Educational Media Reviews Online

This video provides a basic introduction to the causes, symptoms, and treatments of four genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, and Huntington’s disease. The narrator begins the video by describing the basic process of genetics at the outset of the video to provide the viewer with a context on the role and work of both dominant and recessive genes. The explanation is scientific enough to maintain integrity, but is simple enough to not get lost in the technical biological and chemical functions of the body. Each disorder is further highlighted with a personal narrative. The gives a human face to the disorder, and relates how each person has come to terms with the disorder as well as the treatments the person goes through in order to live a fairly normal life. A brief explanation of the symptoms provides a greater understanding as to the effects of each disorder.

The first three disorders: cystic fibrosis, sickle cell, and hemophilia are described as resulting from recessive, or double genes. Huntington’s disease is described as resulting from dominant, or a single gene. The narrator notes that screening for, diagnosis of, and treatment for genetic disorder continues to develop as researchers continue to make inroads to understanding genetics. will be useful for a middle or high school health education class, or as a general library resource.