Morquio's Syndrome

Morquio’s Syndrome Pre-reading Webquest

Task: Complete the activities below independently. Title your page Morquio's Syndrome. Label each activity separately.

Morquio's syndrome: Mor·quio's syndrome [môr'kē-ōz', -kyôz] (n)

A hereditary disorder of mucopolysaccharide metabolism that is characterized by the presence of keratan sulfate in the urine and that results in short stature due to severe deformity of the spine and the thorax, long bones with irregular epiphyses, enlarged joints, flaccid ligaments, and a waddling gait. Also called Morquio's disease , Morquio-Ulrich disease , type IV mucopolysaccharidosis.

Activity 1: One of the recurring themes from the novel Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick, is how people can overcome challenges. Freak has a physical disability, Morquio’s Syndrome, but lives his life to the fullest. What is Morquio’s Syndrome? What types of treatments are there for children with Morquio’s Syndrome? (MPS IV) How long do the treatments last? Check out these websites for some answers. Write a paragraph explaining the symptoms, complications, and treatments for this syndrome.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001206.htm

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/morquio-syndrome/overview.html

Activity 2: Kevin did his best to overcome the crippling effects of the disease. Take a look at this website for children with chronic illnesses and the types of things they do to overcome what they’ve been through. Read at least two of their stories, and write a paragraph summarizing your findings. Summarize a story about a child you read about and how they’ve overcome or dealt with their illness.

http://www.morquio.com/stories.htm

Activity 3: Although Kevin is a strong person who remains upbeat about his condition, his medical problems aren’t the only thing he has to deal with. People around him are cruel – some purposely, others unintentionally. Visit the site below and write a summary about what kids with disabilities want others to know about them.

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/faculty/jfleitas/bandaides/reaction.html