Meet Wells!
And learn a little bit about Jansen de Vries Syndrome...
Wells is so excited to be back at HVES this year. His favorite thing about school is interacting with all of the other students and teachers. He LOVES to talk and we are practicing recognizing the difference between a question and sharing something. Wells loves to greet, hug, and interact with everyone! He is be the first to jump in and try to help if someone is upset or hurt. ��Wells has Jansen de Vries Syndrome. This just means that one gene is just a little different than the rest. This makes Wells pretty special/unique and your class pretty lucky to get to learn with and from a person who has a very rare disorder! For Wells, having JdVS means he has to work extra hard to do a lot of the things that are easy for you and me. Sometimes he needs some extra time when working. He also has a lot of anxiety and worries about certain things (he will ask the same question over and over about something he may be worried about). Every once in awhile he is too excited and can’t control himself, especially around strong smells, new textures, and foods he likes to taste. Visual cues help him to remember how to make better choices! He is also easily startled by loud/sudden noises. And sometimes he learns things in different ways, maybe you do too. But as you can see from this letter, he is a lot more like us than he is different. ��We hope as you get to know Wells and become his friend (if you’re not already!) you will see just how much you have in common with each other. And parents, if you have any questions about Jansen de Vries Syndrome, please don’t hesitate to ask.
About Wells
He is a 1st grade Student in Ms. D’s Class
He was diagnosed when he was 4.
He lives with his Mom and two brothers,
Kade and Miller.
Favorite Activities
Bike Riding and Going to the Beach!
More About JdVS!
This letter was created spread awareness and understanding of individuals diagnosed with Jansen de Vries Syndrome, a variant in the PPM1D gene. Within the last 5 years, geneticists have discovered pathogenic variants in the PPM1D gene, a nonsense alteration that results in a shortened protein. This mutation causes a wide range of overlapping clinical features including developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, anxiety, unique facial features, short and wide hands/feet, growth hormone deficiency and a variety of other health issues. It is important to note that not every individual exhibits all of these symptoms. Therapies and early interventions have been proven to be very helpful in ensuring those diagnosed can be the best version of themselves. Family members, therapists, and teachers play an extremely important role in recognizing the needs of these students and learning how to help them succeed. Loved ones of individuals diagnosed describe them to be extremely social, loving, outgoing, and flirtatious. In other words, joyous and beautiful people to be around! We look forward to working with you this year!
Feel free to reach out with any questions/concerns:
email address��phone number��www.jansen-devries.org