ELK GROVE – The world turned upside down for an Elk Grove family when their young daughter received a rare and life-changing diagnosis.
On Thursday, International Angelman Day, they’re shedding light on Angelman Syndrome in hopes of furthering research and one day, a cure.
Nearly three years ago, the Tuttle family welcomed home their little girl, a smiling, joyful baby. They knew little Olivia was something special.
But when she started missing milestones, the Tuttles went looking for answers.
“We did a genetic test around 11 months and that’s when we found out she had Angelman Syndrome, which was something we had never heard of,” said Olivia’s father Jake Tuttle.
Angelman Syndrome is a neuro-genetic disorder that affects chromosome 15. The one in 15,000 diagnoses can mean a life of developmental challenges for kids like Olivia.
“It’s very hard to talk, walk, move, feed yourself basic things,” Jake said. “Anything that requires multiple steps is a challenge.”