What are the symptoms of Turner syndrome?
People with Turner syndrome can have a wide variety of symptoms. Some people may have more severe problems, and others may have mild symptoms. Turner syndrome may affect many areas, such as:
Appearance – Features may include short neck, low hairline at the back of the neck, low-set ears, hands and feet that are swollen or puffy at birth, and soft nails that turn upward.
Stature – Children with Turner grow more slowly than other kids and without treatment tend to be very short as adults.
Puberty/Reproduction – Most individuals with Turner syndrome lose ovarian function in early childhood and do not start puberty at a normal age. These women usually cannot become pregnant naturally.
Cardiovascular – Some individuals with Turner syndrome have structural problems with their hearts or major blood vessels. For this reason, everyone with Turner syndrome needs a thorough cardiologic evaluation at the time of diagnosis. High blood pressure also affects about 20 percent of girls and 40 percent of adults with Turner syndrome.
Kidney – Some people with Turner have kidneys that appear to be structurally abnormal, but their kidney function is usually normal.
Osteoporosis – Women with Turner syndrome who do not get adequate estrogen often get osteoporosis, which can cause loss of height, and increased bone fractures.
Diabetes – People with Turner syndrome are at higher risk for Type II diabetes.
Thyroid – Many people with Turner have thyroid problems, usually hypothyroidism, or an under-active thyroid.
Cognitive – Even though people with Turner syndrome have normal intelligence, some have problems with specific visual-spatial coordination tasks (such as mentally rotating objects in space) and may have trouble learning math (geometry and arithmetic).
