Behavioural difficulties include: lack of social inhibition/discrimination, attention deficits, fears phobias, generalized anxiety (often related to health and illness), preoccupations obsessions (e.g. certain types of machinery e.g. lawn mowers, washing machines) and perseverative behaviour (doing or saying the same ...
The behavioral symptoms of the syndrome include over-friendliness, increased empathy (the ability to understand the feelings of others), cognitive (mental) disorders, highly developed language skills, disrupted ability to recognize danger in social situations, and high levels of non-social stress (stress that is not ...
Medical problems involving vision or hearing, including sensitivity to sound (hyperacusis), are frequently associated with Williams syndrome. In addition, problems with the digestive tract and the urinary system are also possible. Obesity or diabetes can develop in adulthood.
There is little evidence for self-injury in Williams syndrome. Several studies have examined aggression in Williams syndrome and a review of aggression is far less common in Williams syndrome (6-15%) compared to other syndromes such as Smith-Magenis, Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes, who all have rates over 70%.
Individuals with WS often have a personality and behavior pattern that includes distractibility, restlessness, social disinhibition, excessive talking, mood swings and anxiety [8], the latter of which is one of the most distinguishable features of this behavioral phenotype [5].
The key dimensions of WS sociability include increased approachability, attention to faces, and emotional responsivity.
Individuals with WS typically have an intellectual disability, learning difficulties and impairments in more specific areas of cognitive functioning, such as visual-spatial construction, attention and executive functions (Cherniske et al., 2004; Thomaidis, Amenta, Youroukos, & Fryssira, 2004; Wilska & Kaski, 2001).
Williams syndrome is called the happy syndrome because people with this condition often have outgoing, friendly personalities and tend to be very social. They may have a unique ability to connect with others and form strong bonds, making them appear very happy and engaging.
3) Use simple, concrete language at all times. Avoid complex and abstract explanations or concepts. 4) Remember that the person with Williams Syndrome usually understands less than may be apparent from the way they talk.
Individuals with WS are overly friendly, gregarious, empathetic, and loquacious, but have difficulty interpreting social cues and in making and keeping friends.
Yes, but the number and the severity of problems varies greatly among individuals. Many different body systems can be affected and since some of the medical problems can develop over time, it is important that individuals with Williams syndrome receive ongoing medical monitoring and supervision.
Often, children with Williams syndrome have strong verbal and communication skills, which could mask delays to their cognitive abilities, which are common in Williams syndrome-like learning numbers and letters, differentiating between real and abstract and their ability to understand the space between objects.
A degree of mental retardation is present in the majority of people with the disorder, and while some adults with Williams-Beuren syndrome have the ability to live independently, completing vocational or academic school and living on their own or in supervised homes, the majority of people with this disorder live with ...
The low I.Q., however, ignores two traits that define Williams more distinctly than do its deficits: an exuberant gregariousness and near-normal language skills. Williams people talk a lot, and they talk with pretty much anyone [p.
Social skills: Although children with Williams syndrome are known to be quite social, they may learn to play and interact with other children more slowly than other children. They are often more interested in adults, and may struggle with attention to social cues with peers.
Anxiety is a prevalent mental health issue for individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). Relatively little is known about the developmental course of anxiety, or how it links with core features of WS, namely social and executive functioning (EF).
Williams syndrome is a progressive disorder with multisystem involvement.
Autism and Williams syndrome are genetically based neurodevelopmental disorders that present strikingly different social phenotypes. Autism involves fundamental impairments in social reciprocity and communication, whereas people with Williams syndrome are highly sociable and engaging.
Most individuals with Williams syndrome have an affinity to music. They are touched by music in ways not usually seen in the general population.
"You listen to what I say, I listen to what you say, and then we build on that," Pober says. "But to sustain the attention and build on the dialogue enough to really get to know someone is hard for many folks with Williams syndrome." Pober says few people with William's syndrome marry, and even fewer have children.
Even claims about very low IQ turn out to be exaggerated. Williams syndrome IQ ranges from 48 to 85. True, people with Williams syndrome are often very loquacious and usually have better language than spatial skills, but the profile of the syndrome is unscientifically exaggerated by secondary sources.
Williams syndrome is a spectrum disorder. There is a great deal of variability in individuals throughout the spectrum. Medical concerns and learning challenges, emotional issues, and anxiety are common and can be all-consuming at times. The severity of the challenges varies and can ebb and flow over the years.
People with Williams syndrome can develop physical and mental health problems later in life, including anxiety and depression. People with Williams syndrome are very talkative and can be excessively friendly.
Most patients with Williams syndrome are diagnosed as a newborn or in early childhood. The average age of diagnosis is around three and a half years.
And they found that people with Williams syndrome have a lot more oxytocin than everybody else, and that it fluctuates wildly in the brain. As a result, they feel this biological impulse to love all the time.