Popularly
called ALBINOs, are people with little or no colour. They appear white,
but in the real sense of it, they are neither fair nor dark, permit me
to say, they're 'colourless'.
These people aren't aliens. They are humans, born to humans, just like every other person.
. . .But what makes these guys look different from the rest of us?. . .
Before
I continue, need I say here that, fathers/husbands, please DO NOT
divorce your wife for giving birth to an albino, and DO NOT disown the
child, thinking s/he have been fathered by one 'Father Christmas'
somewhere.
Mothers,
you also aren't left out, DO NOT dislike the child for looking
different from the other kids around. IT'S NOT THE CHILD'S FAULT.
THEN WHOSE FAULT IS IT?
First of all, to let you know;
Albinism is a rare group of genetic disorders that cause the skin, hair, or eyes to have little or no colour.
WHAT CAUSES IT?
Albinism is caused by the improper production of melanin, the pigment that colours skin, hair and eyes.
In
albinism, cells that produce melanin do not work properly, and this is
as a result of inherited genetic mutations (faulty genes).
Melanin
is also involved in the development of the retina and nerve connections
between the retina and the brain, which is why most people with
albinism have vision problems.
There are a number of faulty genes that can cause albinism, and these are passed onto a child by their parents.
SO, PARENTS YOU ARE THE ACTUAL CAUSE, BUT IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT EITHER. . .
In most cases, albinism is passed on in what is known as an Autosomal Recessive inheritance pattern.
An
autosomal recessive condition means the child inherits two copies of
the faulty gene (one from the mother and one from the father) to have
the condition.
It
is estimated that about 1 in 70 people carry the faulty gene that
causes albinism. Carriers of the gene are not affected by the condition
and have a normal amount of melanin.
If
both parents carry the gene, there is a 1 in 4 chances that their child
will have albinism and a 1 in 2 chances they will be a carrier.
In view of this, parents, do not disown your very own child, s/he did not make his/her own genes. You yourself passed it on.
BOTTOM-LINE. . .
LOVE YOUR CHILD THE WAY S/HE IS.