It usually affects children by interfering with their ability to metabolize cholesterol and other substances. The damage to the nervous system results in the ultimate deterioration of the body. They usually do not live into their teenage years. A genetic pediatric neurodegenerative disorder is an inherited disease which manifests at any time from birth through adolescence. Occasionally the onset occurs during adulthood.
Neurodegenerative disorders cause deterioration of the nervous system.
The progressive destruction of the nervous system affects all systems of the body and leads to early death. NP-C is an autosomal recessive disease. Both parents carry one copy of the abnormal gene without manifesting any sign of the disease. A child with NP-C inherits two copies of the abnormal gene. There is one chance in four that the child of two carriers will be affected with NP-C and one chance in two that the child will be a carrier.