Health
What is Angelman syndrome? Colin Farrell’s son is living with this rare disease
Actor Colin Farrell is launching a new foundation to raise awareness of a rare genetic condition called Angelman syndrome, so that his son and others with the disorder will have more support and resources as they transition into adulthood.
“I want the world to be kind to James,” Farrell, 48, told People magazine ahead of his son’s 21st birthday in September.
“All the safeguards that are put in place, special ed classes — that all goes away, so you’re left with a young adult who should be an integrated part of our modern society and, more often than not, is left behind.”
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What is Angelman syndrome?
The syndrome was first described in 1965 by physician Dr. Harry Angelman, according to the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).
It is a disorder of the nervous system, which helps control movements, thoughts and behaviors, as stated by Cleveland Clinic.
Actor Colin Farrell is launching a new foundation to raise awareness of a rare genetic condition called Angelman syndrome, which affects his son — pictured with Farrell, at right, in 2009. (Getty Images)
Most cases are caused by a random genetic change during early development, which means those who are affected usually have no family history of the disease, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) adds.
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“Angelman syndrome is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from the loss of function of a specific gene called UBE3A, which plays a crucial role in brain development,” Dr. Issac Molinero, pediatric neurologist at Ochsner Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana, told Fox News Digital.
The genetic changes that occur with Angelman syndrome lead to significant challenges, including severe intellectual disability, communication difficulties and characteristic behavioral patterns, such as frequent laughter and smiling, according to Molinero.
Model Kim Bordenave and actor Colin Farrell, parents of son James Farrell, are pictured at the 75th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theater on March 23, 2003, in Hollywood, California. (Getty Images)
Dr. Dana Price, pediatric neurologist and director of Angelman Clinic at NYU in New York City, described the disorder as a “spectrum.”
It can include “low muscle tone, developmental delay, poor gait, seizures (ranging from febrile seizures to refractory epilepsy), constipation, poor sleep and challenging behavior,” she told Fox News Digital in an email.
Developmental delays
The condition causes delays in development for the children it affects.
Newborn babies may have trouble latching on or swallowing milk, and after a few months, they may not be able to lift their heads, according to Cedars Sinai.
They may also miss the milestones of sitting up alone, crawling, standing up by themselves or taking their first steps.
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Infants can develop microcephaly, a condition where their heads are characteristically smaller compared to other children of the same age, per NIH.
“Generally, developmental delays associated with Angelman syndrome will become noticeable around six to 12 months of age,” Molinero told Fox News Digital.
Children with the disorder often learn to communicate in other ways, like gesturing, and may be able to understand a simple conversation. (iStock)
Silence is another hallmark clue, experts say.
The baby may be able to say words like “Dada” and follow simple commands, but won’t be able to put together complete sentences or have a verbal conversation, according to Cedars Sinai.
At age 2 or 3 years old, some children may start to have seizures, Mayo Clinic notes.
The rare disorder only affects roughly 500,000 people worldwide.
One typical hallmark of the syndrome is unprovoked fits of laughter, along with frequent smiling and hand-flapping movements, according to NIH.
Children with the disorder often have short attention spans, with most having difficulty sleeping or needing less sleep than normal.
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The sleep issues tend to improve as the child gets older, but the limited speech, intellectual disabilities and seizures may continue throughout life.
Although most people with the condition can’t speak, they learn to communicate in other ways, such as gesturing, and may be able to understand a simple conversation, according to NORD.
Diagnosis and treatment
Doctors diagnose the condition based on blood tests that look for the genetic mutation, experts say.
The syndrome is often misdiagnosed, as initial symptoms can be confused with more well-known diseases like autism or cerebral palsy, according to the Angelman Syndrome Foundation.
Children are often not diagnosed until they are 3 or 4 years old, when they have already started pre-school. (iStock)
Children are often not diagnosed until they are 3 or 4 years old, when they have already started pre-school, experts say.
The rare disorder only affects roughly 500,000 people worldwide, Molinero noted.
Those with the condition have a normal life expectancy, according to NIH.
Individualized treatment
“Although there is no definitive cure for Angelman syndrome, proactive early intervention through therapies, educational support and community resources can significantly enhance the quality of life for affected individuals and their families,” Molinero said.
Depending on symptoms, treatments may include various medications for seizures, sleep, mood, reflux and constipation, Price added.
Those with the disorder may also receive various types of therapy to learn how to communicate non-verbally, to manage hyperactivity and to improve balance. (iStock)
Those with the disorder may also receive various types of therapy to learn how to communicate non-verbally, to manage hyperactivity and to improve balance.
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“This is a very exciting time to work with the Angelman Community, because drug companies are working to develop precision medicine to turn on the missing gene (UBE3A),” Price said.
“Genetic treatment with precision medicine is such a revolutionary prospect — for the first time, we would be treating the disease, not the symptoms.”
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Those who have a family member with Angelman Syndrome or are affected themselves can visit an Angelman Clinic or the Angelman Syndrome Foundation’s website at https://www.angelman.org.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Colin Farrell Foundation for comment.
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The latest COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025) has been linked to fewer serious heart-related events among U.S. veterans.
New research confirmed a small reduction in COVID-related cardiovascular events, or COVID-19-associated MACE, due to the vaccine.
MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) is a composite measure of serious heart-related outcomes. It typically includes cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, and may also include hospitalization for heart failure.
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Using health records from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the researchers compared two groups of veterans — one that received the COVID and flu vaccine on the same day (nearly 350,000 people) and another group that received only the flu vaccine (nearly 700,000 people).
For people older than 75, vaccine effectiveness against COVID-associated MACE was 50.7%. (iStock)
Out of more than one million veterans studied, the average age was about 70 and 92% were male, according to a press release.
Within about eight months, the results showed that those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events, with a relative vaccine effectiveness of 37.7%.
The COVID vaccine was linked to a 57.9% lower risk of cardiovascular death, 38.5% lower risk of heart attack and 41.9% lower risk of hospitalization for heart failure, the researchers stated. The result for stroke was not statistically significant.
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The benefit was greatest among adults ages 75 and older and those with underlying health conditions. In people over 75, the vaccine was 50.7% effective at preventing COVID-associated MACE.
As the study was observational, it could not prove cause and effect between the COVID-19 vaccine and lower risk of cardiovascular events, but only highlighted an association.
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Dr. Glenn Hirsch, cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, called these results “not overall surprising” in an interview with Fox News Digital.
After eight months, those who received the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine had a lower risk of COVID-associated major cardiovascular events. (iStock)
“This result is consistent with previous studies of the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines against infectious diseases [in] preventing cardiovascular events, including heart attack, cardiovascular cause of death or hospitalizations,” he said.
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 increases the risk of cardiovascular events and can cause further complications, according to the doctor.
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“This can lead to a higher risk of blood clotting, but can also make arterial plaques susceptible to rupture, which then leads to clot formation to heal a ruptured plaque,” he said. “This clotting can cause a near-total or complete occlusion of an artery, leading to these cardiovascular events.”
“Vaccines either prevent infection or reduce the severity of infection and subsequent inflammation, lowering the cardiovascular risk.”
Acute inflammation in the body from infections like COVID-19 can increase the risk of cardiovascular events, the study suggests. (iStock)
Despite the positive outcome, the overall benefit of the vaccine in this study was less than in previous studies, according to Hirsch, who was not involved in the research.
This could be due to the lower severity of illness seen in more recent COVID-19 variants, as well as immunity from prior infections among unvaccinated people, he noted. There has also been a decline in COVID testing, making it more difficult to link cardiovascular events to the virus.
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“The bottom line [is] that there is still evidence of benefit from COVID-19 vaccination like many other infectious disease vaccinations, and people should be encouraged to discuss these with their healthcare team annually,” Hirsch advised.
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“This is an observational trial and there can always be some confounding after necessary statistical adjustments and other potential benefits or harms, including adverse effects from vaccines that were not investigated in this study,” he added.
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A former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star is speaking out about a fresh wave of health issues.
Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023.
At the time, the reality star shared that she believed she had been infected with a parasite during a trip to Morocco, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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After the initial diagnosis, she suspected she contracted a parasite in Morocco and said she could feel it moving within her face.
Brandi Glanville attends the grand opening of Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Clinic West Hollywood in West Hollywood, Calif., on April 25, 2024. (Paul Archuleta/Getty Images)
Glanville was first diagnosed with stress-induced angioedema, a sudden swelling of the deeper layers of the skin and mucous membranes, according to Cleveland Clinic.
Angioedema “is a reaction similar to hives that affects deeper layers of the skin. It can appear with hives or alone,” Mayo Clinic states.
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Most recently, in a June 18 episode of her podcast “Brandi Glanville Unfiltered,” Glanville revealed that doctors discovered a “benign tumor” in one of her facial lymph nodes.
The reality star, who has previously speculated that a parasite may be contributing to her facial symptoms, said the finding could help explain the swelling and fluid buildup she has experienced and noted that she has had a lump in her face for “years.”
Brandi Glanville, 53, has been speaking publicly about ongoing swelling, lumps and paralysis of her face since 2023. (Mega/GC Images)
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, guys. I thought I was fixed, and then it happened again and now it’s sinking in again,” Glanville said in another June podcast.
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“It could be why the fluid is going around my face and why I’m having a hard time,” she added.
While benign tumors of the face have been known to arise from fat tissue, blood vessels, skin structures, salivary glands or lymphatic tissue, Glanville has not publicly disclosed the specific type of diagnosis she received.
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Prior to learning of the tumor, Glanville said she saw dozens of doctors and spent over $100,000 trying to pinpoint the source of the issue.
Brandi Glanville shares images of painful facial burns caused by Nair hair removal cream in a viral TikTok video. (Brandi Glanville/TikTok)
The reality star emphasized that the tumor is “not cancerous.”
“I haven’t had a face lift yet!” she added.
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Glanville also said she suspected her ruptured breast implants could have played a role in her health issues, claiming the leaking silicone had clogged her lymph nodes.
Fox News Digital reached out to Glanville for comment.
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