Skip to content
knowrare
HealthSignal
Your condition community

Living with Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome

A rare syndrome with slow development, scarring of the liver, kidney cysts, and intellectual disability.

Understanding Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome

Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome is a rare condition with early developmental delay, liver scarring, and kidney cysts.

It begins in the newborn period or infancy. Features include slow growth, intellectual disability, scarring of the liver present from birth (congenital hepatic fibrosis), and kidney differences (renal cystic dysplasia). Facial features can include drooping eyelids, a high arched palate, and a small jaw. Some people have extra fingers or toes, or brain differences.

Signs & symptoms

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

  • Intellectual disability
  • Liver scarring present from birth
  • Kidney cysts
  • Drooping upper eyelid (ptosis)
  • Crossed eyes (strabismus)
  • Fast, rhythmic eye movements (nystagmus)

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, digestive system specialists, genetic specialists and kidney specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

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

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Digestive system specialists (gastroenterologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists); Kidney specialists (nephrologists)
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 National Kidney 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
How often should the liver and kidneys be checked?
Could genetic testing help confirm the diagnosis?
What early developmental support is available?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startNewborn and as an Infant
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.

GeneticNeurologicalKidneyGastrointestinal

Also known as: cerebellar vermis aplasia with associated features suggesting smith-lemli-opitz syndrome and meckel syndrome; thompson baraitser syndrome; thompson-baraitser syndrome

Patient organizations

Source: NIH GARD · Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndromeGARD ID 5177 · 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 Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome.

Explore the Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome blog

Explore research for Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome

Explore actively recruiting Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

Find actively recruiting studies for Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability 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

Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper

I can help you find recruiting Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome studies. Enter a ZIP code, address or city below and I'll look within 50 miles.

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

Get Signals for Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome

Stay in the loop with community stories and updates from medical researchers.

HealthStoryfor Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome

Create a living journal that talks back

HealthStory evolves private journaling with a living AI journal that talks back and asks thoughtful questions, helping you capture your Hepatic fibrosis-renal cysts-intellectual disability syndrome experiences more deeply and prepare for better conversations with your doctors and care team.

Start your journal

Your journal is private. Sharing your story publicly is a separate choice, made with Share your story above.