Are there any genetic links between hirschsprung's disease and other bowel disorders?

Perhaps: Hirshsprung's disease may itself be genetic. It can also be associatedwith other genetic conditions;e.g., it occurs more commonly in Down syndrome individuals. Ther may also be a positive family history of other bowel disorders. Best to see a geneticist and give a detailed family history.

Difficult to say: Hirschsprung's disease is a absence of nerve cells in the intestine that results in unopposed contraction of the affected gut and hence obstruction causing constipation. Hirschsprung's may be part of a larger spectrum of intestinal diseases. We have not discovered all the facts yet. We are working on it.

Cong. associations: Most associations are related to other congenital abnormalities of bowel. Anal atresia and ileal atresia are atresias of bowel that may have intrauterine ischemic events associated with them and coexist with Hirschsprung disease. Down syndrome has all of these bowel abnormalities increased in incidence over general population.