The cat meow syndrome is a rare congenital disease, diagnosed quite recently (in the 60s) in which children are born with a very characteristic cry, reminiscent of the feline meow , and a series of very specific physical and psychological characteristics.
Although there is no specific treatment, new techniques have been discovered over the years to help integration into society of the affected individuals , as well as to help them in their personal and psychological development.Next, we will see what this rare disease consists of, the characteristics it presents and the possible treatments to take into account.
Cat Meow Syndrome | What it is and what it implies

1.What is the cat meow syndrome?
In the mid 60's, at a Paris convention, Dr.Jerome Lejeune and his collaborators diagnosed this disease (also known as Lejeune syndrome) for the first time in three babies.
The cat meow syndrome is named after the characteristic cry of children who suffer from it and can remember the meowing of a cat. This syndrome is a congenital disease (that is, it forms during pregnancy) very rare (affects one child in 20,000-50,000) and with more incidence in girls.The syndrome appears after the total or partial elimination of chromosome 5.With the breakage of the chromosome, the genetic information it contains is lost.Therefore, the greater the chromosome breakage, the greater the s the loss of information was greater and the number of alterations was greater.
It is believed that the syndrome appears for the first time during conception, when the sperm or ovule loses the chromosome. In a smaller percentage, this syndrome may be due to one of the parents being the carrier.
2.How is it diagnosed?
It is not possible to diagnose this syndrome before that the child is born , but the suspicions will begin to appear with the crying, so characteristic, and of the other physical characteristics that we will comment next.The definitive diagnosis is produced through a genetic study.

3.What are the characteristics of the cat meow syndrome?
All children born with the syndrome of the cat meow they present a series of common characteristics. In addition to having the characteristic crying sharp and so similar to that of a cat, they have an average weight less than the rest of the children at birth (below 2 , 5 kg), as well as microcephaly and other physical characteristics, such as having a round face, separate eyes or the bridge of the wide nose.They also have, in all cases, intellectual disability, which, in addition, leads to a minor development of the psychomotor system.
As we have said, all these characteristics will depend on the chromosome breakage and its consequent loss of information , which will be more serious the more severe the breakage..
4.Psychological characteristics of cat meow syndrome
Affected children due to the cat meow syndrome they show deficits in psychomotor skills , although they are able to walk or control the sphincters without difficulty.
As they grow older, the delay in abilities intellectuals are growing. However, it must be borne in mind that there is no loss of intellectual abilities that they have learned, that they maintain and that can lead to more complex ones.
At the language level, children suffering from this syndrome have a severe communicative delay , but will be able to construct simple sentences to communicate with.
Life expectancy of those affected by the cat meow syndrome is quite reduced , since it tends to be around fifty years.

5.Treatment of cat meow syndrome
Although there is no definitive treatment to treat cat meow syndrome, it should be taken into account that they are valued much other capabilities , such as curiosity about the new, interest in telling what has been learned or social relationships on the part of the child that, although not decisive, does help to obtain better results or determine the way in which it will be done the treatment.
It should also be borne in mind that children with cat meow syndrome need constant attention due to their limited attention span. Despite This constant supervision can be achieved with a good degree of independence.
Although there is no definitive treatment, there have been many improvements since the 80s, which used to enclose those affected by this syndrome in institutions with others affected by severe mental retardation. Over time it has been shown that the integration of those affected in society is much more positive for their development.
Likewise, when considering treatment too we must take into account the behavior of those affected that, although it can be sweet and peaceful, sometimes also presents disruptions such as arana to companion, fear of certain objects or even self-harm.
In short, the treatment of the cat meow syndrome will depend a lot on the parents' love for their son, since it is highly recommended that he be surrounded by love, of concern for integrating it into his environment , of education and , above all, information to better understand this syndrome and to improve the lives of those affected and those around it.Tell us, did you know the cat meow syndrome? Do you think you can contribute something else to the article? Remember that you can tell us what you want in the comments!
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