Diagnosing And Treating Angelman Syndrome

Angelman syndrome is a genetic disease characterized by such symptoms as seizures, small head size, intellectual impairment, sleep problems, speech impairment, and difficulties with movement and balance. Parents generally notice their infant isn't developing normally at around one year old. Angelman syndrome can only be managed, not cured, though a patient's life expectancy is about normal. The disease is caused by damage to a gene located on chromosome 15. Most of the time, it's damage to the maternal chromosome copy that causes the problem. Rarely, Angelman syndrome can be caused when an individual inherits two paternal copies of chromosome 15, rather than one from each parent.