Typical agoraphobia symptoms include fear of: Leaving home alone Crowds or waiting in line Enclosed spaces, such as movie theaters, elevators or small stores Open spaces, such as parking lots, bridges or malls Using public transportation, such as a bus, plane or train These situations cause anxiety because you fear you won't be able to escape or find help if you start to fe  Read More

Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have it — they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge. Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger. Adult ADHD symptoms may include: Impulsivene  Read More

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common chronic disorders affecting school-age children. Current research indicates prevalence rates of 3% to 5% with males being diagnosed with this disorder two and a half times more often than females. ADHD is described as "a common neurobiologic disorder characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity." A more academic des  Read More

Some children show signs of autism spectrum disorder in early infancy, such as reduced eye contact, lack of response to their name or indifference to caregivers. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but then suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Signs usually are seen by age 2 years. Each child with autism spectrum disorder is likely to have a  Read More

Some children show signs of autism spectrum disorder in early infancy, such as reduced eye contact, lack of response to their name or indifference to caregivers. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life, but then suddenly become withdrawn or aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Signs usually are seen by age 2 years. Each child with autism spectrum disorder is likely to have a  Read More

Borderline personality disorder is a personality disorder characterized by consistently problematic ways of thinking, feeling, and interacting, impulsivity, negative self-image and fear of abandonment, leading to difficulties with interpersonal relationships. BPD affects men as often as women in general, women more than men in treatment populations. Antisocial personality disorder in adults, substance-abuse problems in  Read More

CSS is characterized by distinctive abnormalities of the head and facial (craniofacial) region with affected individuals often described as having coarse facial features that become more prominent with age. Affected individuals may have an unusually small or large head (micro- or macrocephaly); a wide mouth with full, prominent lips; a broad nasal tip; a low nasal bridge; and an abnormally long vertical groove between the nose and the upper li  Read More

Scott craniodigital syndrome is a condition that has only been found in two families. The manifestations include unusual head shape, growth and developmental delay, and mild webbing between the fingers and toes (syndactyly)  Read More

Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person. Key signs and symptoms may include: Depression that temporarily lifts in response to good news or positive events Increased appetite that can cause weight gain Increased desire to sleep, usually more than 10 hours a day Heavy, leaden feeling in your arms or legs that lasts an hour or more in a day — a feeling that is different from fatigue  Read More

Dysthymia, now referred to as persistent depressive disorder, is a form of depression that lasts more than two years at a time in adults and more than one year at a time in children and adolescents. Dysthymia can afflict 3%-6% of the United States population -- women more than men and more African Americans than Caucasians and some groups of Hispanic people. Dysthymic disorder usually co-occurs with other disorders, li  Read More

There are a variety of treatments available for controlling anxiety, including several effective anti-anxiety medications and specific forms of psychotherapy. In terms of medications, buspirone (Buspar) is known to be quite effective for treating GAD. However, it seems to be less effective in managing many other disorders that often co-occur (are comorbid) with GAD. Therefore, specific members of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSR  Read More

Mowat-Wilson syndrome (MWS) is a rare genetic disorder that may be apparent at birth or later in childhood. MWS is characterized by intellectual disability, distinctive facial features and seizures. Other congenital anomalies occur in some individuals and can include a gastrointestinal disease known as Hirschsprung disease (40-50% of individuals) in which a narrowing of a portion of the colon is present, heart (cardiac) defects, kidney (renal)  Read More

A number of factors, including unrealistic expectations, financial pressures, and too many commitments can cause stress and anxiety at holiday time. Certain people may feel anxious or depressed around the winter holidays due to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes referred to as seasonal depression. Headaches, excessive drinking, overeating, and insomnia are some of the possible consequences of poorly managed h  Read More

Hyperaldosteronism without hypertension is also named Bartter's syndrome. In Hyperaldosteronism, adrenal glands produce much aldosterone. This results in a lowering of potassium levels in the blood, i.e. hypokalemia, and increases hydrogen ion excretion, i.e. alkalosis. 1. In this condition, certain kidney cells are enlarged, the blood becomes more alkaline than in the normal condition, and potassium and chloride  Read More

Hypercalcemia-supravalvar aortic stenosis is a condition in which the calcium levels in your blood are too high. It can be caused by a number of factors, including the use of certain medications, overactive parathyroid glands (which are responsible for regulating the amount of calcium in your body), or kidney failure.1. When this condition occurs, it can cause many symptoms like fatigue and weakness as well as more  Read More

Familial lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency is a rare genetic metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase. Deficiency of this enzyme prevents affected individuals from properly digesting certain fats and results in massive accumulation of fatty droplets called chylomicrons in the circulation (chylomicronemia) and consequently also an increase of the plasma concentration of fatty substances called triglyce  Read More

Ichthyosis spastic neurologic disorder mental retardation (ISNDMR) is a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple systems in the body, including the skin and muscles. People with ISNDMR have abnormal muscle tone and stiffness, as well as the decreased movement of their arms and legs. They also have difficulty coordinating their movements and have poor muscle strength. Because of these symptoms, people with ISNDM  Read More

Infantile respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) is a condition that affects newborn babies. It's caused by immature lungs and can be life-threatening if not treated immediately. Infants with IRDS have difficulty breathing and may develop bluish skin coloration, which can be seen especially around the mouth and lips. Babies with IRDS may also have trouble feeding, may vomit or cough up mucus, or may have difficulty  Read More

Santavuori disease, a rare genetic disorder, belongs to a group of progressive degenerative neurometabolic diseases known as the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL). These disorders share certain similar symptoms and are distinguished in part by the age at which such symptoms appear. Santavuori disease is considered the infantile form of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses. The NCLs are characterized by abnormal accumulation of certain fatty,  Read More

Kleine-Levin syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by the need for excessive amounts of sleep (hypersomnolence), (i.e., up to 20 hours a day); excessive food intake (compulsive hyperphagia); and behavioral changes such as an abnormally uninhibited sexual drive. The disorder primarily affects adolescent males. When awake, affected individuals may exhibit irritability, lack of energy (lethargy), and/or lack of emotions (apathy). They may als  Read More

Lowe syndrome is characterized by vision problems including clouding of the lenses of the eyes (cataracts) that are present at birth, kidney problems that usually develop in the first year of life, and brain abnormalities that are associated with intellectual disabilities. Lowe syndrome is inherited as an X-linked genetic condition.  Read More

Alpha-mannosidosis is a rare genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency of the enzyme alpha-D-mannosidase. Alpha-mannosidosis is best thought of as a continuum of disease that is generally broken down into three forms: a mild, slowly progressive form (type 1); a moderate form (type 2); and a severe, often rapidly progressive and potentially life-threatening form (type 3). The symptoms and severity of the disorder are highly variable. Sympt  Read More

Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome (MSS) is a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple organ systems of the body. Common symptoms include difficulty coordinating voluntary movements due to degeneration (atrophy) of the cerebellum (cerebellar ataxia), clouding of the lenses of the eyes (cataracts), delays in the acquisition of skills requiring the coordination of muscular and mental activity (psychomotor development), diminished muscle tone (hypoton  Read More

Migraine headache is a result of specific changes within the brain. It causes severe head pain that is often accompanied by sensitivity to light, sound, or smells. Common symptoms of migraine are: Eye pain Sensitivity to light or sound Nausea Vomiting Severe pain, usually on one side of the head that some individuals describe as "pounding" Other types of  Read More

Megalocornea-mental retardation (MMR) syndrome, otherwise known as Neuhauser syndrome, is an extremely rare genetic disorder characterized by distinctive abnormalities of the eye, several degrees of cognitive impairment, and a wide variety of additional symptoms The range and severity of the symptoms varies greatly from one person to another, which has led some researchers to suggest that MMR syndrome encompasses several distinct, but similar  Read More

Mucolipidosis IV (MLIV) is a rare genetic disorder that affects many different parts of the body, including the lungs, eyes, and brain. The most common symptom of MLIV is failure to thrive—a condition in which a child grows very slowly. Other symptoms include severe hearing loss, frequent respiratory infections, vision problems, and seizures. MLIV is caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene, which causes a defic  Read More

The symptoms of narcolepsy most commonly begin between the ages of 10 and 25. They may worsen for the first few years, and then continue for life. They include: Excessive daytime sleepiness. People with narcolepsy fall asleep without warning, anywhere, anytime. For example, you may suddenly nod off while working or talking with friends. You may sleep for a few minutes or up to a half-hour before awakening a  Read More

Stickler syndrome refers to a group of disorders of connective tissue. Connective tissue, which is distributed throughout the body, multiple organ systems can be affected. The specific symptoms present in Stickler syndrome often vary greatly from one individual to another. Affected individuals may not have all of the symptoms .The eyes, ears, skeleton and joints are most often affected. Affected individuals may also have distinctive facial fea  Read More

Paroxysmal sleep is a rare and unusual sleeping disorder that causes people to suddenly fall asleep for short periods of time, usually lasting less than one minute. It can occur at any time of day or night, but most often occurs when the person is in the early stages of falling asleep or when they’re waking up from a nap. It can last anywhere between a few seconds to several minutes, and it usually happens once every hou  Read More

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that was first formally diagnosed in soldiers and war veterans and is usually caused by terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experiences but can also be caused by devastating life events like unemployment or divorce. PTSD symptom types include re-experiencing the trauma, avoidance, emotional numbing, and hyperarousal. PTSD has a  Read More

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), is a mood disorder that affects some women during the second half of their menstrual cycle. It's marked by extreme emotional and physical symptoms that can have serious effects on your day-to-day life. The symptoms can vary from woman to woman, but they usually include irritability, anger, frustration, sadness, anxiety, mood swings and fatigue. Some women also experience sev  Read More

Sleepiness is the desire to fall asleep. It's normal to feel sleepy at times, especially if you've been awake for a long time or haven't had enough sleep the night before. But when sleepiness interferes with your daily activities and causes problems at home, school or work, it can become a disorder called hypersomnolence. Hypersomnolence usually involves extreme daytime sleepiness that affects your ability to function during the d  Read More

Psychotic disorders are mental illnesses that make it difficult to think logically and clearly. They can cause hallucinations, which are false perceptions of things that aren't really happening, and delusions, which are false beliefs about what's happening in the world. Psychotic disorders can also affect your mood and behavior. Psychotic disorders are often grouped into two categories: schizophrenia and bipolar d  Read More

The short stature-hyperextensibility-rieger syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects the development of the body. The four risk factors of the short stature-hyperextensibility-rieger syndrome are: 1. Short stature 2. Hyperextensibility of the joints (especially the elbows, knees, and fingers) 3. Hypermobility of the joints (i.e., easy bending or stretching)  Read More

Cervical dystonia, also known as spasmodic torticollis, is a rare neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions in the neck that cause abnormal movements and postures of the neck and head. In some cases, these abnormal contractions may be sustained or continuous; in others, they may be present as spasms that can resemble tremor. The severity of cervical dystonia can vary, but the disorder can cause significant pain and  Read More

Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by distinctive abnormalities of the head and face area resulting from underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of certain facial structures including the jaw, cheekbones and nearby structures (zygomatic complex). Craniofacial abnormalities tend to involve the cheekbones, jaws, mouth, ears, and/or eyes. In addition to the various facial abnormalities, affected individuals may have ma  Read More

Visual memory-deficit amnesia is caused by damage to areas of the visual system that store visual information. Because it is caused by a deficit in access to stored visual material and not by an impaired ability to encode or retrieve new material, it has the otherwise infrequent properties of a more severe retrograde than anterograde amnesia with no temporal gradient in the retrograde amnesia. Of the number of cases of long-term vi  Read More

WAGR syndrome is a disorder that affects many body systems and is named for its main features: Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, and intellectual disability People with WAGR syndrome have a 45 to 60 percent chance of developing Wilms tumor, a rare form of kidney cancer. This type of cancer is most often diagnosed in children but is sometimes seen in adults. 1. Most people with WAGR syndrome hav  Read More

MCT8-specific thyroid hormone cell transporter deficiency (THCT deficiency) is an inherited disorder that is characterized by severe mental retardation, an impaired ability to speak, diminished muscle tone (hypotonia), and/or movement abnormalities. With the exception of poor muscle tone, most affected infants appear to develop normally during the first months of life. However, by about two months of age, affected infants may seem  Read More

De Sanctis-Cacchione syndrome is an extremely rare disorder characterized by the skin and eye symptoms of xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) occurring in association with neurological abnormalities, mental retardation, unusually short stature (dwarfism), and underdevelopment of the testes or ovaries (hypogonadism). Xeroderma pigmentosum is a group of rare inherited skin disorders characterized by a heightened reaction to ultraviolet light (photosensit  Read More