Is Williams syndrome a form of mental retardation?

Williams syndrome is caused by a microdeletion of at least 16 genes on chromosome 7q11. 23. The syndrome results in mild to moderate mental retardation or learning disability. The behavioral phenotype for Williams syndrome is characterized by a distinctive cognitive profile and an unusual personality profile.

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Can Williams syndrome have normal intelligence?

Most individuals with Williams syndrome have a degree of intellectual disability, ranging from mild to severe. Research studies have suggested that IQ scores for children with Williams syndrome range from 40 to 112, with a mean IQ score of 68 which equates to a mild intellectual disability (average IQ is 100).

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Is Williams syndrome an intellectual disability?

Williams syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body. This condition is characterized by mild to moderate intellectual disability or learning problems, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems.

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What type of disorder is Williams syndrome?

Williams syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by the deletion of genetic material on chromosome 7. Typical characteristics include distinctive facial features, mild intellectual disability and an overly sociable personality.

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Is William syndrome a learning disability?

As well as a learning disability, people with Williams syndrome will often share distinctive facial characteristics including a wide mouth with a pronounced bottom lip, slightly high and rounded cheeks, and widely-spaced teeth.

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Williams Syndrome, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

17 related questions found

Is Williams syndrome a type of autism?

Autism and Williams syndrome are genetically based neurodevelopmental disorders that present strikingly different social phenotypes. Autism involves fundamental impairments in social reciprocity and communication, whereas people with Williams syndrome are highly sociable and engaging.

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Can a person with Williams syndrome live a normal life?

Yes, but the number and the severity of problems varies greatly among individuals. Many different body systems can be affected and since some of the medical problems can develop over time, it is important that individuals with Williams syndrome receive ongoing medical monitoring and supervision.

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Can Williams syndrome be mild?

Williams syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder. People with WS may have mild to moderate delays in their cognitive development (ability to think and reason) or learning difficulties.

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What is the personality of someone with Williams syndrome?

Children with Williams syndrome typically have a personality that is friendly, outgoing, and/or talkative. The appropriate use of language and vocabulary range may be unusually enhanced in some children with this disorder. Mild to moderate mental retardation may occur.

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Can someone with Williams syndrome have kids?

Can people with Williams Syndrome have a child/children of their own? There are no significant physical reasons why people with Williams Syndrome cannot conceive normally, but their own health may pose a potential risk, particularly if they have a heart condition.

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Why are people with Williams syndrome so happy?

Scientists realized it was related to the levels of oxytocin. They knew that oxytocin is involved in social/intimacy behaviors, like mother-child bonding or romantic encounters. And they found that people with Williams syndrome have a lot more oxytocin than everybody else, and that it fluctuates wildly in the brain.

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Does Williams syndrome get worse with age?

Although hyperactivity may reduce in adults, persistent distractibility is still noted for many. Adults with Williams syndrome may also be less eager to learn than children with Williams syndrome. Anxiety tends to persist with age and adults may acquire additional fears and phobias over time.

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Are people with Williams syndrome slow?

Learning: Most children with Williams syndrome usually have mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. This means they learn all skills at a slower pace than other children. They often have a certain pattern of learning strengths and weaknesses.

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Can Williams syndrome have high IQ?

Even claims about very low IQ turn out to be exaggerated. Williams syndrome IQ ranges from 48 to 85. True, people with Williams syndrome are often very loquacious and usually have better language than spatial skills, but the profile of the syndrome is unscientifically exaggerated by secondary sources.

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Is Williams syndrome good?

Every child with Williams syndrome is different. Some can lead a very normal life. Others have more serious health and learning problems. They may need lifelong medical care.

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Can people with Williams syndrome be sad?

Although low mood in Williams syndrome is less well researched, there are indications that clinical depression diagnoses may be present in approximately 10% of individuals.

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Does Williams syndrome affect the brain?

Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body, including the brain, heart, blood vessels, and facial features. The syndrome often causes brain-related symptoms such as intellectual disabilities, cognitive impairments, behavioral issues, and specific personality traits.

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Can people with Williams syndrome read?

Children with Williams syndrome who have been taught reading using a systematic phonics approach both decode and comprehend significantly better than children who have been taught using a whole word approach.

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What is it like living with Williams syndrome?

Driven To Trust. Jessica's daughter, Isabelle, has Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder with a number of symptoms. Children with Williams are often physically small and frequently have developmental delays. But also, kids and adults with Williams love people, and they are literally pathologically trusting.

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How many people in the world have Williams syndrome?

WS affects 1 in 7,500 - 10,000 people worldwide – an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States. It is known to occur equally in both males and females and in every culture. Children with Williams syndrome tend to be social, friendly, and endearing.

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How does Williams syndrome compare to autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Williams Syndrome (WS) are frequently characterized as mirror conditions in the socio-cognitive domain, with ASD entailing restrictive social interests and with WS exhibiting hypersociability.

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Do kids with Williams syndrome sleep?

Parents of 57 of the 96 children (59.4%) indicated that their child had difficulty falling asleep. Thirteen children (out of 95, 13.7%) were reported to wake up more than twice per night and 26 (out of 95, 27.4%) had difficulty falling back asleep if they woke up at night.

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How do you talk to someone with Williams syndrome?

3) Use simple, concrete language at all times. Avoid complex and abstract explanations or concepts. 4) Remember that the person with Williams Syndrome usually understands less than may be apparent from the way they talk.

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Do people with Williams syndrome get married?

Pober says few people with William's syndrome marry, and even fewer have children. But this may be changing, Pober says.

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What behavioral issues does Williams syndrome have?

One of the characteristics of Williams syndrome is an inappropriate increase in social behavior. People with the syndrome may be overly friendly, even to strangers. We performed a novel study in our lab that demonstrated that the lack of a gene called Gtf2i may play a role in Williams syndrome.

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