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Copyright 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2000, 2003, 2009
NORD is very grateful to Jeff Milunsky, MD, Boston University School of Medicine, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Genetics & Genomics; Associate Director, Center for Human Genetics at Boston University School of Medicine, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Synonyms of Waardenburg Syndrome
Disorder Subdivisions
- Waardenburg Syndrome Type IIA (WS2A)
- Waardenburg Syndrome Type IIB (WS2B)
- Waardenburg Syndrome Type III (WS3)
- Waardenburg Syndrome Type II (WS2)
- Waardenburg Syndrome Type IV (WS4)
- Waardenburg Syndrome Type I (WS1)
General Discussion
Waardenburg syndrome is a genetic disorder that may be evident at birth (congenital). The range and severity of associated symptoms and findings may vary greatly from case to case. However, primary features often include distinctive facial abnormalities; unusually diminished coloration (pigmentation) of the hair, the skin, and/or the iris of both eyes (irides); and/or congenital deafness. More specifically, some affected individuals may have an unusually wide nasal bridge due to sideways (lateral) displacement of the inner angles (canthi) of the eyes (dystopia canthorum). In addition, pigmentary abnormalities may include a white lock of hair growing above the forehead (white forelock); premature graying or whitening of the hair; differences in the coloration of the two irides or in different regions of the same iris (heterochromia irides); and/or patchy, abnormally light (depigmented) regions of skin (leukoderma). Some affected individuals may also have hearing impairment due to abnormalities of the inner ear (sensorineural deafness).
Researchers have described different types of Waardenburg syndrome (WS), based upon associated symptoms and specific genetic findings. For example, Waardenburg syndrome type I (WS1) is characteristically associated with sideways displacement of the inner angles of the eyes (i.e., dystopia canthorum), yet type II (WS2) is not associated with this feature. In addition, WS1 and WS2 are known to be caused by alterations (mutations) of different genes. Another form, known as type III (WS3), has been described in which characteristic facial, eye (ocular), and hearing (auditory) abnormalities may be associated with distinctive malformations of the arms and hands (upper limbs). A fourth form, known as WS4 or Waardenburg-Hirschsprung disease, may be characterized by primary features of WS in association with Hirschsprung disease. The latter is a digestive (gastrointestinal) disorder in which there is absence of groups of specialized nerve cell bodies within a region of the smooth (involuntary) muscle wall of the large intestine.
In most cases, Waardenburg syndrome is transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. A number of different disease genes have been identified that may cause Waardenburg syndrome in certain individuals or families (kindreds).
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Organizations related to Waardenburg Syndrome
- Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
3417 Volta Place, NW
Washington D.C. 20007-2778
Phone #: 202-337-5220
800 #: 866-337-5220
e-mail: info@agbell.org
Home page: http://www.agbell.org
- American Academy of Audiology
11730 Plaza America Drive, Suite 300
Reston VA 20190
Phone #: 703-790-8466
800 #: 800-222-2336
e-mail: infoaud@audiology.org
Home page: http://www.audiology.org
- American Council of the Blind
2200 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 650
Arlington VA 22201
Phone #: 202-467-5081
800 #: 800-424-8666
e-mail: mailman@acb.org
Home page: http://www.acb.org/
- American Foundation for the Blind
2 Penn Plaza, Suite 1102
New York NY 10121
Phone #: 212-502-7600
800 #: 800-232-5463
e-mail: afbinfo@afb.net
Home page: http://www.afb.org
- FACES: The National Craniofacial Association
P. O. Box 11082
Chattanooga TN 37401
Phone #: 423-266-1632
800 #: 800-332-2373
e-mail: faces@faces-cranio.org
Home page: http://www.faces-cranio.org
- Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg MD 20898-8126
Phone #: 301-251-4925
800 #: 888-205-2311
e-mail: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Home page: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
- Hearing Loss Association of America
7910 Woodmont Avenue
Suite 1200
Bethesda MD 20814
Phone #: 301-657-2248
800 #: N/A
e-mail: info@hearingloss.org
Home page: http://www.hearingloss.org
- Let Them Hear Foundation
1900 University Avenue, Suite 101
East Palo Alto CA 94303
Phone #: 650-462-3143
800 #: 877-735-2929
e-mail: info@letthemhear.org
Home page: http://www.letthemhear.org
- MUMS National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
- Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-264-0826
800 #: N/A
e-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains NY 10605
Phone #: 914-997-4488
800 #: 888-663-4637
e-mail: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Home page: http://www.marchofdimes.com
- NIH/National Eye Institute
Building 31 Rm 6A32
31 Center Dr MSC 2510
Bethesda MD 20892-2510
Phone #: 301-496-5248
800 #: --
e-mail: 2020@nei.nih.gov
Home page: http://www.nei.nih.gov/
- National Association for Visually Handicapped
22 West 21st Street
New York NY 10010
Phone #: 212-889-3141
800 #: --
e-mail: staff@navh.org
Home page: http://www.navh.org
- National Association of the Deaf
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 820
Silver Spring MD 20910
Phone #: 301-587-1788
800 #: --
e-mail: NADinfo@nad.org
Home page: http://www.nad.org
- National Consortium on Deaf-Blindness (NCDB)
The Teaching Research Institute
Western Oregon University
345 N. Monmouth Ave.
Monmouth OR 97361
Phone #: 800-438-9376
800 #: 800-438-9376
e-mail: info@nationaldb.org
Home page: http://www.nationaldb.org
- National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation
PO Box 959
East Hempstead NH 03826-0959
Phone #: 603-887-2310
800 #: 800-473-2310
e-mail: info@albinism.org
Home page: http://www.albinism.org
- National Vitiligo Foundation
P.O. Box 23226
Cincinnati OH 45223
Phone #: 513-541-3903
800 #: --
e-mail: info@nvfi.org
Home page: http://www.nvfi.org
- Perkins School for the Blind
175 North Beacon St.
Watertown MA 02472
Phone #: 617-924-3434
800 #: N/A
e-mail: Info@Perkins.org
Home page: http://www.Perkins.org
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