2018 Reunion of Williams Syndrome Patients

Reunion of Williams Syndrome Patients attracts many people each year. This year, it broke the record by being warmly attended by 36 families, 125 people.

This year, we invited Teacher Xie of Taipei Municipal Da-An Vocational High School and Director Yanof Taipei West Block Special Education Center to explain how to connect education and employment. Two teachers shared their teaching experience and answered every parent’s questions. For instance, they collect different dimensional information (IEP from the previous programs, record of conciliation, contact books, etc.) before identification resettlement meetings. Parents can also invite professionals (therapists, social workers, teachers and so on) with whom their children are familiar to join the meeting at the same time. Moreover, children can get used to the campus, location of classroom, public infrastructures nearby (bathroom, playground, or health center) during summer vacation or before the semester starts. Last but not least, the teachers announced that the parents must be prepared with ways to help their children with how to deal with complex personal relations and interactions to protect themselves.

Jinqian Gao, supervisor of occupation rebuilding center of Down Syndrome Foundation, brought an amazing speech in the afternoon. The first difficulty for high-function patients of Williams syndrome is employment after graduation. Supervisor Gao suggested that it is not a problem since disabled patients over 15 years old can join personal management. It links the source each person needs with one-by-one conciliation. She also provided employment resource in each county for all the participants from different parts around Taiwan.

Although joining in outdoor activities for a whole day, everyone was not willing to leave and would like more. They brought their own D.I.Y. framework home after taking a group photo. Everyone is looking forward to seeing each other again soon next year.

Translator: Newny Chiang (MS), Reviewer: Albert Kuo