Spastic paraplegia-severe developmental delay-epilepsy syndrome

What it is

From: Orphanet

Spastic paraplegia-severe developmental delay-epilepsy syndrome is a rare, genetic, complex spastic paraplegia disorder characterized by an infantile-onset of psychomotor developmental delay with severe intellectual disability and poor speech acquisition, associated with seizures (mostly myoclonic), muscular hypotonia which may be noted at birth, and slowly progressive spasticity in the lower limbs leading to severe gait disturbances. Ocular abnormalities and incontinence are commonly associated. Other symptoms may include verbal dyspraxia, hypogenitalism, macrocephaly and sensorineural hearing loss, as well as dystonic movements and ataxia with upper limb involvement.

Reported clinical features and what the terms mean

The following findings are associated with this condition in Orphanet. They are not a checklist for diagnosing yourself, and they do not all occur in every affected person. Some are examination, imaging or laboratory findings that cannot be recognised at home.

The frequency labels describe how often a finding was reported among people with the condition in the source. They do not give the chance that a person with that symptom has the condition. Definitions below reproduce HPO terminology; they explain the term, not the likely severity in an individual.

Global developmental delay · Very frequent (99-80%)

A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.

Seizure · Very frequent (99-80%)

A seizure is an intermittent abnormality of nervous system physiology characterized by a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.

Progressive spastic paraplegia · Very frequent (99-80%)

Absent pubertal growth spurt · Frequent (79-30%)

The abrupt and transient increase in the annual growth rate normally observed in adolescent individuals does not occur.

Ataxia · Frequent (79-30%)

Ataxia refers to impaired coordination of voluntary muscle movement. Cerebellar ataxia refers to ataxia due to dysfunction of the cerebellum. This causes a variety of elementary neurological deficits including asynergy (lack of coordination between muscles, limbs and joints), dysmetria (lack of ability to judge distances that can lead to under- or overshoot in grasping movements), and dysdiadochokinesia (inability to perform rapid movements requiring antagonizing muscle groups to be switched on and off repeatedly).

Axial hypotonia · Frequent (79-30%)

Muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone) affecting the musculature of the trunk.

Deeply set eye · Frequent (79-30%)

An eye that is more deeply recessed into the plane of the face than is typical.

Delayed speech and language development · Frequent (79-30%)

A degree of language development that is significantly below the norm for a child of a specified age.

Downturned corners of mouth · Frequent (79-30%)

A morphological abnormality of the mouth in which the angle of the mouth is downturned. The oral commissures are positioned inferior to the midline labial fissure.

Dysarthria · Frequent (79-30%)

Dysarthric speech is a general description referring to a neurological speech disorder characterized by poor articulation. Depending on the involved neurological structures, dysarthria may be further classified as spastic, flaccid, ataxic, hyperkinetic and hypokinetic, or mixed.

Dystonia · Frequent (79-30%)

An abnormally increased muscular tone that causes fixed abnormal postures. There is a slow, intermittent twisting motion that leads to exaggerated turning and posture of the extremities and trunk.

Exophoria · Frequent (79-30%)

A form of strabismus with one or both eyes deviated outward to a milder degree than with exotropia.

Gait disturbance · Frequent (79-30%)

The term gait disturbance can refer to any disruption of the ability to walk.

Generalized myoclonic seizure · Frequent (79-30%)

A generalized myoclonic seizure is a type of generalized motor seizure characterized by bilateral, sudden, brief (<100 ms) involuntary single or multiple contraction of muscles or muscle groups of variable topography (axial, proximal limb, distal). Myoclonus is less regularly repetitive and less sustained than is clonus.

Other findings in the same source

From: Orphanet

Additional reported features include Hip dislocation (Frequent (79-30%)); Hypertelorism (Frequent (79-30%)); Intellectual disability (Frequent (79-30%)); Kyphosis (Frequent (79-30%)); Lower limb spasticity (Frequent (79-30%)); Myopia (Frequent (79-30%)); Retinal dystrophy (Frequent (79-30%)); Scoliosis (Frequent (79-30%)); Sensorineural hearing impairment (Frequent (79-30%)); Spasticity (Frequent (79-30%)). This is a selected summary, not a complete description of the condition.

When it may begin

From: Orphanet

Infancy

Inheritance in the source

From: Orphanet

Autosomal recessive

Frequency and the population described

From: Orphanet

Reported case(s): 16.0; Worldwide. This is a published case count, not prevalence. Point prevalence: <1 / 1 000 000; Worldwide; Class only.

Understanding the inheritance label

From: MedlinePlus Genetics

An autosomal recessive pattern usually involves disease-causing changes in both copies of a gene. Parents may each carry one altered copy without having the condition themselves. A genetic counsellor can explain carrier testing and reproductive implications using the actual laboratory findings, rather than the condition name alone.

Which doctor should you see?

The suggested department for discussing Spastic paraplegia-severe developmental delay-epilepsy syndrome is Clinical Genetics, with a clinical geneticist as the relevant type of clinician. Paediatrician (children) or physician (adults), with clinical geneticist referral.

Additional services that may be relevant, depending on the findings, include: Neurology.

This is an editorial referral starting point. The appropriate clinic depends on the person’s age, symptoms, previous diagnosis and local services. The first clinician can decide whether another specialty or a team is needed; a department label does not confirm the diagnosis.

How to prepare for an assessment

Bring a short timeline of the main symptoms: when they first appeared, whether they are constant or episodic, what seems to change them, and how they affect daily activities. Include previous reports, discharge summaries, current medicines and supplements, allergies, and any relevant family history. A dated record is more useful than trying to match every feature in an online article.

Ask the clinician what is already established and what remains uncertain. If a test is suggested, ask what question it answers, what its limitations are and how the result would change the next step. The information here is not an instruction to arrange every possible test. In children, bring growth, developmental and school information if it is relevant to the concern.

• Does the exact genetic or chromosome finding explain the observed features?
• Would a genetic counsellor help the family understand the result?
• Which organ-specific assessments are appropriate for this particular diagnosis?

Treatment discussions and follow-up

The material gathered for this draft does not provide a complete condition-specific treatment pathway for Spastic paraplegia-severe developmental delay-epilepsy syndrome. That gap does not mean that treatment is unavailable. A clinician needs to establish the diagnosis and review current guidance before recommending medicines, procedures, rehabilitation or other support.

Before leaving the appointment, clarify the next review date, who will communicate results, and whom to contact if the situation changes. Discuss difficulties with sleep, work, school, mobility, eating or emotional wellbeing when these are relevant. Practical support may require coordination between the treating clinician and other services.

The collected references do not establish a complete prevention or long-term outlook section for this entry. Missing information should not be interpreted as proof that prevention is impossible or that a particular outcome is inevitable. Ask what is known for the exact subtype, stage and personal circumstances, and which uncertainties remain.

When to seek emergency help

Severe breathing difficulty, collapse, new stroke-like symptoms, a seizure that is prolonged or repeated without recovery, uncontrolled major bleeding, or an immediate risk of self-harm require emergency help. In India, call 112 or reach the nearest emergency department. This is a general, non-exhaustive warning list; it is not a condition-specific triage tool.