Parkinson's Symptoms When Your Parent Has Parkinson's

Reputable sources like the Parkinson's Foundation, Michael J. Fox Foundation, and John Hopkins Medicine each state:

Only about 10 to 15 percent of Parkinson's disease cases are linked to genetics.

So if your mom or dad has Parkinson's, it means your chances of getting Parkinson's are in fact higher than people if you have non-diagnosed parents, but not by much.

Still, I worry about getting Parkinson's.

I'm 35 living with my dad who's living with Parkinson's. So in a way, I'm living with Parkinson's too.

I'm not here for wordplay, though.

The fact is I'm "a little more likely" to get Parkinson's by genetics of my dad. The fact is also, I'm "more than a little worried" about getting Parkinson's disease myself.

Today I'm trying to break down this worry into manageable parts. It's hard for me to determine which parts of my dad's behavior are "my dad" and which parts are "the Parkinson's".

How my genetics worry me about my chances

He's my dad. I'm his son. We are pretty similar in some ways, like personality traits, mannerisms, and expressive movements.

• Mannerisms - Small behaviors like facial expressions, , how we use our fork and knife at dinner.
• Personality - We're both creative, humorous, eccentric, and - I'll say it - we're both kinda selfish.
• Movements - We've both got long legs, and aren't very manly or athletic. It's just one more confirmation that I carry the genetics with Parkinson's.‍
• Symptoms - When I don't get enough sleep, drink too much coffee, and generally work too hard without getting enough rest or self-care, then sometimes I get minor hand tremors. Early Onset Parkinson's can happen really early. Please people who have Parkinson's often say they had symptoms far before their diagnosis.

How about you? Worry turns into a heavy burden over time.

If you're worried you're going to get Parkinson's because your parent has Parkinson's, try to break the worry down into parts like I have. At least in this way, you understand what's worrying you better.