Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications associated with Angelman syndrome include:
- Feeding difficulties. Some infants with Angelman syndrome have problems feeding during the first few months of life because of an inability to coordinate sucking and swallowing. If your child has difficulty feeding, your pediatrician may recommend a high-calorie formula to help your baby gain weight.
- Hyperactivity. Many young children with Angelman syndrome have increased motor activity. They may move quickly from one activity to another, often keeping their hands or a toy in their mouths. Their attention span may be very short. Hyperactivity often decreases with age in children with Angelman syndrome, and medication usually isn't necessary.
- Sleep disorders. It's common for people with Angelman syndrome to have abnormal sleep-wake patterns and to need less sleep than normal. In some cases, sleep difficulties may improve with age. Medication and behavior therapy may help control sleep disorders.
- Curving of the spine (scoliosis). Some people with Angelman syndrome develop this abnormal side-to-side spinal curvature over time.
- Obesity. Older children with Angelman syndrome tend to have large appetites, which lead to obesity.
References
- NINDS Angelman syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/angelman/angelman.htm. Accessed Sept. 22, 2011.
- Angelman syndrome. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=angelmansyndrome. Accessed Sept. 22, 2011.
- Dagli AI, et al. Angelman syndrome. In: Pagon RA, et al. GeneReviews. Seattle, Wash.: University of Washington; 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1144/?report=printable. Accessed Sept. 23, 2011.
- Diagnostic testing. Angelman Syndrome Foundation. http://www.angelman.org/healthcare-professionals/diagnostic-testing/. Accessed Sept. 22, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on