Parry Romberg Syndrome is a Rare Autoimmune Disorder

A story of a girl with Parry Romberg Syndrome, reported by CNN, attracted the attention of those who are not familiar with the disease. The girl, 11-year-old Christine Honeycutt, seemed to age faster than the other. In 2008, two and a half years after the line first appeared on Christine’s face, a geneticist who specializes in facial deformities finally diagnosed her with Parry Romberg syndrome, an extremely rare autoimmune disorder that affects roughly one in a million people.

Parry-Romberg syndrome, also known as progressive facial hemiatrophy, was first identified in the early 1800s. It usually starts in childhood and gets worse with time, and it seems to be more common in girls. (Although Christine was diagnosed by a geneticist, the condition does not appear to be inherited.) In addition to the distinctive atrophy that occurs on one side of a patient’s face, it can also cause seizures and other neurological problems.

As yet, there is no cure for Parry-Romberg syndrome, CNN reported, nor are there any treatments for the disorder outside of reconstructive surgery.