Psychosocial problems in Hunter's syndrome.

During a national study of Hunter's syndrome, visits were made to 33 sets of parents who had had a total of 44 affected sons, 27 with the severe, and 17 with the mild, form of the disease. Information about the behavioural pattern in a further 22 boys was obtained from hospital records. Serious behavioural disturbance was reported in 36 of the 38 severely affected boys, in contrast to those mildly affected, who were generally well behaved but often had serious psychological problems. The effects upon the parents of these boys are discussed. A plea is made that all possible long-term support should be offered both to the families and to the boys themselves.