What is Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS)?

What is Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS)?

Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS) is a genetic disorder that affects your child’s growth and increases their risk of developing certain childhood cancers.

BWS, which is also called Beckwith-Wiedemann Spectrum, is a relatively rare disorder. Each year an estimated 11,000 children worldwide are born with BWS. This is an estimate because there are people with BWS who don’t have noticeable physical differences. As a result, their parent or parents may not seek the genetic evaluation and possible testing that are key to a formal BWS diagnosis.

While BWS can’t be cured, there are many medical treatments to correct physical differences and to treat medical conditions.