🧠 Williams Syndrome – Easy Read

 

✅ Answer Sheet

1. b) A condition where a small piece of a chromosome is missing

2. a) 1 in 18,000

3. b) No

4. a) A learning disability

5. a) Sleeping and feeding

6. a) Wide mouth, round cheeks, and small gaps between teeth

7. b) Talkative and friendly

8. b) Blood test

9. a) Physiotherapy and speech therapy

10. a) Yes

What it is

• Williams Syndrome is a rare condition.

• A small piece of information is missing from a chromosome.

• This happens by chance.

• It is not passed on by parents.

• About 1 in every 18,000 people in the UK have it.

• It is a learning disability.

• Everyone with Williams Syndrome is different.

---

👶 When someone is young

• Babies may be born small or underweight.

• They may grow slowly.

• They may have fed or bowel problems.

• They may wake up a lot or find it hard to sleep.

• Some children may be slow to hold or pick up things.

---

😊 How someone may look

• People may have a wide mouth.

• They may have round cheeks.

• They may have small gaps between their teeth.

• These are some things a doctor may notice.

---

🗣️ Talking and behaviour

• People with Williams Syndrome are often very friendly.

• They may talk a lot and love being with others.

• They may find it hard to understand personal space.

---

❤️ Health and feelings

• Some people may have health problems as they get older.

• They may also have anxiety or mental health problems.

• A blood test can help find out if someone has Williams Syndrome.

---

🧩 Support that can help

• Physiotherapy – helps with movement and balance.

• Speech and Language Therapy – helps with communication.

• Education support – helps learning at school or college.

• Kind and patient support helps people feel safe and happy.