PWS Tips

The number one wish that we hear from parents is that they want their child to feel like they are part of a community. So many students come to us from schools where they felt like an outsider, maybe had been bullied or picked on, and overall just did not feel like part of the…

Many people living with Prader-Willi syndrome also live with sensory processing disorder. One of the main challenges is often the vestibular sense. The vestibular sense is your sense of balance, and because infants with PWS have poor muscle tone, they typically do not develop a strong vestibular sense. Babies develop this sense by moving their…

Summer heat is a great time to enjoy fun by the water, but some caution is necessary to keep kids and adults with Prader-Willi syndrome safe. Remember that people with PWS have low muscle tone, and swimming uses almost all of our muscles. Swimming is a great exercise, but be mindful that people with PWS…

Those of you who have followed my weekly tips for the past several years know that I have written about everything from bowel movements to skin picking to sexual development. Not one topic has made me uncomfortable – until now. As you may have read, we are celebrating Juneteenth on campus on 6/21. Because of…

Beginning tomorrow, we’ll be posting Patrice Carroll’s daily Prader-Willi syndrome TIP in honor of PWS Awareness Month. New this year, each tip will be accompanied by a student “Fact of the Day” video. Thank you so much to our students, friends, and staff for your outstanding PWS education and outreach!   Patrice Carroll, Latham Centers’ Director…

As we prepare for PWS Awareness Month in May I want to recognize the work that we see every single day of the year by our staff, teachers, and administration. PWS awareness is year round at Latham Centers and the progress that we see in the children and adults is beyond rewarding. Watching children who…

How to support safe social media use for individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome: “SOCIAL MEDIA” Access to the internet is considered a human right, and when monitored can be a helpful life tool. Just as with any new experience, it is crucial to prepare the person with PWS to ensure a safe and helpful experience. People…

The next few weeks may be a major change for your child, whether your child is going back to in-person learning or they have been in-person learning all along, but other kids are coming back to the school. This would be a great time to revisit your expectations of their behavior using social stories, real-life…

As we approach the one-year mark of Latham Centers’ Virtual Storytime, our team has marveled at the successes. More than 30 individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome between the ages of 8 and 22 have joined us each week to catch up with one another, discuss the good parts of their day and the bad, and read…

Over this past year, we have met new friends, discovered new technology, and found a new appreciation for delivery services! As more of us get vaccinated and things begin to go back to how they once were, it’s important that we hold on to all of the good things that have happened in the last…