People with WS may have mild to moderate delays in their cognitive development (ability to think and reason) or learning difficulties. They also may have a distinctive facial appearance, and a unique personality that combines over-friendliness and high levels of empathy with anxiety.
Cardiologist Dr. John Cyprian Phipps Williams discovered the syndrome in 1961. [3][4] In 1962, Dr. A. J. Beuren found similar findings, resulting in the naming of the syndrome as Williams-Beuren syndrome.
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.
Williams syndrome is a rare (affecting 1 in 10,000 people) developmental disorder that can affect many parts of the body, including the heart and blood vessels. Children with Williams syndrome have mild to moderate intellectual disability, distinctive facial features, and an outgoing personality.
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.
Williams Syndrome (or Williams-Beuren Syndrome) is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by the deletion of genetic material on chromosome 7. It affects approximately 1 in 10000 Australians.
Likewise, noise phobias, sensory sensitivities, fear of young children and thunderstorms could be accounted for by the pervasiveness of hyperacusis in Williams syndrome (Levitin et al., 2005; Leyfer et al., 2006).
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.
Williams syndrome (WBS) is a genetic multisystem disorder. The main symptom is borderline (intelligence quotient, IQ 70–79) or abnormally low intelligence (IQ < 70).
Most people with Williams syndrome have a normal life expectancy, but some may have a reduced life expectancy due to complications of the disease (such as cardiovascular problems).
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.
Infants with Williams syndrome stare at other people's eyes and babies with autism avoid eye contact. However, several individuals with Williams syndrome are also diagnosed with autism. This suggests that they share an underlying mechanism and understanding one disorder can shed light on the other.
Inheritance. Most cases of Williams syndrome are not inherited. The chromosomal alteration usually occurs as a random event during the formation of reproductive cells (eggs or sperm) in a parent of an affected individual. These cases occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family.
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.
A degree of mental retardation is present in the majority of people with the disorder, and while some adults with Williams-Beuren syndrome have the ability to live independently, completing vocational or academic school and living on their own or in supervised homes, the majority of people with this disorder live with ...
Williams syndrome is called the happy syndrome because people with this condition often have outgoing, friendly personalities and tend to be very social. They may have a unique ability to connect with others and form strong bonds, making them appear very happy and engaging.
People with Williams syndrome are described as having exceptionally friendly personalities, extremely sensitive and empathic, and therefore are also called “love children.” Williams syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the deletion of one of the two copies of about 26 genes found on chromosome 7 in humans [1].
Communication difficulties: Most children with Williams syndrome develop speech skills later than other children their age. With intervention, most children develop the ability to communicate wants and needs effectively. In fact, for many children with Williams syndrome, expressive language may be a relative strength.
Beyond infancy, findings have consistently indicated that children with WS have more sleep problems than age-matched TD children, including sleep anxiety, bedtime resistance, sleep onset delay, frequent night waking, general restlessness, and excessive daytime sleepiness [10, 11, 41,42,43,44,45,46,47].
Studies have reported increased frequency of dental abnormalities in Williams syndrome, including malocclusion, hypodontia, malformed teeth, taurodontism, pulp stones, increased space between teeth, enamel hypoplasia, and high prevalence of dental caries.
About one in every 20,000 babies is born with Williams syndrome. Males and females are equally affected, and the condition is found across all races and countries.
"You listen to what I say, I listen to what you say, and then we build on that," Pober says. "But to sustain the attention and build on the dialogue enough to really get to know someone is hard for many folks with Williams syndrome." Pober says few people with William's syndrome marry, and even fewer have children.
Reading abilities have been found to be delayed in children with WS. Yet, the abilities that relate to early reading proficiency, such as good phonological awareness and good vocabulary abilities, are similar to typically developing children.
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.