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International Angelman Day 2023: Date, History, Angelman Syndrome Facts

Today, around 490,000 people worldwide have Angelman Syndrome. Check out community resources and wear blue angel wings or ribbons to show your support.

International Angelman Day (I.A.D.) is celebrated annually on February 15 to raise awareness of Angelman Syndrome, a neurogenetic condition that affects chromosome 15 and causes intellectual and developmental impairments. Angelman Syndrome is an uncommon illness that affects one in 15,000 infants. It affects both men and women equally. The term was coined by English paediatrician Harry Angelman, who at first referred to three of his patients as “Puppet Children.” Today, around 490,000 people worldwide have Angelman Syndrome. Check out community resources and wear blue angel wings or ribbons to show your support.

HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY

Angelman Syndrome was initially identified by Harry Angelman in 1956 at the Warrington General Hospital. Despite the lack of a term for the ailment at the time, the symptoms in each individual were identical: motor problems, intellectual delay, a cheerful temperament, and a lack of speech. During a trip to Italy, Angelman visited the Castelvecchio Museum in Verona and discovered a painting by Giovanni Francesco Caro titled ‘A youngster with a puppet.’ As he viewed the artistic impression, images of his patients sprang to mind, prompting him to write an article titled “Puppet Children” on their condition.

Prior to 1982, there was limited data on the condition. Dr. Charles Williams and Dr. Jaime Frias of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville successfully submitted to the American Journal of Medical Genetics a manuscript reporting six cases and comparing their results to those of earlier studies. The report includes symptoms comparable to those described by Angelman, such as severe developmental delay, a marionette-like walk, craniofacial deformities, and frequent laughter. Thus, Williams and Frais offered the term Angelman Syndrome for the condition.

Williams formed the Angelman Research Group (A.R.G.) in 1986 to enable and support Angelman Syndrome research and education. The A.R.G. has established the Angelman Syndrome Foundation by 1990. International Angelman Day was conceived by two parents of Angelman Syndrome-afflicted children. The worldwide national Angelman Syndrome groups welcomed this proposal, and the date of February 15 was unanimously agreed upon. The first observance of this day occurred in 2013.

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5 IMPORTANT ANGELMAN SYNDROME FACTS

Children with Angelman Syndrome do not display symptoms until six to twelve months after birth.
A variety of therapeutic therapy, including medical treatment for seizures and physical, communicative, and behavioural therapies, are available to assist children in reaching their full developmental potential.
Individuals with Angelman Syndrome appear to have an almost normal life expectancy.
Angelman Syndrome affects both men and women in equal measure.
Genomic imprinting is a defining characteristic of Angelman Syndrome.