What congenital syndrome is characterized by the presence of obesity, hypogonadism, and learning difficulties in children?

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Prader-Willi syndrome is characterized by a specific triad of symptoms: obesity, hypogonadism, and learning difficulties. This genetic disorder arises due to the loss of function of genes on chromosome 15, typically due to a deletion on the paternal allele or maternal uniparental disomy.

Obesity in Prader-Willi syndrome usually develops in early childhood due to insatiable appetite, leading to extreme overeating and obesity if not managed with dietary controls. Hypogonadism is a common finding, with affected individuals often displaying underdeveloped sex characteristics and reproductive issues. Learning difficulties, ranging from mild to moderate intellectual disability, are also prominent, impacting educational achievement and social development.

In contrast, Bardet-Biedl syndrome presents with obesity as well but is also associated with retinal degeneration, polydactyly, and renal anomalies, making it distinct from Prader-Willi syndrome. Noonan syndrome involves short stature, congenital heart defects, and other features distinct from the classic triad of Prader-Willi, while Turner's syndrome is characterized by short stature, ovarian dysgenesis, and other physical changes, without the specific combination of obesity and learning difficulties noted in Prader-Willi syndrome.

Thus, the combination

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