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Living with Distal trisomy 13q

A rare chromosome condition with learning disability, delayed development, and distinct facial features, and sometimes differences in the heart and other body parts.

Understanding Distal trisomy 13q

Distal trisomy 13q is a rare condition caused by an extra piece of the long arm of chromosome 13.

People with this condition often have intellectual disability and delays in development and movement. Facial features can include a small head, bushy eyebrows, long curled eyelashes, and a short neck. Extra fingers or toes and blood vessel birthmarks (hemangiomas) can occur. Heart, urinary and genital, and neural tube differences, hernias, seizures, and low muscle tone have also been reported. Signs begin during pregnancy or in the newborn period.

Signs & symptoms

GARD doesn't list specific symptoms for this condition separately, but the summary describes these features:

  • Intellectual disability
  • Delays in development and movement
  • Small head size (microcephaly)
  • Extra fingers or toes (polydactyly)
  • Seizures
  • Low muscle tone (hypotonia)

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 genetic specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

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

Care & treatment

Care team
Genetic specialists (geneticists)
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
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 Chromosome Disorder Outreach
  • 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
What heart and kidney tests does my child need?
How should seizures be watched for?
What early therapies could help my child's development?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startduring Pregnancy and as a Newborn

GARD says changes in a person's genes cause this condition. The summary describes it as an extra copy of part of the long arm of chromosome 13.

Genetic

Also known as: distal duplication 13q; distal trisomy type 13q; telomeric duplication 13q; trisomy 13qter

Patient organizations

Broader rare-disease groups

Source: NIH GARD · Distal trisomy 13qGARD ID 19319 · 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 Distal trisomy 13q.

Explore the Distal trisomy 13q blog

Explore research for Distal trisomy 13q

Explore actively recruiting Distal trisomy 13q studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Distal trisomy 13q 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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