NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Rose Smith, a 5-year-old New Brighton girl, is one of 160 Minnesotans with Angelman Syndrome, a rare neurogenic disorder that impacts about one in 15,000 to 20,000 people worldwide.
Rose is a bright, beautiful, loving little girl who is always smiling and giggling."She laughs at all your jokes, and it’s consistent, it’s not like she has an off day," Rose's mother Sierra said.
Being almost always happy, with no real tantrums or anger, is one of the wonderful things about Angelman Syndrome. But there are so many challenges her parents face, day and night.
Angelman Syndrome is an issue that affects the 15th chromosome. For Rose and others, it means she doesn’t talk at all, there are balance issues, fine motor skills can be a problem, she has seizures and hyperactivity.