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May is Williams Syndrome Awareness Month. It is a rare genetic condition that affects over 1 in 10,000 people worldwide. If you teach in a special needs classroom or work in an adult day habilitation program, it is likely you have experienced working and teaching a student or individual diagnosed with Williams Syndrome. Below you will find some interesting facts and statistics on the disorder:

• It is a genetic condition that is present a birth.
• It is a developmental disorder
• Tend to have a mild or moderate intellectual disability.
• It is also known as Beuren Syndrome and Williams-Beuren Syndrome.
• The symptoms were first described by John C.P. Williams in 1961.
• A year later, German Physician, A.J. Beuren described three new incidents of patients with similar facial features.
• It is caused by the spontaneous deletion of 26-28 genes on Chromosome #7
• The deletion is caused by either the sperm or the egg.
• The deletion is present at the time of conception
• The most common symptoms of Williams Syndrome includes unusual facial features and heart defects.
• The diagnosis is typically confirmed after identifying facial features and genetic testing.
• An individual with Williams Syndrome has a 50% chance of passing the disorder on to their children.
• Williams Syndrome affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide.
• An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States are affected.
• It occurs in both males and females equally
• It is found in every culture
• Individuals with Williams Syndrome tend to be overly friendly.
• People with Williams Syndrome often have difficulty with visual-spatial tasks
• Congenital heart defects (CHD) occur in approximately 75 percent of children
• By the age of 30, the majority of individuals with Williams Syndrome have pre-diabetes or diabetes.

References

Genetics Home Reference

National Organizations for Rare Diseases

William Syndrome Association