Some recent studies have indicated that autistic-like characteristics may be more common in Prader-Willi syndrome. The three core characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) include the following:
- Poor or unusual social interaction skills
- Delayed development or difficulties in verbalandnon-verbal (gestures, pointing, showing etc.) communication
- The presence of repetitive behaviours
It is very important to take the person’slevel of intellectual disability into considerationwhen thinking about a diagnosis of ASD. This is particularly important for young children with Prader-Willi syndrome where it may become even more difficult to accurately assess the presence of ASD characteristics. This is because difficulties associated with having an intellectual disability can sometimes look similar to ASD characteristics.
Using data from published studies looking at autism symptoms in individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome, Veltman et al (2005) concluded that 38% of children had co-occurring ASD. All of these children had Prader-Willi syndrome due to maternal uniparental disomy, which is where both copies of chromosome 15 come from the mother.
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FAQs
Poor or unusual social interaction skills. Delayed development or difficulties in verbal and non-verbal (gestures, pointing, showing etc.) communication. The presence of repetitive behaviours.
What are the symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome with autism? ›
Many individuals with PWS have behaviors and tendencies that are like those seen in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Repeating questions, the need for “sameness”, and repetitive behaviors – these things are so common in PWS and in autism.
What are the specific symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome? ›
Distinctive features
- almond-shaped eyes.
- eye problems.
- a narrow forehead at the temples.
- narrow bridge of the nose.
- a thin upper lip and a downturned mouth.
- unusually fair hair, skin and eyes.
- small hands and feet.
People with Prader-Willi syndrome typically have mild to moderate intellectual impairment and learning disabilities. Behavioral problems are common, including temper outbursts, stubbornness, and compulsive behavior such as picking at the skin. Sleep abnormalities can also occur.
What are 4 common characteristics of a person with autism spectrum disorder? ›
What are common behavior characteristics in individuals with autism?
- Extreme sensitivity to normal stimuli. ...
- Unusual mannerisms. ...
- Unusual emotions. ...
- May appear unaware of surroundings. ...
- May have some type of object in hand or pocket, perhaps something unusual.
Persons with ASD manifest both stereotypies and restrictive, repetitive behaviors (Lam and Aman 2007), while those with PWS only occasionally have stereotypies and instead show pronounced repetitive, compulsive behaviors (Dykens et al. 1996; Clarke et al. 2002).
Can Prader-Willi syndrome be mistaken for autism? ›
Prader-Willi Syndrome is a disorder which is sometimes associated with, but not a subtype of, autism. The classical features of this disorder include an obsession with food which is often associated with impulsive eating, compact body build, underdeveloped sexual characteristics, and poor muscle tone.
What are 3 of the characteristics symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome? ›
Physical Symptoms
Children with PWS tend to be substantially shorter than other children of similar age. They may have small hands and feet and a curvature of the back, called scoliosis. In addition, they frequently have difficulty making their eyes work together to focus, a condition called strabismus.
What does a child with Prader-Willi syndrome look like? ›
Symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome
Males often have testes that haven't moved to the scrotum (undescended testes) and may have underdeveloped genitalia. Around half of all children with Prader-Willi syndrome will have fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes, regardless of what their family members look like.
What are the two main symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome? ›
Typical symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome include:
- an excessive appetite and overeating, which can easily lead to dangerous weight gain.
- restricted growth (children are much shorter than average)
- floppiness caused by weak muscles (hypotonia)
- learning difficulties.
- lack of sexual development.
The main clinical features included poor muscle tone during infancy with improvement by 9 months of age and obesity with onset between 6 months and 6 years of age, with an average age of onset by 2 years of age. In addition, children with PWS have underdeveloped sex organs, and as adults, they are usually infertile.
What are the psychosocial characteristics of Prader-Willi syndrome? ›
These include hyperphagia, cognitive issues, emotional regulation difficulties, and motor planning challenges. Social skills challenges in PWS can overlap with those observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but are not exactly the same.
What is the life expectancy of someone with PWS? ›
Sadly, people with Prader-Willi syndrome have a reduced life expectancy. The average life expectancy is 30 years, but people have been known to live into their 60s.
What is a child with autistic traits but not autistic? ›
BAP is not an official diagnosis. Instead, it describes a cluster of traits. These traits can show up differently in each individual. People with BAP show social, non-verbal, verbal, behavioral, sensorial, and relational signs of autism, but not enough to trigger a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
What are 5 autistic traits? ›
Signs and symptoms
- little or no babbling.
- little or no eye contact.
- showing more interest in objects than people.
- appearing not to hear when spoken to directly.
- playing with toys in an unusual or limited manner.
- repetitive movements with their fingers, hands, arms or head.
Symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome
Males often have testes that haven't moved to the scrotum (undescended testes) and may have underdeveloped genitalia. Around half of all children with Prader-Willi syndrome will have fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes, regardless of what their family members look like.
When should I suspect Prader-Willi? ›
If a newborn is unable to suck or feed for a few days and has a "floppy" body and weak muscle tone, a health care provider may conduct genetic testing for Prader-Willi syndrome.
What mimics Prader-Willi syndrome? ›
Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that shares multiple clinical features with the genetically related Prader-Willi syndrome. It usually manifests at birth with muscular hypotonia in all and distal joint contractures in a majority of affected individuals.
