What is progeria?
Q: What is progeria?
A: Progeria is a very rare genetic disorder in which children born with the condition show symptoms of aging, such as skin wrinkles and grey hair or baldness.
Q: Where does the word progeria come from?
A: The word progeria comes from the Greek words "pro" (πρό), meaning "before" or "premature", and "gēras" (γῆρας), meaning "old age".
Q: How common is progeria?
A: Progeria is very rare, occurring in only 1 child in every 8 million live births.
Q: How long do people with progeria usually live?
A: People with progeria typically only live to their mid teens to early twenties.
Q: Is it possible for people with progeria to have children?
A: It is rarely inherited, as people with the condition do not usually live long enough to have children.
Q: Who first described progeria?
A: Progeria was first described in 1886 by Jonathan Hutchinson and independently in 1897 by Hastings Gilford. The condition was later named Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome.
