Latham Centers News

When creating goals for school, work, or home, be sure that the child or adult is part of the creation. The more the person with Prader-Willi syndrome has a say, the more likely they will be to work towards that goal.

Jennifer Burns from our kitchen crew went to the Red Sox game on Tuesday, courtesy of Latham’s Staff Appreciation Team efforts. We’re all smiling with you, Jen!   Jen (one of the cooks in our Children’s Program) was the happy winner of a recent Staff Appreciation raffle drawing on campus.  

During the springtime, a great sensory activity is a nature scavenger hunt, nature crafts, and activities like sidewalk chalk and rock painting.  

Photo Caption: Jenn with her sister Diane “For the first time in 26 years of having a sister with PWS, I felt ‘They get it,’ after one meeting…” Last week, Katrina Kozak (Director of National Outreach) wrote about our PWS Siblings Group. Today we’re honored to share the reflections of one of the participants. Jenn,…

When supporting people with Prader-Willi syndrome, food rewards and incentives can end up causing more anxiety and have the opposite effect. Use small toy items, crafts, or special time with a favorite person instead.   

Latham Centers’ Adult Program and our human services colleagues across the state are at a critical juncture in our funding needs. Last week, the Senate did not allocate any additional funds to the Chapter 257 line-item for Adult Services (“Rate Reserve”). Amendments are being filed by members of the Senate to put funding back in…

Encouraging your loved one with Prader-Willi syndrome to keep their nails short can help avoid skin picking behavior to an existing pick site. Other barriers such as sleeves, ace bandages, and Vaseline also help. (Related video resource here: https://vimeo.com/167016548

We’ve been visiting area high schools to talk with juniors and seniors about careers in human services, and to invite students to apply for paid internship opportunities at Latham Centers.  “We have loved every minute of meeting with students and talking about paid internships at Latham. Students asked great questions about our programs and residents and…

Caption: Melissa (Valentine’s) dining with student Ironically, many children with Prader-Willi syndrome can be picky eaters. Introduce food with different colors and textures at an early age to avoid food texture/color avoidance later on.