Robin sequence

How common is Robin sequence?

It’s rare, occurring in approximately 1 in 10,000 children. There’s no indication that families who have one baby with Robin sequence [MSP1] are at a higher risk to have another.

Causes

What causes Robin sequence?

No one knows, though it may be part of many genetic syndromes. No known food, medication, or activity during pregnancy can cause Robin sequence.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms of Robin sequence?

Robin sequence can occur in a range of severity, so each child may experience symptoms differently.  In addition to the physical characteristics common to the condition, your child may have the following problems:

• breathing difficulties
• feeding problems in infancy
• crowding of the teeth in the lower jaw as he grows
• ear infections– caused by abnormal drainage if your baby also has a cleft palate
• hearing loss– caused by abnormal drainage if your baby also has a cleft palate
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)– many babies born with cleft palate have feeding problems such as GERD

Keep in mind that if your baby is born with Robin sequence, he won’t be able to go home until he has been treated for the condition because of the serious nature of the symptoms.

Prognosis

What is the long-term outlook for my child?

Each child’s outlook is different, depending on the severity of his condition and whether he was born with other problems. Babies who have only Robin sequence must be treated and followed closely for the first year of their lives, but most often grow normally and go on to lead full and healthy lives.

If your baby has Robin sequence along with another syndrome, his long-term outlook may be different. A specialist from the Craniofacial Anomalies Program can give you more detail about your child’s prognosis after a thorough evaluation.