Prader-Willi

Prader-Willi Syndrome –

There is a reasonable chance that at some point in our teaching journey, we may come across a child who has been diagnosed with the Prader- Willi Syndrome. It is somewhat little known in comparison to the conditions such as Autism, ADHD etc.

Prader-Willi Syndrome is a syndrome that is characterised by intellectual disability, short stature, obesity, hypogonadism, and hyperphagia (compulsive eating). The syndrome is relatively rare, affecting approximately 1 in 15,000 people. Various learning and behavioural difficulties make Prader-Willi difficult to treat. Tradition methods of behaviour modification have been used with some success in school and home environments.


 * Some of the identified specific learning difficulties for Prader-willi Syndrome are: **
 * //__Difficulty with auditory processing - __//This problem might result in having difficulty understanding verbal instructions or receiving too many instructions at once.
 * //__Perseveration - __//Repeated questioning on the same topic is a common behavior.
 * //__Difficulties with abstract concepts - __//Time concepts and temporal meanings are frequently confused.
 * //__Difficulty with problem solving strategies - __//Some stubbornness can be attributed to difficulty with sequential processing.
 * //__Rigid thinking - __//What is learned will be difficult to unlearn. This form of concrete thinking makes it difficult to follow a line of logic or learn from experience.
 * //__Poor short-term memory - __//Though short term memory is a problem (what is learned one day might be forgotten by the next) long term memory for persons, places and events might be very good.
 * //__Difficulty with applying methods - __//Even directions learned by rote can be difficult to understand or apply. A rule that applies in one situation might not be used in another similar situation.

For Prader-willi, few medical treatments are known to be effective therefore treatment and educational methods are primarily those that focus on behaviour management and teaching of appropriate behaviours. Particular emphasis needs to be given to dietary needs and supervision, behavioural problems with focus on temper tantrums and obsessive behaviours, social skills, and inclusion in classes and activities with normal children. If successful intervention is to be accomplished, consideration must be given to the development of social skills and other appropriate behaviours that will contribute to successful integration in school, community, and home environments (Swartz, n.d.).

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">This [|link] has some resourceful strategies and information about how, as educators, we can ensure inclusion is achieved, should we be lucky enough to meet and educate a child with Prader-willi syndrome. These strategies apply to the Syndrome as opposed to the age of the student.

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">References -

<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 15px;">Swartz, S. (n.d.) //Prader-Willi Syndrome and Positive Behavior Support - An Alternative Method of Treatment,// Retrieved from []