Parent Perspective

By Vanessa Coggshall, Guest Blogger and Parent. 
Originally posted on her blog, Williams Syndrome Smile

By Rikki Morris, Guest Blogger and Parent.

Our story is about moments in time, and the significance of each one.

Although many people have said it before, having a child with Williams syndrome teaches you more about moments than you ever knew before.

Alex was diagnosed with Williams syndrome when he was six weeks old. We read the pamphlets and went to the Williams Syndrome Association website. We found a lot of information about the types of things that Alex would probably not be able to do. But, we also knew that despite the typical expectations, Alex was his own person. We didn’t know what he might be capable of, and we certainly weren’t going to hold him back.

When Emmy was born, we didn’t know she had Williams syndrome. But, after spending a few days with her, I could tell that something was different with our little girl.

It's hard to believe now but 26 years ago, when I was pregnant with Ben, having your first child at 35, was considered "old". But we were thrilled, and my husband Gary and I approached this special time with all the attention we had given our careers. We made recordings of each other reading our favorite children's books and played those and Vivaldi's 4 seasons to our unborn son each evening.

Moments in Time: Parents write about special moments in the lives of their children with Williams syndrome

One thing that parents, and other family members need when they find out their child has Williams syndrome is support. We have a wonderful community on the website, Listserv, and Facebook pages. We also have informative books that people can buy, such as Fulfilling Dreams, and Ben’s Big Decision.