Actor Colin Farrell Son: Colin Farrell the actor is setting up a foundation aimed at assisting grownups with special needs and their loved ones.
This philanthropic initiative driven by his son who was born with Angelman syndrome, is expected to help families through advocacy, education and innovative programs. The 48-year-old Irish actress wishes that her 20-year-old son James could be treated with more love and respect in the world.
Angelman syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the nervous system causing both physical and learning disabilities, according to NHS. A person suffering from this condition will have almost a normal life expectancy but they will need support throughout their lives.
Colin Farrell has a James who turns twenty-one next month when he becomes an adult Canadian Kim Bordenway’s former girlfriend.
The star commended his cute child saying that he had struggled all through his life to learn repetitiveness and balance as well as make him walk smoother.
He added: However, when she first began to feed herself, her face resembled that of Jackson Pollock. On the contrary, he manages to do it himself and does a great job at it. This is why I look forward to every day in my life because I see him as magic and thus proud of him all through. For the first time, I’m about to mention this but obviously, I only talk about it because I can’t ask James if he wants to do it.
I mean, I can. With James, however, I speak as though he is 20 years old having an excellent command of the English language and age-appropriate cognitive abilities.
Most people with Angelman syndrome live for an almost similar period to other individuals but require lifelong assistance. Additionally, although a child may not exhibit any of these behaviours; there are typically certain characteristic features that accompany the disorder:
- spontaneous laughter or smiling without external stimulation
- hyperexcitability with hand-flapping
- restlessness (hyperactivity)
- short attention span;
- sleeping difficulties especially requiring less than other children;
- fixation on water
In some young children with Angelman syndrome microcephaly (a small head which might also be flat at the back) may become noticeable from about two years old. Other children may also develop seizures around this time.
Features of the Angelman syndrome
It is not until six to twelve months old that symptoms become obvious and developmental delays related to failure to sit independently as well as low sound production begin.
While a number of these children may never speak or may have limited speech, many will communicate through gestures or other forms.
Movement also becomes a problem for children with Angelman syndrome as they struggle with balance and coordination (ataxia). Their arms may tremble or make jerky movements, and their legs may stiffen.
The Causes of Angelman Syndrome
Though some causes of Angelman syndrome are unknown, the most common is when there is an absence or malfunctioning of the UBE3A gene. According to the NHS, a gene is a single unit of genetic material (DNA) that serves as a blueprint for a person’s development and characteristics.
Two copies of the UBE3A gene are generally inherited by a child, one from each parent, but only the mother’s side is active as the NHS explains. In most cases of Angelman syndrome, the baby does not receive a copy of its mother’s UBE3A gene or the gene is not functioning. Therefore, there is no working version of it in the child’s brain.
On rare occasions, a child may inherit two inactive copies of this same gene from his father instead of one from each parent and Angelman syndrome may develop in such cases. Most often, parents who have children with Angelman syndrome do not have AS themselves and they just happen to have genetic differences responsible for this disorder during conception.