Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Common Features of "Williams Syndrome"


People with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that amplifies social skills while inhibiting math and spatial skills, are likely to respond more to social rewards, like smiles, because their brain's emotional-processing center is more active in response to positive emotions and less so in response to negative ones, according to a new study. Because Williams syndrome is something of a polar opposite of autism, researchers also hope to study brain function in children with autism and Fragile X syndrome.






The common features of Williams syndrome

  • - Characteristic facial appearance
  • - Heart and blood vessel problems
  • - Hypercalcemia (elevated blood calcium levels)
  • - Low birth-weight / low weight gain
  • - Feeding problems
  • - Irritability (colic during infancy)
  • - Dental abnormalities
  • - Kidney abnormalities
  • - Hernias
  • - Hyperacusis (sensitive hearing)
  • - Musculoskeletal problems
  • - Overly friendly (excessively social) personality
  • - Developmental delay, learning disabilities and attention deficit

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