Early development of an infant with 18q- syndrome.
The early intellectual and psychological development of an infant with 18q- syndrome is described. In this syndrome, which is a rare chromosomal disorder, there is a deletion of a portion of the long arm of chromosome 18. The few previously published accounts have indicated a varying degree of intellectual retardation. This child proved to be moderately delayed only and her development over the first 24 months of age is described in some detail. The family was receiving an intensive home advisory service offered to help maximize the development of pre-school handicapped infants in the area, and it is suggested that in general terms this particular disorder is not remarkably different in respect of psychological prognosis from the more common Down's syndrome, involving trisomy 21, and shows an equally favourable response to such a service. The peculiar appearance of such infants may, however, pose particular problems of parental adjustment.
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000235:genetics; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D002902:Chromosomes, Human, 16-18; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy