What is Angelman Syndrome? Colin Farrell shares rare insight into son James' private battle with health condition

Recently, Colin Farrell opened up about his 20-year-old son's rare neurogenetic condition, known as Angelman syndrome. In a new, in-depth interview conducted on August 7 at his Los Angeles home, Colin Farrell talked with People Magazine about his loving relationship with his son James and opened up about his disorder. He said,

“I want the world to be kind to James. I want the world to treat him with kindness and respect.”

Mayo clinic reported that Angelman syndrome is a genetic disorder, sometimes known as a gene alteration. It results in delayed development, speech and balance issues, mental impairment, and occasional convulsions.

Mayo clinic also added,

"Many people with Angelman syndrome smile and laugh often. They tend to be happy and easy to excite."

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Colin Farrell’s son has Angelman syndrome which is a rare genetic issue

The actor's son is suffering from Angelman Syndrome (Image via Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images)

Angelman syndrome is a complex genetic condition affecting mainly the neurological system. It is brought on by problems with the UBE3A gene, which arises during fetal development.

Children with Angelman syndrome usually have a cheerful, gregarious personality, often smiling and laughing. It's typical to have short attention spans and hyperactivity as additional symptoms. The majority of the affected kids also have trouble falling asleep and require less sleep than normal.

As they age, people with Angelman syndrome typically become less agitated and have improvements in their sleeping patterns. Nonetheless, the afflicted people live their entire lives with an intellectual disability, severe speech impediment, and convulsions.

The majority of newborns with Angelman syndrome are asymptomatic. However, the earliest indications of this disorder include developmental delays, such as inability to crawl or babbling at 6 to 12 months of age. The other symptoms of Angelman syndrome are mental disability, also known as intellectual disability, and no to minimal speech.

In addition, individuals with Angelman syndrome may also have small heads, seizures, which typically start between the ages of two and three, along with stiff movements.

They can also be prone to unusual behavior, such as flapping of the hands and raising the arms while walking. Affected people may also have crossed eyes or strabismus, and a curved spine, also known as scoliosis.

The disease is very rare. Furthermore, researchers don't know for certain what triggers the genetic alterations that lead to the illness. The majority of individuals with Angelman syndrome usually have no family history.

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Colin Farrell also talked about the foundation he started to honor his son

Talking about his son, Colin Farrell also shared with People Magazine,

“He’ll be 21 in September…. and he's doing great. He's cheeky and he's bold and he's bright, and he knows exactly what he wants. He’s strong now… He was always like a beanpole… He looks like Tom Selleck! He's brilliant.”

He went on to reveal that he is now starting the Colin Farrell Foundation to offer advocacy, instruction, and cutting-edge programs to adult children with intellectual disabilities. Regarding the same, he said,

“This is the first time I’ve spoken about it, and obviously the only reason I’m speaking is I can’t ask James if he wants to do this.”

Nevertheless, Colin Farrell hasn't revealed a lot of information about the foundation yet.