Bloom's syndrome is inherited as an autosomal recessive disease, typically manifesting itself as: unusually small size at birth but otherwise a normal degree of maturation; shortness of stature after birth, only rarely reaching five feet; redness of the skin of the face, mainly the bridge of the nose and the adjoining upper cheek areas, the lower eyelids, and the lower lip; and increased numbers of respiratory tract and ear infections, some of which are life-threatening.