Problems with infections, especially of the ears, sinuses and lungs Increased incidence of cancer (primarily, but not exclusively, lymphomas and leukemias) Delayed onset or incomplete pubertal development, and very early menopause Slowed rate of growth (weight and/or height) Drooling particularly in young children when they are tired or concentrating on activities Dysarthria (slurred, slow, or distorted speech sounds) Diabetes in adolescence or later Premature changes in hair and skin Many children are initially misdiagnosed as having cerebral palsy. The diagnosis of A–T may not be made until the preschool years when the neurologic symptoms of impaired gait, hand coordination, speech and eye movement appear or worsen, and the telangiectasia first appear. Because A–T is so rare, doctors may not be familiar with the symptoms, or methods of making a diagnosis. The late appearance of telangiectasia may be a barrier to the diagnosis. It may also take some time before doctors consider A–T as a possibility because of the early stability of symptoms and signs. There are patients who have been diagnosed with A-T only in adulthood due to an attenuated form of the disease, and this has been correlated with the type of their gene mutation. Ataxia and other neurologic problems The first indications of A–T usually occur during the toddler years. Children start walking at a normal age, but may not improve much from their initial wobbly gait. Sometimes they have problems standing or sitting still and tend to sway backward or from side to side. In primary school years, walking becomes more difficult, and children will use doorways and walls for support. Children with A–T often appear better when running or walking quickly in comparison to when they are walking slowly or standing in one place. Around the beginning of their second decade, children with the more severe ("classic") form of A–T start using a wheelchair for long distances. During school years, children may have increasing difficulty with reading because of impaired coordination of eye movement. At the same time, other problems with fine-motor functions (writing, coloring, and using utensils to eat), and with slurring of speech (dysarthria) may arise. Most of these neurologic problems stop progressing after the age of about 12 – 15 years, though involuntary movements may start at any age and may worsen over time. These extra movements can take many forms, including small jerks of the hands and feet that look like fidgeting