First identified in 2017 by Dr. Cara M. Skraban and Dr. Matthew A. Deardorff, Skraban-Deardorff Syndrome, also known as WDR26-Related Intellectual Disability, is a rare genetic disorder characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, seizures and subtle facial differences. Drs. Skraban and Deardorff tell us that another common attribute is that individuals with this diagnosis, young and old, are happy, affectionate, and have smiles that light up the world. Parents remark that they are immediately loved by everyone they meet.

Common Characteristics of SKDEAS:

• Global developmental delays

• Limited or absent speech (often resulting in Childhood Apraxia of Speech)

• Low muscle tone (hypotonia) and coordination or balance difficulties

• Seizures or "brain-sparks" in some individuals

• Traits associated with autism or ADHD

Every individual with SKDEAS is unique, but they are frequently described as happy, affectionate, and full of joy.

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a neurological motor speech disorder that makes it hard for children to speak. Children with the diagnosis of apraxia of speech generally have a good understanding of language and know what they want to say. However, they have difficulty learning or carrying out the complex movements that underlie speech. There are often co-occurring challenges that can last into adulthood in the areas of residual speech errors, language, reading/literacy, academics, and social skills. There is no cure, but with intensive and appropriate speech therapy, most children learn to produce intelligible speech and can overcome many of their challenges.

Many children with CAS have fine motor skill delays and/or sensory processing difficulties. Some children may experience leaming challenges for school-related areas such as reading, spelling, or writing. Children who experience these issues will need assistance from other professionals in fields such as occupational therapy, developmental behavioral pediatrics, and special education.