Research has came to the conclusion that Williams Syndrome is triggered by the lack of 25 genes around the seventh chromosome, which could have intense effects on physical, behavior or cognitive composition of a person. Scientists realize that the deletion of the genetic material happens throughout producing the sperm or egg but they don’t truly […]
The Singing Cat
Linda has been diagnosed with anxiety. Like many, maybe a majority of adults with Williams Syndrome, Linda expresses signs of a diagnosable psychiatric condition. Unlike many adults with learning disabilities who share such conditions, Linda has been diagnosed, is receiving treatment and is improving as a result. Linda’s anxiety often manifests as teasing, taunting or […]
Communication Skills – Where Williams People Excel
The public face of Williams Syndrome is of hyper-sociable, cocktail-party people. Now if you are a parent or carer for a very youung Williams child, this might seem a little strange to you. Many parents often wonder whether their young children will ever learn to speak at all! The research – and there’s a lot […]
Sing For Water
If you know anything at all about Williams Syndrome you’ll probably have heard how Williams people are musically gifted. It’s probably more accurate to say that they are obssessed with music though it’s true that many are particularly gifted. Linda, a typical Williams Syndrome adult loves to sing. Her singing voice is as good as […]
Drink a Pint and a Half of Water…
Since getting her recent genetic diagnosis, a positive FISH test for Williams Syndrome, it’s been a busy few months for myself and Linda. We’ve been to so many hospital appointments, catching up on all the tests and scans that a child would have had over the years but which Linda never received during her youth. […]
Over Eating – A Particular Problem For Williams Syndrome Adults?
Linda loves her food. The days when she was fussy, picky or otherwise difficult to feed – those symptoms of Williams Syndrome are long passed. Now she is on the See-Food diet – see food and eat it! I can’t quite understand why but Linda has always eaten quickly. I promise you, there’s no competition. […]
Honestly Sister!
What a day! For Linda is was last day of term at her numeracy and literacy classes. She’s been attending these for a year now and certainly has improved. You can read her writing now, most of the time! More importantly, she actually took a maths exam some weeks ago and was eagerly awaiting the […]
Nothing Less Than Perfect
Williams Syndrome, that cocktail party personality, sweet and friendly. People rarely tell you about the compulsive and persistent aspects of that story! Linda is over 40 but in many ways delights in the same things as a 4yr old. For some time she’s been lusting after a bicycle… not possible due to her lack of […]
Linda’s Anxiety Symptoms and our Solutions – a work in progress
As regular readers of Living with Linda will know, Linda came to live with us (Meg and Beth) when her Dad (and Meg’s) died very suddenly. Losing her father so suddenly, being uprooted from her home, her other siblings, nieces and nephews, and a growing number of great-nieces and great-nephews would have been traumatic enough […]
Williams Syndrome musicality will out!
I blogged previously about Linda’s lusting after a xylophone she saw while on holiday. Knowing how much people with Williams Syndrome love music and musical instruments this didn’t surprise me. Truth was, the said xylophone was well overpriced and Linda, spending her pocket money on other gifts never got close to buying the instrument. But […]