ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Progressive disease

Okay, so let's pretend that you have a toy car that's getting broken more and more every day. At first, it might only have a tiny scratch or two, but over time, it slowly gets more and more damaged. That's kind of like what happens with a progressive disease.

When someone has a progressive disease, it means that their body is slowly getting worse and worse over time. Just like the toy car, at first, it might not be obvious that anything is wrong, but eventually, the damage becomes more apparent.

There are lots of different types of progressive diseases, but some examples include things like Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or some kinds of cancer. As the disease progresses, it can cause more and more damage to the body, and sometimes, it can even make it hard for someone to do things they used to do easily, like walking or talking.

So, in summary, a progressive disease means that the body is slowly getting worse and worse over time, just like a toy car getting more and more damaged every day. It can be really tough to deal with, but doctors and other healthcare professionals can work with patients to help manage symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease as much as possible.