2. The Balance Act: Motor Skill Deterioration in Sandhoff Disease
Sandhoff Disease presents another challenge in the form of motor skill deterioration. Picture a tightrope walker. Now imagine that the rope starts to shake unpredictably, throwing the walker off balance. That’s what it’s like for a person grappling with the loss of motor skills due to Sandhoff Disease.
Early on, this may manifest as a noticeable lack of coordination or an uncharacteristic clumsiness. Tasks that require fine motor skills, such as threading a needle or buttoning a shirt, may become increasingly challenging. There might be an unexplained struggle with tasks that require balance and coordination.
In toddlers, this symptom is particularly heart-rending as it often presents as a delay in reaching motor skill milestones. The joy of watching a child take their first steps or hold a spoon for the first time may be replaced by worry as these milestones are delayed or missed entirely. (2)
