About the International Angelman Syndrome Organisation

The International Angelman Syndrome Organisation (IASO) was founded in 1998 as a world-wide Organisation of national Angelman Syndrome Associations. The IASO is politically neutral, with no discrimination as to race, sex, colour or religion, and is non-profit-making. It will support the member associations in their efforts to:

Improve the quality of life for all people with Angelman Syndrome and their families;

Improve the physical and mental well-being, socially as well as occupationally, of all people with Angelman Syndrome so that they may lead a life as normal as possible, and be in a position to achieve what is allowed by the constitution of their country and what is settled in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The IASO shall endeavour to collaborate, or affiliate itself, with other organisations with similar objectives.

The IASO shall also act as a liason centre to collate and disseminate material on Angelman Syndrome to its members by organising international conferences and publishing an Internet site, a newsletter and other material. By so doing it aims to:

Stimulate international collaboration on research projects on the origins management and prevention of Angelman Syndrome;

Encourage national Angelman Syndrome Associations to exchange and share their projects and experiences;

Foster the foundation and development of new national Angelman Syndrome Associations;

Encourage the international exchange of people involved with the care of persons with Angelman Syndrome.

What is Angelman Syndrome?
Angelman Syndrome is a neurological disorder associated with developmental disability, speech impairment (minimal or no use of words), movement or balance disorder, characteristic behaviour (happy demeanour, easily excitable personality, hypermotoric behaviour, short attention span), and often with microcephaly, epilepsy, abnormal electroencephalograms and sleep disorder.