By ,
Published January 14, 2015
A 10-year-old Salem boy is suffering from a rare genetic disorder that is causing a deadly cholesterol overload in some of his internal organs, it is reported by the Statesman Journal.
Bryan and Laura Hadley were told their 10-year-old son Peyton suffers from Niemann-Pick Type C, a disease that is believed to affect just 200 people, it is reported.
The condition interferes with Peyton's ability to metabolize cholesterol, causing harmful amounts to accumulate in his spleen, liver and brain, and leading to neurological deterioration.
The result of the disease, referred to as "childhood Alzheimer's", is an enlarged spleen and liver, poor muscle control, impaired eye movements, slurred speech and dementia, according to the report.
It is a fatal condition for which there is no cure and no treatment options.
The Hadleys fear their daughter, Kayla, 7, also has it and are awaiting DNA test results. Their youngest son, Jonah, 5, was born before Peyton was diagnosed. He is being tested and currently has no symptoms, it is reported.
Click here to read more on this story from the Statesman Journal.
https://www.foxnews.com/story/oregon-boy-10-suffering-from-deadly-childhood-alzheimers