Health Library Apert SyndromeFrom Healthwise

National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Apert Syndrome is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

• Acrocephalosyndactyly, Type I
• ACS I
• Syndactylic Oxycephaly
• ACS1

• None

Apert syndrome, also known as acrocephalosyndactyly type I (ACS1), is a rare genetic disorder that is apparent at birth (congenital). The disorder is character-ized by distinctive malformations of the head that lead to distinctive facial features. In addition, the hands and/or feet may be webbed (syndactyly) and in some cases, mental retardation may also be present.

Among babies born with Apert syndrome, the fibrous joints between bones of the skull (sutures) close prematurely (craniosynostosis). The pressure of continued brain growth distorts various bones of the skull and the face. The skull is forced into one of several characteristic shapes. Often the head appears abnormally pointed at the top (acrocephaly). The distortion of the skull plates create changes in the facial bones leading to characteristic facial abnormalities, such as widely spaced eyes (ocular hypertelorism), abnormal protrusion of the eyes (exophthalmos), underdevelopment of midfacial regions (midface hypoplasia), and/or a narrow roof of the mouth (palate).

Malformations of the hands and feet may include unusually broad thumbs and great toes, short fingers, and/or partial to complete fusion (syndactyly) of certain fingers and toes (digits). Most commonly, there is complete fusion of bones within the second to the fourth fingers and the presence of a single common nail ("mitten-like" syndactyly).

In almost all instances, Apert syndrome results from new genetic changes (mutations) that appear to occur randomly for unknown reasons (sporadically). In rare cases, the disorder may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait.

Children's Craniofacial Association
13140 Coit Road
Suite 307
Dallas, TX 75240
USA
Tel: 2145709099
Fax: 2145708811
Tel: 8005353643
Email: csmith@ccakids.com
Internet: http://www.ccakids.com

FACES: The National Craniofacial Association
P.O. Box 11082
Chattanooga, TN 37401
Tel: (423)266-1632
Fax: (423)267-3124
Tel: (800)332-2373
Email: faces@faces-cranio.org
Internet: http://www.faces-cranio.org

The Arc (a national organization on mental retardation)
1010 Wayne Ave
Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: (301)565-3842
Fax: (301)565-3843
Tel: (800)433-5255
TDD: (817)277-0553
Email: info@thearc.org
Internet: http://www.thearc.org/

Forward Face, Inc.
317 East 34th Street
Room 901
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212)684-5860
Fax: (212)684-5864
Tel: (800)393-3223
Email: info@forwardface.org
Internet: http://www.forwardface.org

Let's Face It (USA)
P.O. Box 29972
Bellingham, WA 98228-1972
USA
Tel: 3606767325
Email: faceit@umich.edu
Internet: http://www.dent.umich.edu/faceit

AmeriFace
PO Box 751112
Las Vegas, NV 89136
USA
Tel: 7027699264
Fax: 7023415351
Tel: 8884861209
Email: info@ameriface.org
Internet: http://www.ameriface.org

Apert Syndrome Support Group
8708 Kathy
St. Louis, MO 63126
Tel: (314)965-3356

National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction
317 East 34th St.
#901
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212)263-6656
Fax: (212)263-7534
Tel: (800)422-3223
Email: whitney@nffr.org
Internet: http://www.nffr.org

American Heart Association
National Center
7272 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75231-4596
Tel: (214)373-6300
Fax: (214)373-0268
Tel: (800)242-8721
Email: inquire@heart.org
Internet: http://www.americanheart.org

Congenital Heart Anomalies, Support, Education, & Resources
2112 North Wilkins Road
Swanton, OH 43558
Tel: (419)825-5575
Fax: (419)825-2880
Email: chaser@compuserve.com
Internet: http://www.csun.edu/~hcmth011/chaser/chaser-news.html

National Craniofacial Foundation
3100 Carlisle Street
Suite 215
Dallas, TX 75204
Tel: (800)535-3643

University of Virginia Craniofacial Anomalies Clinic
Department of Plastic Surgery
Box 800376
Charlottesville, VA 22908
Tel: (804)924-5068
Fax: (804)924-1333
Tel: (800)251-3627
Email: tjg6f@virginia.edu

Danish Apert Syndrome Association (Danmarks Apertforening)
Dronningeengen 17
Vedbaek, Intl DK-2950
Denmark
Tel: +45 4589 0300
Fax: +45 4589 0350
Email: soeren@lildal.com

Craniofacial Foundation of America
975 East Third Street
Chattanooga, TN 37403
Tel: (423)778-9192
Fax: (423)778-8172
Tel: (800)418-3223
Email: farmertm@erlanger.org
Internet: http://www.craniofacialcenter.com

Apert Support and Information Network
P.O. Box 1184
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
Tel: (916)961-1092
Fax: (916)961-1092
Email: apertnet@ix.netcom.com
Internet: http://www.apert.org

AboutFace International
123 Edward St
Suite 1003
Toronto
Ontario, M5G 1E2
Canada
Tel: 4165972229
Fax: 4165978494
Tel: 8006653223
Email: info@aboutfaceinternational.org
Internet: http://www.aboutfaceinternational.org

Headlines - Craniofacial Support
128 Beesmoor Road
Bristol, Intl BS36 2JP
United Kingdom
Tel: 44-01454-850557
Email: info@headlines.org.uk
Internet: http://www.headlines.org.uk

Sjældne Diagnoser / Rare Disorders Denmark
Frederiksholms Kanal 2, 3rd Floor
Copenhagen K, 1220
Denmark
Tel: 45 33 14 00 10
Fax: 45 33 14 55 09
Email: mail@sjaeldnediagnoser
Internet: http://www.raredisorders.dk

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  9/23/2007
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