Irish actor Colin Farrell has requested a conservatorship for his 17-year-old son, James Farrell, who has been suffering from a rare genetic disorder called Angelman syndrome.
Court documents obtained by E! News state that Colin and James’ mother, Kim Bordenave, have been requesting to become co-conservators of their son. The couple would be responsible for managing James’ personal needs and medical decisions if granted.
According to the petition, James, who has Angelman syndrome, “is nonverbal and has issues with his fine motor skills, making him unable to properly care for his own physical health and well-being and requiring him to need assistance in preparing food, eating, bathing, and clothing himself.”
A court hearing for James’ conservatorship has been scheduled for September 27, according to Health.
What is Angelman syndrome?
Angelman syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes delayed development, problems with speech and balance, intellectual disability, and sometimes, seizures, according to Mayo Clinic. People with this rare genetic disorder often smile and laugh frequently, and have happy, excitable personalities.
Dr. Ira Goldstein, Director, Center for Neurotrauma at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told Health, “Many children with Angelman syndrome have epilepsy, i.e. seizures.”
Angelman syndrome is a congenital disorder, a condition that people are born with.
Dr. Melissa Santos of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center told Health, “There are no known risk factors for Angelman syndrome. The condition is genetic, so there is some thought that if you have someone in your family with it, you have a higher risk.”
This genetic disorder affects one in 12,000 to 20,000 people, according to Medline Plus.
The signs and symptoms of Angelman syndrome include developmental delays, intellectual disability, no speech or minimal speech, difficulty walking, moving, or balancing well, frequent smiling and laughter, a happy and excitable personality, and trouble going to sleep or staying asleep, according to Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Goldstein told Health, “Treatment [of Angelman syndrome] involves treating the symptoms.”
“If they are experiencing behavioral concerns, they may see a psychologist or other mental health provider to focus on ways to improve that,” Dr. Santos explained.
Dr. Goldstein said that people with Angelman syndrome are “extremely unlikely” to live on their own. “They are poorly able to communicate to people who don’t know them well, and they often have significant impairment,” he added. “Sometimes these problems can’t be addressed easily by someone who doesn’t know them.” The article was published on Health.
