Harry Angelman identified the condition in three children in 1965 however in today’s research it is found in one in sixteen million people.(Angelmanuk.2015).Therefore the reason the research has been so motivational is due to it being very rare and the lack of awareness in the general population also my experience of working with children who have the syndrome it has driven this research and to write the book “George’s sleepover” to AID other children’s understanding on speech, language …show more content…
It explains throughout the strategies that are used to support children with AS to communicate non verbally for example with symbols, play and interaction to support their learning needs.(Hewitt,J.2010).
Characteristic features of Angelman Syndrome as Dan Bernard, 2008 suggests below:
“Cognitive impairment, movement, or balance disorder (ataxia), speech impairment with minimal or no use of words, hyperactivity, and a friendly, happy demeanour. Often times, but not always present, are epilepsy, interrupted and short periods of sleep, and subtle dysmorphic facial features”.
In 1965 AS was named by Dr Angelman as ‘Happy Puppet Syndrome’ or ‘puppet children’ this is due to the painting by Giovanni (Schaefer, G. and Thompson, J. 2014) because of the characteristic portraying a consistent happy behaviour this was renamed once more by Dr Angelman in 1982 to Angelman Syndrome.(GeneticaLens,2015). It was also suggested that illustration of AS is found in Walt Disney’s Snow White character Dopey due to having all characteristics of the syndrome which caused a Poet, Richard Price to write verse’s with the heading ‘Dopey has Angelman’s Syndrome. (Dan, B.