Not all neurologists are familiar with the disease. Though a family physician is not likely to have much experience with HD, that physician should remain involved in ongoing care and treatment. The person with HD and family members play a critical role in monitoring and assessing the effectiveness of any care and treatment. It is also helpful to consult a physician or occupational therapist and a speech therapist so that strategies that can have a positive and lasting impact on the quality of life can be implemented early. People with HD require an unusually high number of calories to maintain their body weight.
Nutritional supplements can help and a nutritionist can offer other valuable suggestions.
The mutual support given and the knowledge shared are the reasons that many find HD support groups to be an important part of their lives . Support groups are located in many countries. The key to better treatments and an eventual cure for HD is research. There have been several exiting breakthroughs in recent years, notably the HD gene discovery of 1993. Research is under way to determine how these substances combine to cause the symptoms of HD, and to find ways of stopping this interaction as a possible means of treatment.