Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is characterized by distinctive physical features (particularly coarse facial features that progress with age), developmental delay, cognitive impairment, behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbances, and childhood-onset abdominal obesity. Infants have feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, hypotonia, hyporeflexia, prolonged napping or need to be awakened for feeds, and generalized lethargy. Most individuals function in the mild-to-moderate range of intellectual disability. Behavioral manifestations, including significant sleep disturbances, stereotypies, and maladaptive and self-injurious behaviors, are generally not recognized until age 18 months or older and continue to change until adulthood. Sensory issues are frequently noted, including avoidant behavior and repetitive seeking of specific textures, sounds, and experiences. Significant anxiety is common as are problems with executive function, including inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Maladaptive behaviors include frequent outbursts / temper tantrums, attention-seeking behaviors, opposition, aggression, and self-injurious behaviors including self-hitting, self-biting, skin picking, inserting foreign objects into body orifices (polyembolokoilamania), and yanking fingernails and/or toenails (onychotillomania). Among the stereotypic behaviors described, the spasmodic upper body squeeze or "self-hug" seems to be highly associated with SMS. An underlying developmental asynchrony, specifically emotional maturity delayed beyond intellectual functioning, may also contribute to maladaptive behaviors in people with SMS. [from GeneReviews]
- MedGen UID:
- 162881
- •Concept ID:
- C0795864
- •
- Disease or Syndrome