Living with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA) is difficult but manageable. With effort they can live close to a normal life. However there are health precautions the need to follow and it can cause children to develop motor skills slower. Some of these difficulties are:

 

 

1) Teething- Teething is a main issue in children with CIPA. Like normal babies they want to chew on everything insight including their fingers. If you want feel pain there is the possibility of biting fingers off or at least severe cuts. In severe cases they have teeth removed and when their adult teeth grow in they will know better. This causes the problem that at that time children are learning to eat hard foods and they will develop behind.

 

 

2) Hunger- This also has to do with developing behind. People with CIPA can feel hunger pains. Children won’t want to eat because eating feels like an unnecessary task and they can end up starving themselves.

 

 

3) Eye Injuries/Irritation- Babies often rub their eyes. Their is a risk of rubbing too hard and damaging eyes. Some children wear protective eyewear and others have special medicines.

 

 

4) Joint Damage- This is difficult issue for people with CIPA. They are also prone to joint damage. When you're in an uncomfortable position you adjust to take the stress from that part of the body. with CIPA you can feel these discomfort so you can easily over work joints and muscles.

 

The fifth is the probably the most dangerous and affects their life the most. According to Katie Lambert “One of the biggest dangers for a child with CIPA is overheating. The "A" part of CIPA stands for anhidrosis -- the inability to sweat. Sweating is important -- it's a way for your body to regulate its temperature.” If it is too hot or you exercise and over heat then you can't sweat to cool off. This can lead to seizures or death. People with CIPA have to stay in a climate if under 60 degrees. Children often keep their teddy bear or other stuffed animal in a freezer to keep them cool.

 

Overcoming these 5 things can be difficult but not impossible.