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Living with Congenital lactic acidosis, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean type

A rare mitochondrial condition with long-lasting acid build-up, low muscle tone, facial differences and delayed development.

Understanding Congenital lactic acidosis, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean type

Congenital lactic acidosis, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean type, is a rare degenerative mitochondrial disease.

It involves long-lasting acid build-up in the blood (metabolic acidosis), low muscle tone, facial differences and delayed development. It starts in newborns and infants. Episodes of illness can occur.

Signs & symptoms

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

  • Low muscle tone (hypotonia)
  • Global developmental delay
  • Slow weight gain (failure to thrive)
  • Poor coordination (ataxia)
  • Seizures
  • Stroke-like episodes

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, eye disease specialists, genetic specialists and seizure and epilepsy specialists.

  3. Consider genetic testing

    Changes in LRPPRC 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

    Epilepsy Foundation, United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation and MitoAction may keep lists of experts for this condition.

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Eye disease specialists (ophthalmologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists); Seizure and epilepsy specialists (epileptologist)
Expert care
Expert lists: Epilepsy Foundation, United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, MitoAction
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 Epilepsy Foundation 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
Should we have genetic testing for the LRPPRC gene?
How should acid build-up and illness episodes be managed?
How should the heart and liver be monitored?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startNewborn and as an Infant
InheritanceAutosomal Recessive, Mitochondrial
GenesLRPPRC

Changes in the LRPPRC gene are listed. GARD lists autosomal recessive and mitochondrial inheritance.

GeneticNeurologicalInherited MetabolicMitochondrial

Also known as: congenital lactic acidosis saguenay-lac-saint-jean type; cox deficiency, french canadian type; cox deficiency, french-canadian type; cytochrome c oxidase deficiency french-canadian type; cytochrome c oxidase deficiency, french canadian type; cytochrome c oxidase deficiency, french-canadian type

Patient organizations

Source: NIH GARD · Congenital lactic acidosis, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean typeGARD ID 8370 · 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 Congenital lactic acidosis, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean type.

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