Medical Concerns
It is difficult to predict the course of 22q11 deletion Syndrome for any
particular individual with the condition. While the genetic changes of 22q11
Deletion Syndrome do not disappear once they occur, which specific medical,
developmental and/or social considerations an individual will have to
contend with is unknown. Learning disabilities or medical problems such as
heart disease may not disappear in adulthood; however, strategies to manage
these difficulties may have been successfully developed.
As discussed in
infancy,
childhood, and
adolescence, some individual’s
will have no medical or developmental concerns, while others will have
multiple. Within a family, multiple members may have 22q11 deletion syndrome
with varying levels of concerns. While the loss of genetic material on
Chromosome 22q11 is sporadic for most individuals with 22q11 deletions, the
risk for an individual to pass that deletion on to his/her children is 50%
in each pregnancy. Some adults with 22q Deletion Syndrome did not know they
had a deletion until they had a child with the condition. In other words,
there are some people with the deletion on
chromosome 22, but with no
apparent medical problems.
We are just beginning to learn more about 22q Deletion Syndrome in
adulthood. As our understanding evolves, so will appropriate diagnostic and
treatment techniques and strategies.
Last Update 6-18-04
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