Signs and symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome can vary among individuals. Symptoms may slowly change over time from childhood to adulthood. Infants Signs and symptoms that may be present from birth include:  Poor muscle tone. A primary sign during infancy is poor muscle tone (hypotonia). Babies may rest with their elbows and knees loosely extended instead of fixed, and they may feel floppy or like rag dolls when they're held. Distinct facial features. Children may be born with almond-shaped eyes, a narrowing of the head at the temples, a turned-down mouth and a thin upper lip. Poor sucking reflex. Infants may have a poor sucking reflex due to decreased muscle tone. Poor sucking makes feeding difficult and can result in failure to thrive. Generally poor responsiveness. A baby may seem unusually tired, respond poorly to stimulation, have a hard time waking up or have a weak cry. Underdeveloped genitals. Males may have a small penis and scrotum. The testicles may be small or not descended from the abdomen into the scrotum (cryptorchidism). In females, the clitoris and labia may be small.  Early childhood to adulthood Other features of Prader-Willi syndrome appear during early childhood and remain throughout life, requiring careful management. These features may include:  Food craving and weight gain. A classic sign of Prader-Willi syndrome is a constant craving for food, resulting in rapid weight gain, starting around age 2 years. Constant hunger leads to eating often and consuming large portions. Unusual food-seeking behaviors, such as hoarding food, or eating frozen food or even garbage, may develop. Underdeveloped sex organs. A condition called hypogonadism occurs when sex organs (testes in men and ovaries in women) produce little or no sex hormones. This results in underdeveloped sex organs, incomplete or delayed puberty, and in nearly all cases, infertility. Without treatment, women may not start menstruating until their 30s or may never menstruate, and men may not have much facial hair and their voices may never fully deepen. Poor growth and physical development. Underproduction of growth hormone can result in short adult height, low muscle mass and high body fat. Other endocrine problems may include underproduction of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) or central adrenal insufficiency, which prevents the body from responding appropriately during stress or infections. Cognitive impairment. Mild to moderate intellectual disability, such as issues with thinking, reasoning and problem-solving, is a common feature of the disorder. Even those without significant intellectual disability have some learning disabilities. Delayed motor development. Toddlers with Prader-Willi syndrome often reach milestones in physical movement — for example, sitting up or walking — later than other children do. Speech problems. Speech is often delayed. Poor articulation of words may be an ongoing problem into adulthood. Behavioral problems. Children and adults may at times be stubborn, angry, controlling or manipulative. They may throw temper tantrums, especially when denied food, and may not tolerate changes in routine. They may also develop obsessive-compulsive or repetitive behaviors, or both. Other mental health disorders, such as anxiety and skin picking, may develop. Sleep disorders. Children and adults with Prader-Willi syndrome may have sleep disorders, including disruptions of the normal sleep cycle and a condition in which breathing pauses during sleep (sleep apnea). These disorders can result in excessive daytime sleepiness and worsen behavior problems. Other signs and symptoms. These may include small hands and feet, curvature of the spine (scoliosis), hip problems, reduced saliva flow, nearsightedness and other vision problems, problems regulating body temperature, a high pain tolerance, or a lack of pigment (hypopigmentation) causing hair, eyes and skin to be pale. 
signs symptoms prader-willi syndrome can vary individuals  symptoms may slowly change time childhood adulthood  infants signs symptoms may present birth include:  poor muscle tone  primary sign infancy poor muscle tone (hypotonia)  babies may rest elbows knees loosely extended fixed  may feel floppy like rag dolls they're held  distinct facial features  children may born almond-shaped eyes  narrowing head temples  turned-down mouth thin upper lip  poor sucking reflex  infants may poor sucking reflex due decreased muscle tone  poor sucking makes feeding difficult can result failure thrive  generally poor responsiveness  baby may unusually tired  respond poorly stimulation  hard time waking weak cry  underdeveloped genitals  males may small penis scrotum  testicles may small descended abdomen scrotum (cryptorchidism)  females  clitoris labia may small   early childhood adulthood features prader-willi syndrome early childhood remain life  requiring careful management  features may include:  food craving weight gain  classic sign prader-willi syndrome constant craving food  resulting rapid weight gain  starting age 2 years  constant hunger leads eating consuming large portions  unusual food-seeking behaviors  hoarding food  eating frozen food garbage  may develop  underdeveloped sex organs  condition called hypogonadism occurs sex organs (testes men ovaries women) produce little sex hormones  results underdeveloped sex organs  incomplete delayed puberty  nearly cases  infertility  treatment  women may start menstruating 30s may menstruate  men may facial hair voices may fully deepen  poor growth physical development  underproduction growth hormone can result short adult height  low muscle mass high body fat  endocrine problems may include underproduction thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) central adrenal insufficiency  prevents body responding appropriately stress infections  cognitive impairment  mild moderate intellectual disability  issues thinking  reasoning problem-solving  common feature disorder  significant intellectual disability learning disabilities  delayed motor development  toddlers prader-willi syndrome reach milestones physical movement — example  sitting walking — later children do  speech problems  speech delayed  poor articulation words may ongoing problem adulthood  behavioral problems  children adults may times stubborn  angry  controlling manipulative  may throw temper tantrums  especially denied food  may tolerate changes routine  may develop obsessive-compulsive repetitive behaviors  both  mental health disorders  anxiety skin picking  may develop  sleep disorders  children adults prader-willi syndrome may sleep disorders  including disruptions normal sleep cycle condition breathing pauses sleep (sleep apnea)  disorders can result excessive daytime sleepiness worsen behavior problems  signs symptoms  may include small hands feet  curvature spine (scoliosis)  hip problems  reduced saliva flow  nearsightedness vision problems  problems regulating body temperature  high pain tolerance  lack pigment (hypopigmentation) causing hair  eyes skin pale
prader willi syndrome