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

Miller syndrome



Other Names:
Genee-Wiedemann acrofacial dysostosis; GWAFD; Genee-Wiedemann syndrome; Genee-Wiedemann acrofacial dysostosis; GWAFD; Genee-Wiedemann syndrome; Wildervanck-Smith syndrome; Postaxial acrofacial dysostosis (POADS) syndrome; POADS syndrome See More
Categories:

Miller syndrome is a rare condition that mainly affects the development of the face and limbs. Characteristic features include underdeveloped cheek bones, a very small lower jaw, cleft lip and/or palate, abnormalities of the eyes, absent fifth (pinky) fingers and toes, and abnormally formed bones in the forearms and lower legs. The severity of the disorder varies among affected individuals. Miller syndrome is caused by mutations in the DHODH gene. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.[1]
Last updated: 5/27/2014

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.

Showing of 39 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abnormal dermatoglyphics
Abnormal fingerprints
0007477
Cupped ear
Cup-shaped ears
Simple, cup-shaped ears
[ more ]
0000378
Downslanted palpebral fissures
Downward slanting of the opening between the eyelids
0000494
Ectropion of lower eyelids
Lower eyelid turned out
0007651
Eyelid coloboma
Cleft eyelid
Notched eyelid
[ more ]
0000625
Hypoplasia of the radius
Underdeveloped outer large forearm bone
0002984
Hypoplasia of the ulna
Underdeveloped inner large forearm bone
0003022
Low-set, posteriorly rotated ears 0000368
Malar flattening
Zygomatic flattening
0000272
Micrognathia
Little lower jaw
Small jaw
Small lower jaw
[ more ]
0000347
Microtia
Small ears
Underdeveloped ears
[ more ]
0008551
Supernumerary nipple
Accessory nipple
0002558
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of cardiovascular system morphology 0030680
Camptodactyly of finger
Permanent flexion of the finger
0100490
Cleft palate
Cleft roof of mouth
0000175
Conductive hearing impairment
Conductive deafness
Conductive hearing loss
[ more ]
0000405
Finger syndactyly 0006101
Non-midline cleft lip 0100335
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Strabismus
Cross-eyed
Squint
Squint eyes
[ more ]
0000486
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Abnormality of the foot
Abnormal feet morphology
Abnormality of the feet
Foot deformities
Foot deformity
[ more ]
0001760
Abnormality of the kidney
Abnormal kidney
0000077
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Choanal atresia
Blockage of the rear opening of the nasal cavity
Obstruction of the rear opening of the nasal cavity
[ more ]
0000453
Cleft upper lip
Harelip
0000204
Congenital hip dislocation
Dislocated hip since birth
0001374
Conical tooth
Cone shaped tooth
Shark tooth
[ more ]
0000698
Cryptorchidism
Undescended testes
Undescended testis
[ more ]
0000028
Ectropion
Eyelid turned out
0000656
Growth delay
Delayed growth
Growth deficiency
Growth failure
Growth retardation
Poor growth
Retarded growth
[ more ]
0001510
Low-set ears
Low set ears
Lowset ears
[ more ]
0000369
Micropenis
Short penis
Small penis
[ more ]
0000054
Midgut malrotation 0005211
Pectus excavatum
Funnel chest
0000767
Postnatal growth retardation
Growth delay as children
0008897
Pyloric stenosis 0002021
Radioulnar synostosis
Fused forearm bones
0002974
Short thumb
Short thumbs
Small thumbs
[ more ]
0009778
Supernumerary vertebrae 0002946
Syndactyly
Webbed fingers or toes
0001159
Showing of 39 |
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


Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


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

  • The Genetic Alliance is an international coalition comprised of more than 600 advocacy, research and health care organizations representing millions of individuals with genetic conditions. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
  • Genetics Home Reference contains information on Miller 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

  • 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 Miller 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. Miller syndrome. Genetics Home Reference (GHR). August 2010; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/miller-syndrome. Accessed 5/27/2014.