Family History Snapshot: Pedigrees

1. Family History Snapshot: Pedigrees Rita Leone, RN, MSN, CMSRN

2. The Pedigree • Drawing of family tree • Aids in spotting patterns which may be helpful in diagnosing or managing an individual’s health • Specific symbols/”rules”

3. Why is Family History Important?

4. Sample Pedigree *National Society of Genetic Counselors website:www.nsgc.org

5. 1-2-3 Creating a Pedigree: Easy as • 1) Obtain info from family • 2) Draw basic outline • 3) Record info

6. Pedigrees: Keeping It Simple! • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wuk0W10EveU

7. Step 1: Obtaining Family History • Write list of all family members—including yourself • Grandparents • Parents • Children • Brothers/sisters • Aunts/uncles • Nieces/nephews • Cousins • Be respectful of privacy as health is sensitive topic

8. Step 1: What information is needed • Age/DOB • Date of death • Ethnicity/race/nationality • Medical Conditions • Include birth defects • Learning problems/mental retardation • For those with medical conditions… • Smoking, exercise, diet • Age of diagnosis

9. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree Symbols Used

10. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree • Start with yourself • Place yourself towards the bottom/middle of center of page as older generations will go above you

11. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree

12. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree • Draw siblings next to yourself • Older siblings on left, younger on right • Then draw vertical lines up from each sibling & connect vertical lines with horizontal line (sibship) *half-siblings to be added later

13. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree

14. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree • Draw your parentsabove yourself • Horizontal line connecting parents. Then draw a vertical line from horizontal line to your symbol (if only child) or sibship line • Horizontal line is relationship line. Draw diagonal line through line if divorced. If either parent has children with different partner, draw 2nd relationship line to other partner. Half siblings should have vertical line stemming from the new relationship line

15. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree

16. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree • Aunts/Uncles (parent’s siblings) are drawn next to them & connected with sibship line • OK to not include spouses of parents’ siblings to save space. When drawing cousins, connect their line of descent directly to their parent or to parents’ relationship line. Same for nieces & nephews

17. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree

18. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree • Draw maternal grandparents above your mother, or your mother’s sibship line. Connect grandparents with relationship line (if applicable) & draw line of descent to your mother or mother’s sibship line • Same for paternal grandparents (only above father’s square)

19. Step 2: Drawing Pedigree

20. Step 3: Record Info on Pedigree • Transfer family history info onto pedigree • Age/BD, date of death, medical conditions • Electronic formatting available/programs

21. Step 3: Putting it all together!

22. My Family Health Portrait • You can create your own personalized pedigree! • Enter your family health history. • Print your family health history to share with family or your health care worker. • Save your family health history so you can update it over time • https://familyhistory.hhs.gov/fhh-web/home.action

23. Discussion Questions • Why would a pedigree be useful to physician, nurse or genetic counselor? • What can be determined from looking @ the example pedigree? • If you were the physician or genetic counselor, what would you discuss with the family • Should all physicians be required to ask their patients about their family health history? • Why or why not?