PWS Tip of the WEEK: Snow Day

With a big storm hitting the Northeast tonight, we have some tips for getting through the next few days:

• • Plan for no power. Many of us will lose power, even temporarily, and being prepared will help the person with PWS feel calmer and less anxious.

  • Have a food plan and share it with your child, i.e., a plan B menu that doesn’t require electricity.

  • Have games and books that are new to them. Activity books, puzzles, and coloring books are ideal for distracting and lessening the potential to obsess on weather conditions.

  • Anxiety brings on perseverative question asking. Try writing down the question and the answer and asking them to read it back to you. Sometimes this will help stop the repetitive questions.

  • And don’t forget to bundle up and have fun in the snow once the storm ends!

Patrice Carroll, LICSW, is world-renowned for her Prader-Willi syndrome expertise. As Director of PWS Services at Latham Centers, she works with Latham students and residents and their families, as well as experts in the field, teaching and learning PWS best practices. Patrice also serves on the IPWSO (International Prader-Willi Syndrome Organisation) Caregivers Board, and she co-chairs the PWSA | USA Professional Providers Advisory Board. If you have PWS-related questions, we invite you to email TipTopics@LathamCenters.org.