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Living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease axonal type 2O

A rare inherited nerve condition starting in early childhood with slowly worsening leg weakness and delayed motor skills.

Understanding Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease axonal type 2O

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease axonal type 2O is a rare, inherited type of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease that starts in early childhood.

It causes slowly worsening weakness and wasting of the lower legs, delayed motor development, varying loss of feeling, and high foot arches. Nerve signals travel at normal or near-normal speeds. Some people also have proximal weakness, joint stiffness, scoliosis, thinking differences, or muscle stiffness.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Delayed motor skills
  • Weakness in hands and feet
  • Loss of feeling in hands and feet
  • High-arched feet (pes cavus)
  • Reduced reflexes
  • Frequent falls

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists and genetic specialists.

  3. Consider genetic testing

    Changes in DYNC1H1 are linked to this condition. Genetic testing and counseling can help confirm a diagnosis and explain what it means for your family.

  4. Connect with expert centers

    The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy may keep lists of experts for this condition.

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
Expert care
Expert lists: The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with DYNC1H1 Association and other patient organizations
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
Can DYNC1H1 genetic testing confirm the diagnosis?
What therapy can help with motor skills and falls?
Should learning or development be checked?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startChild
InheritanceAutosomal Dominant
GenesDYNC1H1

Changes in the DYNC1H1 gene cause this condition. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant way, so one changed copy of the gene can cause it.

GeneticNeurological

Also known as: autosomal dominant axonal charcot-marie-tooth disease type 2o; autosomal dominant charcot-marie-tooth disease type 2o; charcot-marie-tooth disease caused by mutation in dync1h1; charcot-marie-tooth disease, axonal, autosomal dominant, type 2o; charcot-marie-tooth disease, axonal, type 20; charcot-marie-tooth neuropathy axonal type 2o

Patient organizations

Source: NIH GARD · Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease axonal type 2OGARD ID 12434 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease axonal type 2O.

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