Living with Williams Syndrome (A Condition that Makes You Friendly)

we have this camera where we can see ourselves right there what do you think when you see yourself happy I love myself I don't know why but I do you hear your sister laughing yeah yeah why do you think she's laughing she's laughing at me Victoria does she ever get on your nerves yes sisters do that he still loved her when she gets on your nerves some ties she's always not been able to keep a secret she cannot lie I'm not a liar no it just like eats her up inside if she tells a lie and she just has to tell you the truth and she cannot keep a secret why can't you lie cuz I know bear she does she knows better and if she knows better she'll she'll tell you something is wrong if you could say anything to the world anything you want them to know what would you say well it's your down in the dumps uh find someone you love and give them a hug that wouldn't make you feel a lot better she used to run up to anybody and want to give him a hug huh and say I'm Alexandra and I have Williams syndrome but we've kind of had to teach her in the dead it's just a bed no no yeah this you're not supposed to do that because not everybody likes to be run up to and get a hug huh yeah I love hugging people I don't know why I do is it a good way to express to somebody that you care why did you want to hug everybody cuz I'm a very nice girl and I would be I don't have to be more careful you're a small cute little girl it's cute but we've had a teacher that when a grown woman comes and just randomly hugs you it's not always that cute and people don't like that but she's she learns really fast it's my job sometimes I smile too much why are you smiling so much I don't know is that a good thing yeah it's a good thing I hope I smile too much too i husband joined the Navy and Tom moved to Virginia so we still see each other just not as often as we did if you had one wish what would it be why do you want that I live with my mom and sometimes I feel like I'm only went there II literally do everything together go shopping together to the grocery store together watch TV together so um it's hard to learn how to do those things on your own she's been there for me for a long time and I'm really happy that she has don't cry Victoria you meet here that was so sweet why does your sister sharing that means so much to you I don't know I don't think sure they were told me that before do you have any dreams light trades things that you hope happen no I mean I would love to hear from my grandmother that passed away she passed away two years ago so is that something you think about often yeah I miss her every day so I'm sorry but you went through that yeah it was my mama's mom so I know it can be tough to lose someone yeah but I'm happy that I'm here with you today thank you you're welcome and I'm happy that you feel comfortable enough around me to share your emotions and tell me how you're feeling thank you it means a lot to me that we're good friends now she's very emotional and very ruled by emotions have you lost the one in your family I have I've lost people that I love and family members and even some friends that's not good no and I felt sad just like you expressed that you felt sad when your grandmom passed away so we've experienced the same emotion how old are you I'm thirty Wow cool mm-hmm can I ask you a question do you feel comfort knowing that I felt the same thing that you felt yeah why does that bring you comfort is it good to know that you're not alone good what does it like to feel upset it's hard free people need to know that they should not ever boy people with Williams syndrome because it will really hurt them have you ever experienced that I was young wait I used to go to Rove school but they used to bullying me there for it do you sometimes feel lonely yeah what can others do so you don't feel lonely how I'm feeling they should call me so do you wish more people called you sometimes when I'm lonely I really want them to call me did you end up going to a different school I was home-schooled after I didn't go in high school do you like having Williams syndrome I wish I was it white fist because I wish sometimes I could be normal but I'm not you mentioned how sometimes you think about being different and I completely understand everything you were saying but I want you to know that I think you're great just the way you are thank you you're welcome mm-hmm and I'm glad you are the way you are cuz I've experienced a lot of joy getting to know you today thank you I'm gonna have a big old smile on my face today oh thank you you're welcome I think one of the greatest things is making a new friend and sharing a smile and being happy together and I can tell you that being here today with you has made me really happy thank you welcome your just a pleasant and fun person to be around you're welcome do you wish everybody was super positive yeah they don't need negative all time they don't my family taught me how to know not to talk to people that are me how do you know I did feel what they feel if it's not good then I won't even talk to him you're failing it's like you're feeling the feelings what what does that mean you can feel my feelings I don't know but I think you makes me cry okay can you tell if your sisters are happy tears or sad tears how do you know the feeling of happiness inside of you it's making me happy and the fact that you're happy is making me happy yeah this is like a never ending cycle of happiness we do just sit here and smile and our smiles will only get lighter because we're just feeding off of each other's happiness high-five for the happiness cycle where do you think you'll be in ten years are you okay with that oh yeah I am why do you want to be living with your mama I rarely live with my mom there'd be about myself cuz I hate being about myself what's the toughest thing about being by yourself it's not good when people haven't decided thing what's anxiety like it's hard sometimes it makes you sick anxiety can make me sick sometimes too so what are the things that make you feel anxious when I overthink things that is not true then it starts off it makes me feel going people talk to me do you feel like you're connected to other people yeah I knew do you prefer to be alone or with people with people do you have planes for what happens when your mom's older she will we've already planned for her to come and live with me it's something my husband already knows about and he loves her to death and we can't we can't wait for her to come be with us I would take her right now if I could but my mom won't give her up it would feel good to go with my sister we think it's gonna be like so like old times we used to have more younger how would you like to be looked at uh an adult the has a disability people with Williams syndrome it's missing a chromosome 7 its kind of Down syndrome have you met someone Down syndrome before I have so it's the same way with them but it's more different so so instead of having an extra chromosome you're just missing one yes how would you describe Williams syndrome I don't know I feel like all of her Williams and your friends that I've met all very innocent and they're all very happy and then it's like even though they're grown they're just these innocent little Souls would you say that's correct are you an innocent soul yes what's it like to be innocent do you know innocent means what do you think of me hmmm does your sister make you laugh a lot yes when she doesn't even try to make me laugh what makes you laugh a lot when people make funny faces at me I start laughing you're telling me funny faces make you laugh yeah like this don't hurt yourself I'm really committed to these funny faces we talk every day yes we do what do you talk about sorts thing sometimes we don't talk at all sometimes she just watches me cook a breakfast on FaceTime on FaceTime why do you like to watch your sister because we love to watch each other anyway cuz like you're there mm-hmm

Channel: Special Books by Special Kids

Views: 13,448,365

Keywords: Williams Syndrome, Anxiety, Friendly Syndrome, Chris Ulmer, Victoria Birch, Alexandra Birch, SBSK, Special Books by Special Kids, Mr. Chris

Id: pxZ7aZMFHPE

Length: 12min 54sec (774 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 19 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/wmmcl85]

“The user”....?

[u/AnOuterHaven]

The way OP presents Williams Syndrome is a little misleading in that it's not all positives with having it. People with this syndrome usually have mild to moderate intellectual disability and have problems with visual problem-solving (Wikipedia claims that some adults have difficulty solving a six-piece puzzle). There's a bunch of other downsides to having WS, but the one person I know that has it is probably the happiest, most outgoing individual I've ever met.

[u/karduar]

On the other hand Richards Syndrome, which is a condition where people are real Dicks.

[u/Ravenmausi]

Or, like House says, "being always kind and nice isn't human, it's pathological"

[u/antagonizedgoat]

I know a girl with Williams syndrome from my high school. We are almost in our 30's now and she is constantly being taken advantage of by homeless people and has been used sexually by the homeless. Edit:today I learned the gene for Williams syndrome is also present in dogs.

[u/Ninnux]

"...make the user..." Dude, time to lay off the tech manuals.

[u/obiewanchrinobe]

I find this fascinating, my daughter was born with a slight duplication in the Willams region of chromosome 7, she was also born with a cleft lip, and suffers from seizures, has shown delayed development, 11months and she cant sit up yet.

She's the youngest of my three girls, but she laughed the earliest, is always happy, so it'll be interesting to see if she has similar behavioural traits, or if im just seeing things where there isn't any.

[u/aaallgood]

My Daughter is a Williams beauty and is the warmest, kindest little lady you'll ever meet. That is the gift. She wouldn't know how to be mean spirited. She is always seeing the goodness in others. She sets time aside every day to laugh and sing out loud. We could all learn a lot from Williams Syndrome people.

[u/bitemark01]

I've heard speculation that they think dogs basically started as wolves with a similar condition. I don't think there's any studies to back this up though.