Williams Syndrome Symptoms and Developmental Disorders During Early Childhood

Williams syndrome, a genetic disease is not limited to any particular sex or race. This is a rare condition, but can be seen in all most all areas of the world.

Indeed the condition influences many and research shows that one child out of 7,500 children shows the Williams Syndrome symptoms.

Existence of Williams syndrome can cause medical and developmental disorders, which can not be expected. It is due to lack of genes that produceelastin – a protein that supplies elasticity and strength to arterial walls.Williams-syndrome

Williams syndrome symptoms:

Children who are suffering from Williams syndrome show various characteristic attributes that make it clear like facial habits and mental retardation. Facial attributes of such children are referred to as “Elfin” features that include the following:

  • Small chin
  • Upturned Nose
  • Low weight
  • Long Philtrum
  • Irritable when infants
  • Learning difficulties
  • Difficulties in paying attention
  • Puffiness under eye region
  • Full lips and wide mouth
  • Feeding difficulties in case of babies
  • Very social
  • Difficulties in kidney structure and functioning
  • Widely spaced eyes
  • Irregular and widely spaced teeth
  • Very sensitive and extremely polite

Sensitive hearing in children is also on of the Williams syndrome symptoms, so they may be startled easily with loud noises.

These are not only the features, but there are various other symptoms that may not appear, but still they are present and are irregular like unable to know the depth and unable to assemble small parts to make an object. These types of problems are due to decreased activity in dorsal part of brain.

Lack of a gene is the main cause behind Williams syndrome. In Williams syndrome, a tiny chromosomal deletion takes place from q 11.2 fraction of chromosome-7. This deleted part approximately contains 20-25 genes. Among those genes, one gene has the ability to make elastin.

Production of this protein takes place during fetal development or in early childhood whenever the arteries are made. People with Williams syndrome don’t contain elastin and they suffer fromvascular disorders.

Also, some other parts of chromosome can also be deleted, which cause mental and physical retardation. As the disorder develops at prenatal stage, there is no cure for this condition.

People diagnosed with Williams syndrome symptoms are kept under close observation to monitor cardiac situation so that if there are any complications such as compressing blood vessels, heart failure or rapid increase in blood pressure, instantly medical steps can be taken.

You will find various schools that teach your kids to lead a normal life like other people. Also, they teach self-help skills and provide educational skills.

Most children and adults with Williams syndrome lead normal, full, healthy and active lives, but it’s essential to be aware of the problems that may happen and to deal with them as early as possible.