Behavioural Characteristics

• When people have a diagnosis of Angelman syndrome it means that they are more likely to engage in certain behaviours than people without this syndrome. This is known as a behavioural phenotype.
• If a person has a diagnosis of Angelman syndrome it does not mean they will show all behaviours associated with the syndrome and it is important to remember that everyone with Angelman syndrome is an individual.
• Understanding which behaviours are more likely to occur in Angelman syndrome means that parents, carers and professionals are in a stronger position to support a person with Angelman syndrome. This is because they can learn about why this behaviour is happening and develop interventions that are specific to people with this syndrome.

The following sections describe a range of behaviours commonly observed in Angelman syndrome, including:

• • Adaptive (living) skills
  • Behaviours associated with autism
  • Food related issues
  • Overactivity/impulsivity
  • Mood and interest
  • Repetitive behaviour
  • Sensory issues
  • Separation Distress
  • Sleep
  • Social skills
  • Behavioural difficulties

• Descriptions of each of these behaviours can be found in the corresponding subsection on this website or you can visit the key topics section to get a general overview of each of these areas.