What is the Difference Between Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome

The key difference between Williams syndrome and Down syndrome is that Williams syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by a missing chromosome, while Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by an extra chromosome.

Chromosomes are the main part of cells that contain genes controlling characters. Any changes in the chromosomes could cause a chromosomal disorder. Therefore, a chromosomal disorder is a condition that results from a change in the number or structure of chromosomes. Williams syndrome and Down syndrome are two different types of chromosomal disorders. Moreover, these disorders affect people from birth.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Williams Syndrome
3. What is Down Syndrome
4. Similarities – Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome
5. Williams Syndrome vs. Down Syndrome in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome
7. Summary – Williams Syndrome vs. Down Syndrome

What is Williams Syndrome?

Williams syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is due to missing a piece of region in chromosome 7. People with this condition have a 50% chance of passing the condition on to their children. Moreover, it is estimated that Williams syndrome occurs in 1 out of every 10,000 births in the United States. The symptoms of Williams syndrome are chronic ear infections or hearing loss, dental abnormalities, elevated calcium levels in the blood, endocrine abnormalities, farsightedness, feeding difficulties in infants, scoliosis, sleep problems, special facial features, unsteady walking, and developmental delays.

Williams syndrome is diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation, echocardiogram, blood pressure abnormalities, blood tests, and urine tests. Furthermore, Williams syndrome is treated through a diet low in calcium and vitamin D to bring down high calcium levels in the blood, medicine to lower blood pressure, special education including speech therapy, language therapy, physical therapy, and surgery to fix a blood vessel or heart problem.

What is Down Syndrome?

Down syndrome is a genetic condition due to extra partial or full chromosome 21. Down syndrome is not inherited. In the United States, Down syndrome affects about 1 in every 700 babies. It is usually caused by a mistake in cell division during the early development of the fetus. The symptoms of this condition include a flattened face, small head, short neck, protruding tongue, upward slanting eyelids, unusually shaped or small ears, poor muscle tone, broad and short hands, single crease in the palm, short fingers, small hand and feet, higher flexibility, Brushfield’s spots in the iris of the eye, and short height.

Down syndrome can be diagnosed through physical symptoms evaluation, blood tests, nuchal translucency tests, chorionic villus sampling (CVS), and amniocentesis. Furthermore, there is no exact treatment for this condition. However, it can be managed through physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, specialized education services, social and recreation activities, and programs that offer job training and teach self-care skills.

What are the Similarities Between Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome?

• Williams syndrome and Down syndrome are two different types of chromosomal disorders.
• Both disorders can cause developmental delays.
• Both disorders can be diagnosed through physical examination and genetic testing.
• They can be treated through specific therapies.

What is the Difference Between Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome?

Williams syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by a missing chromosome, while Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder caused by an extra chromosome. This is the key difference between Williams syndrome and Down syndrome. Furthermore, Williams syndrome occurs in 1 out of 10,000 births in the United States. On the other hand, Down syndrome occurs in about 1 out of 700 babies in the United States.

The infographic below presents the differences between Williams syndrome and Down syndrome in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

FAQ: Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome

What are the 3 types of Down syndrome?

Trisomy 21, Translocation Down syndrome, and Mosaic Down syndrome are the three types of Down syndrome.

How is the brain different in Williams syndrome?

In Williams syndrome, structural and functional differences in the brain can occur. Specific features may include a smaller and more symmetrical brain, alterations in the size and function of certain brain regions, and unique patterns of connectivity.

Does Williams syndrome get worse with age?

Williams syndrome also remains relatively stable with age.

Summary – Williams Syndrome vs. Down Syndrome

Williams syndrome and Down syndrome are two different types of chromosomal disorders. Williams syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is due to a missing piece of region in chromosome 7, while Down syndrome is a genetic condition due to extra partial or full chromosome 21. Down syndrome is not inherited, while Williams syndrome is an inherited disorder. This summarizes the difference between Williams syndrome and Down syndrome.

Reference:

1. “Williams Syndrome.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
2. “Down Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment.” WebMD.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Down syndrome lg” By Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities – (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Williams syndromeCCBY” By E. A. Nikitina, A. V. Medvedeva, G. A. Zakharov, and E. V. Savvateeva-Popova, 2014 Park-media Ltd – (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia