Educators

Help for Educators

Students with Prader-Willi Syndrome

Students with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) are students you never forget. No matter what their age, they will teach you many things. Those that are very gifted in perseverance and ingenuity … teach you patience and problem solving. Those that require structure and consistency … teach you planning and organization. Those that are outgoing and friendly … teach you warmth and laughter. Students with PWS are as much individuals as any students. Some of the information provided will be very applicable to the student you are working with; some will not. Some strategies will work; others will not. With knowledge and understanding, students with PWS become productive members of their communities.
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Preschoolers

The preschool years are an exciting time for little ones as they expand their ability to communicate and learn about the world around them. It is a time of growth and change. These youngsters strive to become independent and expand their problem solving skills. Most love to be leaders and helpers.

This can be a time when many young students with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) have minimal observable developmental delays. Speech and language is often the most common problem and challenge. Just like most non-disabled preschoolers, students with PWS may lack emotional and impulse control. It is a time when most students with PWS have more similarities than differences from their peers.

Related Service Professionals

It takes a team of professionals to help students with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) overcome and learn to deal with the challenges they face. Most students require services from Speech, Occupational and Physical therapists. The School Nurse may also be involved to help students with health concerns as well as educate school personnel about health issues. Because of high family stress in managing many aspects of PWS, the School Psychologist and/or a Social Worker may also be a part of a student’s educational team.

NOTE: The following are excerpts from the publication, The Student with Prader-Willi Syndrome: Information for Educators. This publication in its entirety is available through PWSA (USA).

Downloaded files are in Adobe Acrobat Format.