The drama class had just gotten out, and everybody was standing around talking when Jessica noticed her 9-year-old, Isabelle, making her way over to an elderly woman Jessica had never seen. The woman was neatly dressed, most likely just a well-meaning suburban grandmother who had come to retrieve a grandchild on behalf of an over-extended parent, most likely a perfectly harmless person.

Isabelle, as she usually did, exchanged hellos and struck up a conversation. It was the usual post-drama-class conversation until about two minutes in. Then Isabelle dropped the bomb.

"Will you take me? Can I go home with you?" Jessica heard Isabelle plead.

Jessica's daughter, Isabelle, has Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder with a number of symptoms. Children with Williams are often physically small and frequently have developmental delays. But also, kids and adults with Williams love people, and they are literally pathologically trusting. They have no social fear. Researchers theorize that this is probably because of a problem in their limbic system, the part of the brain that regulates emotion. There appears to be a disregulation in one of the chemicals (oxytocin) that signals when to trust and when to distrust.

This means that it is essentially biologically impossible for kids like Isabelle to distrust.

Read or listen to it all.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Children • Health & Medicine • Marriage & Family • Psychology • * Theology • Ethics / Moral Theology • Pastoral Theology

1. Catholic Mom wrote: Hmmm….well, my 7 year old who does NOT have “Williams Syndrome”  (how long has this syndrome been recognized?) is very similar to this.  He is changing as he grows up, but when he was little he would go up to total strangers and engage them in long conversations.  Everyone adored him (they still do).  He is always thinking about others (I don’t.)  We were at an outdoor event on Saturday and we brought two folding chairs and set them up under a tree and a guy (adult) was already sitting under the tree and my son asked me “should we ask him if he wants to sit in one of our chairs?” and before I could answer (“no”) he went over and asked the guy “would you like a chair to sit it in?”  This is a 7 year old talking to a strange man.  When he was 4, one of our neighbors called and asked if we wanted to go over to the swim club together and I said we were busy but would meet them over there in an hour or so.  About five minutes later they called me and said “do you know (my son) is over here?”  He overheard the conversation, went upstairs, got a bathing suit and towel, walked down the street, knocked on their door and said “I’m ready to go to the pool.”  He is both incredibly independent and he really loves people.  It’s a difficult combination to deal with in a little kid, but I think it’s going to give him a great life as an adult. April 27, 8:44 am | [comment link]

Registered members must log in to comment.