Xyy Syndrome

I think my husband has this XYY syndrome because what Annie said about it, it sounds just like the problems he has sometimes. It has never been diagnosed as this but he does have learning disabilities, problems with language and finding the right words, as well as trouble spelling sometimes. He's very tall (even though most of his family is not really super tall). My husband does have a bad temper sometimes and doesn't like to feel anxiety or frustration because this tends to fuel the anger worse than anything else but he is in no way criminal. He's never been in trouble with the law! I'm basically writing to tell you not to worry. If my husband does have this same thing (and I really think he does), your son will be fine. My husband is a high school and college graduate and we have a great and happy marriage. He's an excellent father and instead of his learning disabilities discouraging him from learning it has seemed to fuel his need to learn. He is always trying to learn new things. Just be there for him and help him the best you can without doing everything for him. Good luck!

Kimmy,

My wife and I found out that our son, Ryan, has XYY while she was pregnant through amnio.... Ryan is now 12 years old. He is as I tell him, a Special Gift from God. He is warm, loving, kind and compassionate.

We found that he qualified for early childhood speech therapy through a local therapy clinic that deals with all types of therapy from physical therapy to speech therapy. North Texas Rehab is the name and it is in Wichita Falls, Tx..

Ryan started receiving therapy as an infant before he could even crawl. We read to him alot. When he turned 4 he became inelligible for North Texas' services and became elligible for speech through our local school system.

We now have Ryan in private speech therapy and he is doing well. He has a few minor speech related problems and does struggle some in school.

I would be happy to coorespond with you by email if you desire more information or answers to specific questions.

Just give your son lots of love, a peaceful environment, speech therapy, and read with him alot. He may test your patience if he is like Ryan he can be stubborn at times. Ryan is the youngest of our children so we do have others that we compare him to so don't worry to much, just communicate with teachers, doctors, and caregivers.

its not that bad he will have slow speech and slow learning but with the right help in school he will be just fine

Baby Center has Bulletin Boards for almost every topic. I searched and found this answer:

The male sex chromosome abnormality they looked for specifically with Scott was called Klinefelters Syndrome. It is XYY. Once again, if someone had that condition they would typically be sterile.

These boards are full of very helpful moms who can answer almost any question! I found support there when I found out my son had CHD (heart problems). Here is a list of Health related boards. http://www.babycenter.com/boards/bcuschildhealth

I hope this helps! And good luck to you and your son!

Jen

Men usually have only one X and one Y chromosome, i.e. the chromosome constitution 46,XY. Men with XYYsyndrome have two Y chromosomes, and the chromosome constitution 47,XYY. The frequency is approximately 1 of 1000 men, i.e.in Denmark, with 5 millions inhabitant, there are 3000 boys and men with XYY syndrome.

You cannot see on a newborn boy, that he has the XYY syndrome. Except for increased height there are nospecial physical stigmata in boys and men with XYY syndrome. Their average height is approximately 7 cms. above the expectedheight. Physical developement is otherwise normal, sex-organs are normal.

Boys with XYY syndrome often are more physically active than their brothers, and if this activity is canalized into play,sports or other physical activities with parent and other children, this fact is in no way negative. Boys with XYY syndromehave a tendency to a delayed mental maturation, and in connection with an increased tendency for learning-problems inschool, this means a need for early and adequate stimulation.

It is important that these boys at an early age are admitted to a good day-care institution, and that there is a closecooperation between parents and staff in day-care and kindergarten. If the speech development is delayed, it is importantwith speech therapist help for a period. Commonly XYY boys develop normally inchildhood, and their intelligence is usually within the normal range.

The high level of activity and eventually learning-problems can give difficulties in school, and there may be need for anextra educational effort. Such an effort often gives good results, and problems with learning can be overcome.

The Turner Center For Information, Counselling, and Research has published a booklet on the XYY syndrome. Thisbooklet can be ordered free of charge by request to the centre.

For parents, who have been informed through prenatal examination, that the foetus has the karyotype 47,XYY, we canmediate contact to parents, who have a son with the XYY syndrome, and such a contact can also be arranged if the diagnosis XYY syndrome is made at a later stage.

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Hey K.,
No worries!!!! You are right...it's not bad!! Just keep an eye on his language development and encourage him in this area. Read a lot (if he still wears diapers you can do the book with every diaper change rule)!!! Talk to him a lot. Ask him questions, even is he's too little to answer. Just so he can hear the changes in your voice. Use big words frequently so the become the norm for him. I'm not sure how old he is, but try starting board games and card games early around age 2 if he'll be still long enough. Yes, he may have some possible language delays and yes maybe he'll be very active and maybe he'll need some extra help in school. Who knows, but that is what we do, right! Just love him like crazy, encourage him and give him outlets for his extra energy. I would not tell him about this as a child for any reason and would just try to intervene early if you notice any issues. Every kid has an issue or two or three with or without an extra Y chromosome. My first son was a preemie and diagnosed with all sorts of things when he was a baby and with love and early intervention nobody has a clue and he was a real mess. So, don't worry...it sounds very minor to me. Good luck! I found this tidbit online.
"The XYY syndrome is a disorder in which a male infant is born with an extra Y chromosome.

Boys with XYY syndrome tend to be tall and have difficulties with language. The IQ tends to be slightly lower than that of other family members. Learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and minor behavioral disorders can develop. The XYY syndrome was once thought to cause aggressive or violent criminal behavior, but this theory has been disproved."