Kathryn Ely remembers every detail from the process of her son being diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, seizures and difficulties with speech, movement or balance.

At first, doctors told the Cherokee High School teacher and her husband, Matt, that it wasn’t a big deal that their 10-month-old son, Stetson, wasn’t crawling. With no progress two months later, the Elys sought help through Babies Can’t Wait, Georgia’s early intervention program for infants and toddlers. Medical officials there acknowledged Stetson was experiencing developmental delays, but assured the couple that he would catch up.

Then came the seizures — five in a single day.

Stetson was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome a couple months late

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