What Is 22q Syndrome? Influencer Justin G Flooded With Well-Wishes After Being Hospitalized

A content creator who suffers from a genetic disorder known as 22q syndrome has been flooded with well-wishes after being hospitalized.

Justin Gigliotti from Boston—who goes by the name "Justin G" on social media, where he raises awareness about the rare condition—posted on Twitter late on Tuesday that he was in the emergency room after a possible seizure.

"I'd love to get tons of prayers from everyone all over the world using the hashtag #StayStrongJustin it make me feel so much better #22qStrong," Gigliotti wrote.

The post has been shared more than 1,100 times and received over 8,400 likes, while #StayStrongJustin has become a trending topic.

Many Twitter users sent Gigliotti messages, including Lisa Horne, who wrote: "Hey Justin! Please be well. You've got this! #StayStrongJustin."

Another Twitter user, Lorri Mack, posted: "I'm right by your side bud. I'll watch over you all night! Love you to the moon and back ..pls get better and get some rest #StayStrongJustin love u"

On his personal website, Gigliotti says his "mission" is to raise awareness of 22q because most people have not heard of the condition.

What Is 22q Syndrome?

22q11.2 deletion syndrome—also known as DiGeorge syndrome—is a disorder that occurs when a small part of chromosome 22 is missing, according to the Mayo Clinic. The missing piece leads to the poor development of several systems in the body.

Everyone has two copies of chromosome 22—one inherited from each parent. In patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, one copy is missing a section that contains between 30 and 40 genes.

The deletion of these genes usually occurs randomly either in the father's sperm or the mother's egg. It can also happen during the development of the fetus. In rare cases, a parent with the deletion, who may or may not have symptoms, can pass the condition to their child.

This deletion is estimated to occur in 1 in 2,000-4,000 live births. According to non-profit the 22q Family Foundation, however, this might be an underestimate because many physicians are not familiar with the condition.

The estimated figure would mean the disorder is almost as common as Down syndrome. Despite this, people with 22q are sometimes not diagnosed until their late teens or even adulthood.

Among the medical issues associated with the syndrome are heart defects, poor immune system function, a cleft palate and complications related to low levels of calcium in the blood, as well as delayed development characterized by behavioral and emotional problems.

The type and severity of symptoms vary significantly between patients, but most require treatment from specialists.

Uncommon Knowledge

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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