What are the symptoms of Angelman syndrome?

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What are the symptoms of Angelman syndrome?

Angelman syndrome has several different symptoms, or characteristics, and they vary from person to person and with age.

Common symptoms of Angelman syndrome

Most people with Angelman syndrome (approximately 80% to 99%) have the following symptoms throughout their lives:

  • Delayed development.
  • Learning disabilities.
  • Speech development issues, ranging from not speaking at all (being nonverbal) to only using a few words.
  • Walking difficulties, such as clumsiness and a wide-based walk (gait).
  • Ataxia (impaired balance or coordination).
  • Seizures.

Facial features of Angelman syndrome

Common facial features of Angelman syndrome include:

  • A short and broad skull (brachycephaly).
  • Abnormally large tongue (macroglossia) that may stick out of their mouth.
  • Abnormally small head (microcephaly).
  • A big lower jaw (mandibular prognathia).
  • Wide mouth.
  • Widely spaced teeth.

Symptoms of Angelman syndrome specific to children

Children with Angelman syndrome typically have distinctive behaviors (in addition to the characteristic symptoms), including:

  • A happy, excitable attitude.
  • Frequent smiling and laughing.
  • Frequent hand-flapping motions.
  • Hyperactivity and a short attention span.
  • Difficulty sleeping and needing less sleep than other children.
  • A fascination with water.

With age, people with Angelman syndrome become less excitable, and their sleeping problems tend to improve.

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