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Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

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JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

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A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

WI Parents Struggle With Prader-Willi Syndrome

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009   

Madison, WI - The refrigerator and kitchen cabinets become "household enemies" when parents learn they have a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome. The rare genetic disorder leads to a lifelong battle with food that manifests itself as an intense drive to eat and little ability to control that drive. May is Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness Month.

Mary Lynn Larson, with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Wisconsin (PWSA), is the mother of a 16-year-old with PWS. She says these children are prone to obesity along with other challenges, and monitoring their behavior is a full-time job.

"The child never feels full; there are behavior problems and learning issues. Many families have to lock all access to food - all the cabinets, and the refrigerator as they get older."

If access to food is not adequately supervised, she explains, the inability to feel satiated can lead to potentially life-threatening medical conditions associated with obesity. Larson says advances in medical technology can't do much for these children, but new PWS tests are a plus.

"We haven't found anything effective to help with weight loss. Fortunately, we've gotten much earlier diagnoses."

Caring for a PWS child can be very trying, adds Larson. While respite help is important, it is difficult to obtain because of these children's special needs. For more information about Prader-Willi Syndrome, reach the PWSA at 1-866-797-2947.



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