Soto's Syndrome

Soto's syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by excessive physical growth during the first 2 to 3 years of life. The disorder may be accompanied by mild mental retardation, delayed motor, cognitive, and social development, hypotonia (low muscle tone), and speech impairments.

Children with Soto's syndrome tend to be large at birth and are often taller, heavier, and have larger heads (macrocrania) than is normal for their age. Symptoms of the disorder, which vary among individuals, include a disportionately large and long head with a slightly protrusive forehead, large hands and feet, hypertelorism (an abnormally increased distance between the eyes), and downslanting eyes. Clumsiness, an awkward gait, and unusual aggressiveness or irritability may also occur. Although most cases of Soto's syndrome occur sporadically, familial cases have also been reported.

There is no standard course of treatment for Soto’s syndrome. Treatment is symptomatic.

Soto's syndrome is not a life-threatening disorder and patients may have a normal life expectancy. The initial abnormalities of Soto’s syndrome usually resolve as the growth rate becomes normal after the first few years of life. Developmental delays may improve in the school-age years, however, coordination problems may persist into adulthood.

Information provided by the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.