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Why a Medical Family Tree?

Over the last decade, medical science has made great strides in understanding the human body and all the mysteries. While it has been long accepted that physical traits such as eye color, facial characteristics, etc. are inherited, it has been recently discovered that these characteristics are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what is passed from generation to generation. Some illnesses or biological accidents such as hemophilia or being born an albino have long been recognized as being genetic in nature. Recent research indicates that aspects of personality and a propensity for certain diseases run in families. Among the diseases which have a genetic component include breast cancer, small cell lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, several forms of color blindness, leukemia and lymphoma, epilepsy, susceptibility to coronary artery disease, sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs syndrome, and at least one form of Alzheimer’s. A propensity to alcoholism and drug addiction, schizophrenia, kleptomania, and other aspects of human behavior often considered questionable, wrong or downright sinful may also be based in a person’s heredity. Therefore, it is extremely important to ask questions concerning both the physical and mental health of your ancestors and even your living relatives. You should make every effort to find out and document the following:

1. What disease (or diseases) killed each of your ancestors? Be as specific as possible and find out the symptoms just in case the ailment was misdiagnosed.

2. What illnesses or ailments are suffered by members of your family? Common answers to this inquiry may include arthritis or rheumatism and diabetes. Be certain to find out how many family members have been afflicted and how long they have suffered. Also, ask about complications and related health problems people have suffered due to their illnesses.

3. Has anyone in your family suffered from emotional or mental problems such as depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Was s/he institutionalized for the problem? Find out the details of the illness including symptoms. This is an especially troublesome area to ask people about. Many people are especially squemish when it come to questions of mental health. Quirky relatives are not a favorite subject for discussion. But the knowledge is important both for you and future generations. Be sure to give your word to your source that under absolutely no circumstance will you use the information to hurt the informant or any other person and keep it.

4. Who were the "characters" in your family? What made them stand out in the collective memory of the family? What was their health like? Were they plagued with any physical or mental ailments? If so, what were they? Find out all the details you can.