CAH question

[Wohali]

I know LOCAH or late onset CAH exists where the person is not a salt loser. But do those with LOCAH still have an enlarged phalloclit? Do all with CAH have low cortisols? Have there ever been any girls with CAH salt losers from birth that didn't have large clits? Just trying to help a friend of mine determine if she might be IS.

[Betsy]

Hey Angela,

Unfortunately, the answers to all of your questions are "sometimes" Also, if your friend had the salt-losing variety of CAH and was undiagnosed, chances are she wouldn't be with us. The salt-losing part almost always requires medical intervention in the form of replacement steroids and without it, adrenal crisis usually comes within a couple of months and then death if untreated.

Even if there isn't the salt-losing aspect, without the replacement cortisols, the effect of the androgens would virilize and msuculinize her body rather quickly.

If it's locah, there may be an enlarged clitoris, or there may not be. It's not a universal effect. It's really dependent on how "severe" the CAH is and whether the adrenals produce some, a little, none...

I wish I had better answers. Maybe one of our members with LOCAH will share more about it.

Betsy