Angelman Syndrome and The Safety Sleeper

ANGELMAN SYNDROME

as & The Safety Sleeper®

The Safety Sleeper® is uniquely designed to combat the balance issues, motor impairment, debilitating seizures, and disrupted sleep cycles associated with Angelman Syndrome (AS). Learn more about Angelman Syndrome and related resources for you and your family below.

Angelman Syndrome (AS)?

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurogenetic disorder that affects approximately one in 15,000 people – about 500,000 individuals worldwide. Children and adults with AS typically have balance issues, motor impairment and debilitating seizures. Some individuals never walk. Most do not speak. Disrupted sleep cycles also can be a serious challenge to the individual and caretaker(s).

Individuals with AS require continuous care and are unable to live independently. They have a normal life expectancy. This is life today for people living with Angelman syndrome, but hope is here. Scientists believe that AS has the greatest potential for being cured when compared to other neurogenetic disorders, and FAST (Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics) has a plan well underway to achieve just that.

It is believed that there is a high chance of finding a cure for Angelman syndrome, due to the fact that scientists know what causes AS and have been able to reverse it in mouse models.

Watch Dr. Arthur Beaudet discuss a cure for AS:

There are different types of testing to determine if your child has Angelman syndrome. FAST provides information for parents and individuals that do not have a working knowledge of genetics but would like to understand what tests are available and what they mean.

The life expectancy of people with Angelman syndrome is normal. Angelman syndrome itself does not cause death. However, there can be severe complications due to some of the symptoms of the syndrome, such as seizures and aspiration pneumonia. There is also the possibility of accidents due to walking and balance issues and attraction to water that can cause severe injury.

Individuals with AS will require life-long care, but can live long, happy lives.

Learn more about Angelman Syndrome on the Angelman Syndrome Foundation (ASF) website.

Common Features of Angelman Syndrome (AS)

Frequent laughter and smiling, often with little stimulus
Being easily excitable, often flapping the hands
Trouble sleeping and needing less sleep than other children
Noticeable delayed development around 6-12 months of age
Happy demeanor, characterized by frequent laughing, smiling and excitability
Balance issues
Seizures
Tendency to stick the tongue out
Skin, hair and eyes that are paler than other family members
A side-to-side curvature of the spine (scoliosis)

Being restless (hyperactive)
Having a short attention span
Feeding difficulties as infants
Often misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy
An affinity for water
Vision problems (strabismus; nearsightedness)
Motor Impairment
Typical characteristics of AS are not usually evident at birth
Crossed eyes (strabismus)
A wide mouth with widely spaced teeth
Walking with arms in the air

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How The Safety Sleeper® Can Help Your Child With AS

The Safety Sleeper® is uniquely designed to keep children with special needs like Angelman Syndrome safely contained in their enclosed bed. Many children with AS experience balance issues and motor impairment that make it difficult to stay in a normal bed. In addition, debilitating seizures result in additional and unpredictable movements while in bed, requiring lifted sides and padded support. The Safety Sleeper® is made with dense foam padding to ensure your child is safe inside the enclosure.

Additionally, many children with Angelman Syndrome experience trouble sleeping and less sleep than neurotypical children, which can create an additional burden on parents and siblings who also don’t get to sleep through the night. Finally get the rest you deserve with the peace of mind that The Safety Sleeper® brings.

Interview with Rose Morris and Jamee Kovacs
Mom of a child with Angelman Syndrome & proud user of The Safety Sleeper®