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Living with Acrocardiofacial syndrome

A rare genetic condition with split hands and feet, cleft lip or palate, heart differences, and intellectual disability.

Understanding Acrocardiofacial syndrome

Acrocardiofacial syndrome is a rare genetic disorder with split-hand/split-foot malformation, facial differences, and a heart defect.

It also includes cleft lip or palate, genital differences, and intellectual disability. GARD lists onset as during pregnancy and as a newborn.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Split hand and split foot
  • Cleft lip and palate
  • Intellectual disability
  • Hypospadias
  • Undescended testes
  • Feeding difficulties in infancy

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists, ear, nose, and throat specialists and genetic specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

  4. Connect with expert centers

    World Craniofacial Foundation may keep lists of experts for this condition.

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Ear, nose, and throat specialists (otolaryngologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
Expert care
Expert lists: World Craniofacial Foundation
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with World Craniofacial Foundation and other patient organizations
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
Does my child need a heart evaluation?
Which surgeons or specialists should manage the hands, feet, and cleft?
What does genetic counseling say about future pregnancies?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startduring Pregnancy and as a Newborn
InheritanceAutosomal Recessive

GARD says changes in genes (also called variants) cause this condition. It is autosomal recessive, so a child inherits a changed copy of the gene from each parent.

GeneticNeurological

Also known as: acfs; acfs - acrocardiofacial syndrome; acro-cardio-facial syndrome; ccge; ccge - cleft palate, cardiac defect, genital anomalies, ectrodactyly syndrome; ccge syndrome

Patient organizations

Source: NIH GARD · Acrocardiofacial syndromeGARD ID 1167 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Acrocardiofacial syndrome.

Explore the Acrocardiofacial syndrome blog

Explore research for Acrocardiofacial syndrome

Explore actively recruiting Acrocardiofacial syndrome studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Acrocardiofacial syndrome with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.

  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
  • Share your city to look for research near you
  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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