move their face: they cannot smile, frown, suck or blink.

Besides a lack of facial expression, other symptoms of Moebius syndrome include problems with feeding and swallowing, crossed eyes, drooling, and hearing and speech impairment. The disorder is present from birth but, due to its rarity, it is not always diagnosed straight away. It is thought that there are only 200 cases in the UK. The cause of Moebius syndrome is currently unknown, although research is being undertaken to establish whether it could be genetic.

There is no cure for Moebius syndrome, although some of the symptoms may be treated. Crossed eyes, for example, may be corrected with surgery and physiotherapy and speech therapy can be beneficial in improving coordination, communication and ability to eat. Around 30% of those with Moebius syndrome are on the autistic spectrum. Life expectancy is not affected by the disorder and support groups exist for those who are affected.

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My name is Christine, and sometimes I have a problem with my speech which is slurred, and I walk into things as if I am drunk, and I am in need to go to bed and sleep, then when I wake the next morning i do not remember anything and I am fine, this frequently happens and I have been under the hospital and they cannot find anything wrong, I do not drink alcohol and have well balanced diet, (and when I am having one of these attacks I am argumentative with my husband) I am now getting concerned re this, can you please help. Which would be much appreciated.





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i have a numbing sensaition to the right side of my face however it feels like when at the dentist and anesthetic is given it feels like the final stage of wearing off i am 64 years of age





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Hi, Does it come and go? Does it help to massage your face? you may have a blocked salivary duct? your GP can refer you for a sialogram which will identify if there is a problem.

my son is 9 months old and has moebius syndrome, i was a bit shocked that this was on "embarrasing bodies" as there is no way i would ever be embarrassed about the way my son looks. Jake is an inspiration and i hope my son can fulfil everything he wants to do in life just like jake did. I am on all the moebius sites and have recently met up with a family where her son has moebius syndrome and it really helps to talk to people!





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Hi my name is Tamsin, I am 24 and apparently I live in the same area as Jake does. I have Mobius Sydrome too..and would like to meet others like me - I didn't see this episode sadly but a friend told me tonight about Jake.





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My little boy Isaac has Moebius Syndrome . He was diagnosed at 8 months. It was a difficult time but this was made easier through the support of the Moebius Research Trust. The online forum provided much needed support and advice and I would strongly recommend a visit to their site if you need any help. Many thanks for promoting this rare condition.





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My younger son, now 13, has Moebius syndrome. When he was younger it left him feeling, at times, like a defective person. Through loving, caring and nurturing him he has grown to like his Moebius. My other son, now 15, has Autism. There is a connection between the two, in my heart I know that. Please be encouraged through this article and the experiences of those with Moebius Syndrome. Catch us on www.facebook.com under the group name Moebius Friends 2. There you will find a lot of information from it's members and more importantly great support!





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My name is Chris and i have Moebious Syndrome. I would like to take this oppotunity to thank channel 4 and to Jake for raising Moebious Syndrome to the public. Throughout my childhood i have had meny high's and low's in my young life. Lots of operations on my left hand to reconstruct a finger into a thumb and make 3 fingers. In 1997 i underwent a pioneering operation to transplant nerves and muscles from under my arm pit into my face to enable me to smile. This operation peformed by Dr Harrison and his team who have now been trained by him to proform this type of surgery today in the UK and worldwide.. This has given me much confidence in life. Since then i have managed to pass my driving test first time and compleate my life long dream of driving a single seat F1 car at silverstone. But none of this would not been possible without the help and support of my family who i love so dearly.. To those of you who have Moebious Syndrome and are reading this. Do not let it ruin your life as you have seen by Jake's story and read my story life is most definatly worth living..





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I would like to thank Channel 4 and Jake for bringing Moebius syndrome to the attention of the public. Our son was born with the condition 5 years ago and we knew nothing of the condition until he was diagnosed at 2 years old. Having struggled with feeding from birth, to find out that he had Moebius really helped us deal with the things he found hard such as sucking drinks. Hopefully the information on the programme will help people be more understanding. The support groups Sue mentioned are also great and really helped following the diagnosis of our son.





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Our beautiful daughter has Moebius and Hanhart Syndrome. We are greatful for Chanel 4 and for Jake who have taken the time and brave step to raise the profile of Moebius Syndrome. Was it also by chance that 'club foot' and 'Ponsetti' treatment were also shown in this episode as 'club foot' is also a common feature of Moebius Syndrome. Hopefully this raised profile will help promote greater knowledge and understanding of the condition, and help and support all those affected by Moebius. There is a support group in the U.K. Moebius Research Trust, a large number of the group met up in August 2010 in Birmingham. Just ordinary people getting together to mutually help and support each other. Young babies, children, teenagers and adults all came together, to inspire and share an experience of life with Moebius. There is also in the U.S.A. Many Faces of Moebius Syndrome are support group who are promoting Moebius Awaremess Day to promote the condition Worldwide. We hope you find the information useful, particularly if you have a baby or child and are looking for help and support.





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