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Children are most commonly identified with Aicardi syndrome before the age of five months. A significant number of girls are products of normal births and seem to be developing normally until around the age of three months, when they begin to have infantile spasms. The onset of infantile spasms at this age is due to closure of the final neural synapses in the brain, a stage of normal brain development. A number of tumors have been reported in association with Aicardi syndrome: choroid plexus papilloma (the most common), medulloblastoma, gastric hyperplastic polyps, rectal polyps, soft palate benign teratoma, hepatoblastoma, parapharyngeal embryonal cell cancer, limb angiosarcoma and scalp lipoma.
Aicardi syndrome is a rare genetic malformation syndrome characterized by the partial or complete absence of a key structure in the brain called the corpus callosum, the presence of retinal abnormalities, and seizures in the form of infantile spasms. Aicardi syndrome is theorized to be caused by a defect on the X chromosome as it has thus far only been observed in girls or in boys with Klinefelter syndrome. Confirmation of this theory awaits the discovery of a causative gene. Symptoms typically appear before a baby reaches about 5 months of age.
The classical triad of symptoms that defines 3C syndrome includes certain heart defects, hypoplasia (underdevelopment) of the cerebellum, and cranial dysmorphisms, which can take various forms. The heart defects and cranial dysmorphisms are heterogeneous in individuals who are all classed as having Ritscher-Schinzel syndrome.
Heart defects commonly seen with Ritscher-Schinzel syndrome are associated with the endocardial cushion and are the most important factor in determining a diagnosis. The mitral valve and tricuspid valve of the heart can be malformed, the atrioventricular canal can be complete instead of developing into the interatrial septum and interventricular septum, and conotruncal heart defects, which include tetralogy of Fallot, double outlet right ventricle, transposition of the great vessels, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Aortic stenosis and pulmonary stenosis have also been associated with 3C syndrome.
The cranial dysmorphisms associated with 3C syndrome are heterogeneous and include a degree of macrocephaly, a large anterior fontanel, a particularly prominent occiput and forehead, ocular hypertelorism (wide-set eyes), slanted palpebral fissures, cleft palate, a depressed nasal bridge, cleft palate with associated bifid uvula, low-set ears, micrognathia (an abnormally small jaw), brachycephaly (flattened head), and ocular coloboma. Low-set ears are the most common cranial dysmorphism seen in 3C syndrome, and ocular coloboma is the least common of the non-concurrent symptoms (cleft lip co-occurring with cleft palate is the least common).
Cranial dysplasias associated with 3C syndrome are also reflected in the brain. Besides the cerebellar hypoplasia, cysts are commonly found in the posterior cranial fossa, the ventricles and the cisterna magna are dilated/enlarged, and Dandy-Walker malformation is present. These are reflected in the developmental delays typical of the disease. 75% of children with 3C syndrome have Dandy-Walker malformation and hydrocephalus.
Signs and symptoms in other body systems are also associated with 3C syndrome. In the skeletal system, ribs may be absent, and hemivertebrae, syndactyly (fusion of fingers together), and clinodactyly (curvature of the fifth finger) may be present. In the GI and genitourinary systems, anal atresia, hypospadia (misplaced urethra), and hydronephrosis may exist. Adrenal hypoplasia and growth hormone deficiency are associated endocrine consequences of Ritscher-Schinzel syndrome. Some immunodeficiency has also been reported in connection with 3C syndrome.
Many children with the disorder die as infants due to severe congenital heart disease. The proband of Ritscher and Schinzel's original study was still alive at the age of 21.
A fetus with 3C syndrome may have an umbilical cord with one umbilical artery instead of two.
People with Down syndrome may have some or all of these physical characteristics: a small chin, slanted eyes, poor muscle tone, a flat nasal bridge, a single crease of the palm, and a protruding tongue due to a small mouth and relatively large tongue. These airway changes lead to obstructive sleep apnea in around half of those with Down syndrome. Other common features include: a flat and wide face, a short neck, excessive joint flexibility, extra space between big toe and second toe, abnormal patterns on the fingertips and short fingers. Instability of the atlantoaxial joint occurs in about 20% and may lead to spinal cord injury in 1–2%. Hip dislocations may occur without trauma in up to a third of people with Down syndrome.
Growth in height is slower, resulting in adults who tend to have short stature—the average height for men is 154 cm (5 ft 1 in) and for women is 142 cm (4 ft 8 in). Individuals with Down syndrome are at increased risk for obesity as they age. Growth charts have been developed specifically for children with Down syndrome.
Hearing and vision disorders occur in more than half of people with Down syndrome.
Vision problems occur in 38 to 80%. Between 20 and 50% have strabismus, in which the two eyes do not move together. Cataracts (cloudiness of the lens of the eye) occur in 15%, and may be present at birth. Keratoconus (a thin, cone-shaped cornea) and glaucoma (increased eye pressure) are also more common, as are refractive errors requiring glasses or contacts. Brushfield spots (small white or grayish/brown spots on the outer part of the iris) are present in 38 to 85% of individuals.
Hearing problems are found in 50–90% of children with Down syndrome. This is often the result of otitis media with effusion which occurs in 50–70% and chronic ear infections which occur in 40 to 60%. Ear infections often begin in the first year of life and are partly due to poor eustachian tube function. Excessive ear wax can also cause hearing loss due to obstruction of the outer ear canal. Even a mild degree of hearing loss can have negative consequences for speech, language understanding, and academics. Additionally, it is important to rule out hearing loss as a factor in social and cognitive deterioration. Age-related hearing loss of the sensorineural type occurs at a much earlier age and affects 10–70% of people with Down syndrome.
The following is a list of symptoms that have been associated with Roberts syndrome:
- Bilateral Symmetric Tetraphocomelia- a birth defect in which the hands and feet are attached to shortened arms and legs
- Prenatal Growth Retardation
- Hypomelia (Hypoplasia)- the incomplete development of a tissue or organ; less drastic than aplasia, which is no development at all
- Oligodactyly- fewer than normal number of fingers or toes
- Thumb Aplasia- the absence of a thumb
- Syndactyly- condition in which two or more fingers (or toes) are joined together; the joining can involve the bones or just the skin between the fingers
- Clinodactyly- curving of the fifth finger (little finger) towards the fourth finger (ring finger) due to the underdevelopment of the middle bone in the fifth finger
- Elbow/Knee Flexion Contractures- an inability to fully straighten the arm or leg
- Cleft Lip- the presence of one or two vertical fissures in the upper lip; can be on one side (unilateral) or on both sides (bilateral)
- Cleft Palate- opening in the roof of the mouth
- Premaxillary Protrusion- upper part of the mouth sticks out farther than the lower part of the mouth
- Micrognathia- small chin
- Microbrachycephaly- smaller than normal head size
- Malar Hypoplasia- underdevelopment of the cheek bones
- Downslanting Palpebral Fissures- the outer corners of the eyes point downwards
- Ocular Hypertelorism- unusually wide-set eyes
- Exophthalmos- a protruding eyeball
- Corneal Clouding- clouding of the front-most part of the eye
- Hypoplastic Nasal Alae- narrowing of the nostrils that can decrease the width of the nasal base
- Beaked Nose- a nose with a prominent bridge that gives it the appearance of being curved
- Ear Malformations
- Intellectual disability
- Encephalocele (only in severe cases)- rare defect of the neural tube characterized by sac-like protrusions of the brain
Mortality is high among those severely affected by Roberts syndrome; however, mildly affected individuals may survive to adulthood
3C syndrome, also known as CCC dysplasia, Craniocerebellocardiac dysplasia or Ritscher–Schinzel syndrome, is a rare condition, whose symptoms include heart defects, cerebellar hypoplasia, and cranial dysmorphism. It was first described in the medical literature in 1987 by Ritscher and Schinzel, for whom the disorder is sometimes named.
The most common symptoms of Williams syndrome are heart defects and unusual facial features. Other symptoms include failure to gain weight appropriately in infancy (failure to thrive) and low muscle tone. Individuals with Williams syndrome tend to have widely spaced teeth, a long philtrum, and a flattened nasal bridge.
Most individuals with Williams syndrome are highly verbal relative to their IQ, and are overly sociable, having what has been described as a "cocktail party" type personality. Individuals with WS hyperfocus on the eyes of others in social engagements.
Of those fetuses that do survive to gestation and subsequent birth, common abnormalities may include:
- Nervous system
- Intellectual disability and motor disorder
- Microcephaly
- Holoprosencephaly (failure of the forebrain to divide properly).
- Structural eye defects, including microphthalmia, Peters' anomaly, cataract, iris or fundus (coloboma), retinal dysplasia or retinal detachment, sensory nystagmus, cortical visual loss, and optic nerve hypoplasia
- Meningomyelocele (a spinal defect)
- Musculoskeletal and cutaneous
- Polydactyly (extra digits)
- Cyclopia
- Proboscis
- Congenital trigger digits
- Low-set ears
- Prominent heel
- Deformed feet known as rocker-bottom feet
- Omphalocele (abdominal defect)
- Abnormal palm pattern
- Overlapping of fingers over thumb
- Cutis aplasia (missing portion of the skin/hair)
- Cleft palate
- Urogenital
- Abnormal genitalia
- Kidney defects
- Other
- Heart defects (ventricular septal defect) (Patent Ductus Arteriosus)
- Dextrocardia
- Single umbilical artery
West syndrome appears in 1% to 5% of infants with Down syndrome. This form of epilepsy is relatively difficult to treat in children who do not have the chromosomal abnormalities involved in Down syndrome. However, in children with Down syndrome, the syndrome is often far more mild, and the children often react better to medication. The German Down Syndrom InfoCenter noted in 2003 that what was normally a serious epilepsy was in such cases often a relatively benign one.
EEG records for children with Down syndrome are often more symmetrical with fewer unusual findings. Although not all children can become entirely free from attacks with medication, children with Down syndrome are less likely to go on to develop Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or other forms of epilepsy than those without additional hereditary material on the 21st chromosome. The reason why it is easier to treat children with Down syndrome is not known.
If, however, a child with Down syndrome has seizures that are difficult to control, the child should be accessed for autistic spectrum disorder.
Apart from craniosynostosis, it has been suggested that hearing loss, and learning difficulties are common in Muenke syndrome. According to Ulster Medical Journal, most individuals with Muenke syndrome may have limb findings. The most common ocular finding in Muenke syndrome is strabismus as studied by Agochukwu and his researching team.
Malpuech syndrome is congenital, being apparent at birth. It is characterized by a feature known as facial clefting. Observed and noted in the initial description of the syndrome as a cleft lip and palate, facial clefting is identified by clefts in the bones, muscles and tissues of the face, including the lips and palate. The forms of cleft lip and palate typically seen with Malpuech syndrome are midline (down the middle of the lip and palate) or bilateral (affecting both sides of the mouth and palate). Facial clefting generally encompasses a wide range of severity, ranging from minor anomalies such as a (split) uvula, to a cleft lip and palate, to major developmental and structural defects of the facial bones and soft tissues. Clefting of the lip and palate occurs during embryogenesis. Additional facial and ortho-dental anomalies that have been described with the syndrome include: hypertelorism (unusually wide-set eyes, sometimes reported as telecanthus), narrow palpebral fissures (the separation between the upper and lower eyelids) and ptosis (drooping) of the eyelids, frontal bossing (prominent eyebrow ridge) with synophris, highly arched eyebrows, wide nasal root and a flattened nasal tip, malar hypoplasia (underdeveloped upper cheek bone), micrognathia (an undersized lower jaw), and prominent incisors. Auditory anomalies include an enlarged ear ridge, and hearing impairment associated with congenital otitis media (or "glue ear", inflammation of the middle ear) and sensorineural hearing loss.
Another feature identified with Malpuech syndrome is a caudal appendage. A caudal appendage is a congenital outgrowth stemming from the coccyx (tailbone). Present in many non-human animal species as a typical tail, this feature when seen in an infant has been described as a "human tail". This was observed by Guion-Almeida (1995) in three individuals from Brazil. The appendage on X-rays variously appeared as a prominent protrusion of the coccyx. On a physical examination, the appendage resembles a nodule-like stub of an animal tail.
Deficiencies such as mental retardation, learning disability, growth retardation and developmental delay are common. Psychiatric manifestations that have been reported with the syndrome include psychotic behavior, obsessive–compulsive disorder, loss of inhibition, hyperactivity, aggression, fear of physical contact, and compulsive actions like echolalia (repeating the words spoken by another person). Neuromuscular tics have also been noted.
Urogenital abnormalities, or those affecting the urinary and reproductive systems, are common with the syndrome. Malpuech et al. (1983) and Kerstjens-Frederikse et al. (2005) reported variously in affected males a micropenis, hypospadias (a congenital mislocation of the urinary meatus), cryptorchidism ( or undescended testes), bifid (split) and underdeveloped scrotum, and an obstructive urethral valve. An affected boy was also reported by Reardon et al. (2001) with left renal agenesis, an enlarged and downwardly displaced right kidney, cryptorchidism and a shawl scrotum. Other malformations that have been noted with the syndrome are omphalocele and an umbilical hernia.
Congenital abnormalities of the heart have also been observed with Malpuech syndrome. From a healthy Japanese couple, Chinen and Naritomi (1995) described the sixth child who had features consistent with the disorder. This two-month-old male infant was also affected by cardiac anomalies including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and ventricular septal defect. The opening in the ductus arteriosus associated with PDA had been surgically repaired in the infant at 38 days of age. A number of minor skeletal aberrations were also reported in the infant, including wormian bones at the lambdoid sutures.
Perlman syndrome shares clinical overlaps with other overgrowth disorders, with similarities to Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome and Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome having been particularly emphasized in scientific study. Similarities with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome include polyhydramnios, macrosomia, nephromegaly and hypoglycaemia. It is the distinctive facial dysmorphology of Perlman, including deep-set eyes, depressed nasal bridge, everted upper lip, and macrocephaly which allows the two conditions to be distinguished from one another. Diagnosis of Perlman syndrome also overlaps with other disorders associated with Wilms tumor, namely, Sotos syndrome and Weaver syndrome.
If a cause presents itself, the syndrome is referred to as "symptomatic" West syndrome, as the attacks manifest as a symptom of another problem. Almost any cause of brain damage could be associated, and these are divided into prenatal, perinatal, and post-natal. The following is a partial list:
- In around one third of the children, there is evidence of a profound organic disorder of the brain. This includes:
- microcephaly
- cortical dysplasia
- cerebral atrophy
- lissencephaly
- bacterial meningitis
- phakomatoses (e.g. tuberous sclerosis)
- Aicardi syndrome
- cephalhematoma and
- vascular malformation.
- Furthermore, other causes increasingly being named in the literature are:
- Incontinentia pigmenti
- Foix-Chavany-Marie syndrome
- Patau syndrome (trisomy 13)
- Sturge-Weber syndrome
- neurometabolic diseases
- congential infections (e.g. Cytomegalovirus)
- hypoglycemia
- brain damage due to asphyxiation or hypoxia (lack of oxygen, e.g. during birth), periventricular leukomalacia, cephalhematoma, cerebrovascular accident or brain damage of various types as well as that caused by premature birth.
Little is known about the natural history of Roberts syndrome due to its wide clinical variability. The prognosis of the disease depends on the malformations, as the severity of the malformations correlates with survival. The cause of death for most fatalities of Roberts syndrome have not been reported; however, five deaths were reportedly due to infection.
The following are observations that have been made in individuals with cytogenetic findings of PCS/HR or ESCO2 mutations:
- The symptom of prenatal growth retardation is the most common finding and can be moderate to severe. Postnatal growth retardation can also be moderate to severe and correlates with the degree of severity of limb and craniofacial malformations.
- In limb malformations, the upper limbs are typically more severely affected than the lower limbs. There have been many cases of only upper limb malformation.
- In hand malformations, the thumb is most often affected, followed by the fifth finger (the little finger). In severe cases, the patient may only have three fingers and in rare cases only one.
- In craniofacial malformations, mildly affected individuals will have no abnormalities of the palate. The most severely affected will have a fronto-ethmoid-nasal-maxillary encephalocele.
- The severity of limb malformations and craniofacial malformations is correlated.
- Other abnormalities can occur in different parts of the body, including:
- Heart- atrial septal defects, ventricular septal defects, patent ductus arteriosus
- Kidneys- polycystic kidney, horseshoe kidney
- Male Genitals- enlarged penis, cryptorchidism
- Female Genitals- enlarged clitoris
- Hair- sparse, silvery-blonde scalp hair
- Cranial Nerve Paralysis, Moyamoya disease, Stroke, Intellectual disability
People with Aarskog-Scott syndrome often have distinctive facial features, such as widely spaced eyes (hypertelorism), a small nose, a long area between the nose and mouth (philtrum), and a widow's peak hairline. They frequently have mild to moderate short stature during childhood, but their growth usually catches up with that of their peers during puberty. Hand abnormalities are common in this syndrome and include short fingers (brachydactyly), curved pinky fingers (fifth finger clinodactyly), webbing of the skin between some fingers (cutaneous syndactyly), and a single crease across the palm. Other abnormalities in people with Aarskog-Scott syndrome include heart defects and a split in the upper lip (cleft lip) with or without an opening in the roof of the mouth (cleft palate).
Most males with Aarskog-Scott syndrome have a shawl scrotum, in which the scrotum surrounds the penis instead of hanging below. Less often, they have undescended testes (cryptorchidism) or a soft out-pouching around the belly-button (umbilical hernia) or in the lower abdomen (inguinal hernia).
The intellectual development of people with Aarskog-Scott syndrome varies widely. Some may have mild learning and behavior problems, while others have normal intelligence. In rare cases, severe intellectual disability has been reported.
Many people with this disorder have a premature fusion of skull bones along the coronal suture. Not every case has had craniosynostosis however. Other parts of the skull may be malformed as well. This will usually cause an abnormally shaped head, wide-set eyes, low set ears and flattened cheekbones in these patients. About 5 percent of affected individuals have an enlarged head (macrocephaly). There may also be associated hearing loss in 10-33% of cases and it is important for affected individuals to have hearing tests to check on the possibility of a problem. They can lose about 33-100% of hearing.
Most people with this condition have normal intellect, but developmental delay and learning disabilities are possible. The signs and symptoms of Muenke syndrome vary among affected people, and some findings overlap with those seen in other craniosynostosis syndromes. Between 6 percent and 7 percent of people with the gene mutation associated with Muenke syndrome do not have any of the characteristic features of the disorder.
The earliest observable symptoms of Williams syndrome include low birth weight, failure to thrive, trouble breastfeeding, nocturnal irritability and gastroesophageal reflux. Facial dysmorphies thought to be characteristic of the syndrome are also present early in development, as is heart murmur. Research on the development of the syndrome suggest that congenital heart disease is typically present at an early age, often at the infant's first pediatric appointment. Heart problems in infancy often lead to the initial diagnosis of Williams syndrome.
Developmental delays are present in most cases of Williams syndrome, and include delay of language abilities and delayed motor skill development. Individuals with Williams syndrome develop language abilities quite late relative to other children, with the child's first word often occurring as late as three years of age. Language abilities are often observed to be deficient until adolescence, in terms of semantics, morphology, and phonology, though not in vocabulary.
Williams syndrome is also marked by a delay in development of motor skills. Infants with Williams develop the ability to lift their heads and sit without support months later than typically developing children. These delays continue into childhood, where patients with Williams syndrome are delayed in learning to walk. In young children, the observed motor delay is around five to six months, though some research suggests that children with Williams syndrome have a delay in development that becomes more extreme with age. Children with motor delays as a result of Williams syndrome are particularly behind in development of coordination, fine motor skills such as writing and drawing, response time, and strength and dexterity of the arms. Impaired motor ability persists (and possibly worsens) as children with Williams syndrome reach adolescence.
Adults and adolescents with Williams syndrome typically achieve a below-average height and weight, compared with non-affected populations. As individuals with Williams syndrome age, they frequently develop joint limitations and hypertonia, or abnormally increased muscle tone. Hypertension, gastrointestinal problems, and genitourinary symptoms often persist into adulthood, as well as cardiovascular problems. Adults with Williams syndrome are typically limited in their ability to live independently or work in competitive employment settings, but this developmental impairment is attributed more to psychological symptoms than physiological problems.
Perlman syndrome (PS) (also called renal hamartomas, nephroblastomatosis and fetal gigantism) is a rare overgrowth disorder present at birth. It is characterized by polyhydramnios and fetal overgrowth, including macrocephaly, neonatal macrosomia, visceromegaly, dysmorphic facial features, and an increased risk for Wilms' tumor at an early age. The prognosis for Perlman syndrome is poor and it is associated with a high neonatal mortality.
Malpuech syndrome has been shown to have physical, or phenotypical similarities with several other genetic disorders. A report by Reardon et al. (2001) of a nine-year-old boy exhibiting facial, caudal and urogenital anomalies consistent with Malpuech syndrome, who also had skeletal malformites indicative of Juberg-Hayward syndrome, suggests that the two disorders may be allelic (caused by different mutations of the same gene).
Along with several other disorders that have similar, or overlapping features and autosomal recessive inheritance, Malpuech syndrome has been considered to belong under the designation "3MC syndrome". Titomanlio et al. (2005) described a three-year-old female known to have Michels syndrome. In their review of the physical similarities between Michels, Malpuech and Mingarelli-Carnevale syndromes—particularly the facial appearance including instances of cleft lip and palate, and ptosis, and a similarity of congenital abdominal and urogenital anomalies—they believed the syndromes may represent a spectrum of genetic disorders rather than three individual disorders. They initially suggested this spectrum could be named 3MC (Michels-Malpuech-Mingarelli-Carnevale) syndrome. This conclusion and the name 3MC syndrome was supported by Leal et al. (2008), who reported a brother and sister with an array of symptoms that overlapped the various syndromes. Further assertion of 3MC syndrome was by Rooryck et al. (2011) in an elaboration of its cause.
One of the most prominent and visible symptoms of Nevo Syndrome is the prenatal overgrowth, which continues into the infant and toddler stage. This excessive weight gain can be attributed to the low concentrations of growth hormone and insulin growth factor that are normally present to regulate weight gain. Other common symptoms associated with Nevo Syndrome are the outward wrist-drop, edema in hands and feet, undescended testes, low-set ears, hypotonia, the presence of low muscle tone in children, and long tapered fingers, and a highly arched palate.
It is characterized by developmental defects including cryptophthalmos (where the eyelids fail to separate in each eye), and malformations in the genitals (such as micropenis, cryptorchidism or clitoromegaly). Congenital malformations of the nose, ears, larynx and renal system, as well as mental retardation, manifest occasionally. Syndactyly (fused fingers or toes) has also been noted.
It can be detected by the naked eye as well as dental or skull X-Ray testing.
Aarskog–Scott syndrome is a rare disease inherited as X-linked and characterized by short stature, facial abnormalities, skeletal and genital anomalies. This condition mainly affects males, although females may have mild features of the syndrome.
The Aarskog–Scott syndrome (AAS) is also known as the Aarskog syndrome, faciodigitogenital syndrome, shawl scrotum syndrome and faciogenital dysplasia.
There is a range of signs and symptoms including cleft lip or palate, mental retardation and various forms of ectodermal dysplasia. Additional symptoms may include fused eyelids, absent nails, delayed bone growth and dry skin. It is believed that this syndrome follows an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance with incomplete penetrance, and caused by a mutation affecting the TP63 gene. It has been suggested that this syndrome, AEC syndrome and Rapp–Hodgkin syndrome may be variations of the same disease.