TIP of the WEEK: PWS Awareness Month

During the month of May we formally celebrate the extraordinary people in our lives that live with PWS. Use this month to spread awareness and highlight the struggles, accomplishments, and truly unique aspects of the people living every day with a syndrome that so few know about.

 Interesting Facts about PWS:

1.)    People with PWS have temperature regulation issues. Pay close attention to the signs of heat stroke in the summer and hypothermia year round, even when the weather conditions are not extreme.

2.)    Obsessive and compulsive behaviors are very common in PWS. Collecting, hoarding, tics and vocalizations can be signs of increasing anxiety. Routines and predictable environments can decrease these behaviors.

3.)    Outbursts can occur for a various reasons. Most often a change in routine and unmet expectations can lead to a tantrum or meltdown. Keeping a routine and clear expectations can minimize the occurrences of outbursts.

Patrice Carroll is Latham Centers’ world-renowned Prader-Willi Syndrome specialist. She works with Latham Centers’ residents with PWS, their families and consultants, continuously learning and teaching about PWS best practices.