Vladimír Bzdúch1, Katarína Jariabková2, Eleonóra Čmelová3, Iveta Mĺkva4, Martina Skokňová1, Miriam Kolníková5
Background: Angelman syndrome is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by intellectual disability, epilepsy with abnormal EEG, absent speech, ataxia, poor sleep pattern and happy disposition. The diagnosis is based on the clinical features, behaviour and the presence of genetic abnormalities. Patients and methods: Three children were followed up as inborn errors of metabolism because of hypotonia, psychomotor retardation, failure to thrive and seizures. In these children the diagnosis turned out to be that of Angelman syndrome in 15, 26 and 31 months of life respectively, by molecular genetic testing. Difficulties in establishing correct diagnosis in the first months of life in the followed up children are analyzed. Conclusion: The absence of unambiguous clinical signs in infants with Angelman syndrome were the major reason for delayed diagnosis. The knowledge of the spectrum of clinical features may help pediatricians in identifying Angelman syndrome in infants, thus leading to earlier diagnosis.