Genetics

*Sigh* The geneticist said that Ellie may have "Cornelia Da Lange" and not PRS. Of course, it's nearly impossible to tell because the symptoms are so identical to PRS: Low birth weight (usually under 5 pounds/2.5 kilograms) Delayed growth and small stature Developmental delay Limb differences (missing limbs or portions of limbs) Small head size (microcephaly) Thick eyebrows, which typically meet at midline (synophrys) Long eyelashes Short upturned nose and thin downturned lips Long philtrum Excessive body hair Small hands and feet Small widely spaced teeth Low-set ears Hearing impairments Vision abnormalities (e.g., ptosis, nystagmus, high myopia, hypertropia) Partial joining of the second and third toes Incurved 5th fingers Gastroesophageal reflux Seizures Heart defects Cleft palate Feeding problems Hypoplastic genitalia Children with this syndrome are often found to have long eyelashes, bushy eyebrows and synophrys (joined eyebrows). Body hair can be excessive and affected individuals are often shorter than their immediate family members. Ellie was small at birth, small stature, delayed, small head, unibrow, long eyelashes, eye sight issues, reflux, cleft palate (which led to feeding issues). At any rate, bloodwork will be done. The geneticist will also be checking her thyroid and hormone levels to determine if the small stature is genetic and not something we can overcome. The geneticist also wants us to go see the ophalmalogist sooner than Ellie's birthday and get a bone age test. If the bones age shows the same age or older, it's a problem, likely associated with the CdLs. Ellie will also be getting a skeletal xray. In essence, everyone's just looking for an explanation to everything. I thought PRS was it but may be not. Her eyebrows aren't bushy or arched, but she does seem to have other issues, but again, thought those were attributable to PRS. The only real difference would be that they would need to check Ellie's kidneys if it is CdLs.