In addition, they have problems in perceiving various sensations, such as pain and heat. One of the most striking manifestations is the inability to produce overflow tears with emotional crying. Severe eye problems are common because of the resulting dry eye and the absence of corneal response to foreign objects in the eye. Many infants have an abnormal suck at birth and feeding difficulties may persist, resulting in poor weight gain, as well as repeated pneumonia due to misdirected swallows. Forty percent of the children are prone to repeated attacks of vomiting.
Intelligence is usually normal.
Some individuals with FD complete college programs and can be expected to function independently if treatment is started early and major disabilities are avoided. Treatment has had a dramatic impact on improving the prognosis of this disorder. Some other important treatment methods have been the use of diazepam and chloral hydrate to control intractable vomiting attacks, and artificial tears to supplement decreased eye moisture. In addition, blood pressure regulation is enhanced by giving extra fluid and salt, physical therapy and an anti-inflammatory medication known as fludrocortisone. FD is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner and affects boys and girls equally.