National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Jackson-Weiss syndrome



Other Names:
JWS; Craniosynostosis, midfacial hypoplasia, and foot abnormalities
Categories:

Jackson-Weiss syndrome (JWS) is a genetic disorder characterized by specific malformations of the head and facial area and abnormalities of the feet. The range and severity of symptoms and findings may be extremely variable, and findings may include craniosynostosis; unusually flat, underdeveloped midfacial regions (midfacial hypoplasia); abnormally broad great toes; and/or malformation or fusion of certain bones within the feet. It is caused by mutations in the FGFR2 gene and is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner; in some cases, it is not inherited but results from a new mutation that occurs randomly. The treatment of JWS is typically directed toward the specific symptoms that are apparent in each individual.[1]
Last updated: 5/14/2011

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Broad hallux phalanx
Broad bone of big toe
Wide bone of big toe
[ more ]
0010059
Broad metatarsal
Wide long bone of foot
0001783
Hypertelorism
Wide-set eyes
Widely spaced eyes
[ more ]
0000316
Midface retrusion
Decreased size of midface
Midface deficiency
Underdevelopment of midface
[ more ]
0011800
Short metatarsal
Short long bone of foot
0010743
Turricephaly
Tall shaped skull
Tower skull shape
[ more ]
0000262
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal palate morphology
Abnormality of the palate
Abnormality of the roof of the mouth
[ more ]
0000174
Convex nasal ridge
Beaked nose
Beaklike protrusion
Hooked nose
Polly beak nasal deformity
[ more ]
0000444
Frontal bossing 0002007
Hypoplasia of the maxilla
Decreased size of maxilla
Decreased size of upper jaw
Maxillary deficiency
Maxillary retrusion
Small maxilla
Small upper jaw
Small upper jaw bones
Upper jaw deficiency
Upper jaw retrusion
[ more ]
0000327
Mandibular prognathia
Big lower jaw
Increased projection of lower jaw
Increased size of lower jaw
Large lower jaw
Prominent chin
Prominent lower jaw
[ more ]
0000303
Proptosis
Bulging eye
Eyeballs bulging out
Prominent eyes
Prominent globes
Protruding eyes
[ more ]
0000520
Ptosis
Drooping upper eyelid
0000508
Strabismus
Cross-eyed
Squint
Squint eyes
[ more ]
0000486
Underdeveloped supraorbital ridges
Flattened bony protrusion above eyes
0009891
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
2-3 toe syndactyly
Webbed 2nd and 3rd toes
0004691
Abnormality of fibula morphology
Abnormality of the calf bone
0002991
Preaxial foot polydactyly 0001841
Split foot
Lobster-claw foot deformity
Split-foot
[ more ]
0001839
Symphalangism affecting the phalanges of the hand
Fused finger bones of the hand
0009773
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Broad hallux
Broad big toe
Wide big toe
[ more ]
0010055
Calcaneonavicular fusion 0008122
Craniosynostosis 0001363
Hallux varus 0008080
Malar flattening
Zygomatic flattening
0000272
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Jackson-Weiss syndrome. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Jackson-Weiss syndrome. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Jackson-Weiss Syndrome. NORD. December 31, 2010; http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdbdetail_abstract.html?disname=Jackson-Weiss%20Syndrome. Accessed 5/14/2011.