About Fanconi Anemia

FA is sometimes evident at birth, but because it is a rare condition, it may not be detected until later in childhood. The following symptoms are common among FA patients:
- Hand and arm anomalies: misshapen, missing or extra thumbs and/or incompletely developed or missing arm bones
- Skeletal anomalies of the hips, spine, or ribs
- Kidney problems, including missing or horseshoe kidney
- Skin discolorations
- Small head or eyes
- Mental retardation or learning disabilities
- Low birth weight
- Gastrointestinal difficulties
- Small reproductive organs in males (most FA individuals are infertile)
- Defects in tissues separating chambers of the heart