It affects approximately 1 in 20,000 individuals. In 1965, Dr Harry Angelman, an English physician, first reported his f1ndings on three children with similar characteristics now known as Angelman Syndrome. Angelman Syndrome is most often diagnosed by a paediatric neurologist or geneticist. It is diff1cult to diagnose a child with Angelman Syndrome under 12 months of age. Som individuals have not been diagnosed until late childhood or adulthood.
Balance improves in some individuals with age.
Not all characteristics need to be present to obtain a positive diagnosis of Angelman Syndrome. Genetics Angleman Syndrome is caused by a deleted or missing segment in the proximal portion of the long arm of chromosome 15. Every person has two number 15 chromosomes, one inherited from each parent. In a small percentage of individuals two chromosome 15's have been inherited from the father and none from the mother thus causing Angelman Syndrome. Thus a normal or negative study does not necessarily mean that a child does not have Angelman Syndrome.