The "opposite of autism": Williams syndrome

[Katleya]

I came across this on National Geographic.
At first, I found it very irritating, because I thought it was implying autism made people incapable of love, but reading on, I guess they've coined that nickname mostly because of the compulsion to hug. I still found it interesting in quickly tackling oxytocin (which has been raised already here), as well as a friendliness gene.

I thought the overlapping aspects were actually very interesting, and wonder how much there is in common in terms of affected genes.

Below is an excerpt of the article:

This Rare Medical Condition Makes You Love Everyone

Williams syndrome, which affects 30,000 people in the U.S., is often called the opposite of autism.

By Simon Worrall
PUBLISHED JULY 16, 2017

A child that can’t stop hugging people, has no fear of strangers, and loves everyone equally—sounds beautiful, right?

Not always. People with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic condition, face problems every bit as challenging as those with autism, from learning difficulties to trouble forming friendships. As Jennifer Latson reveals in her moving book, The Boy Who Loved Too Much: A True Story Of Pathological Friendliness, it can also be immensely difficult for parents.

The syndrome, whose sufferers have a surfeit of oxytocin, aka the love hormone, affects roughly 1 in 10,000 people worldwide, with 30,000 in the U.S.

[Continued here]

It also links to this 2013 article on oxytocin trials: Oxytocin: the "love hormone" might also help in autism

Looking forward to your views!

 

[Crossbreed]

I like hugs from family and close friends, but my LFA daughter will hug probably anybody. (And that started long before she had a sex drive.)

[It isn't prurient interest. She just wears everything on her sleeve.]

 

[Ylva]

"One of the heart-breaking hazards of raising a kid with Williams is that your child loves you intensely and unconditionally, but he feels the same way about his bus driver."

That reminds me of when allistic parents complain that their autistic child will never say "I love you". When I suggest that they treat their child a little better it always comes out that it's not because they don't love them, but because their child is nonverbal that they'll "never" say it. It doesn't sound like much of a struggle.

Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe it's a really creepy buss driver. Also, maybe it makes the buss driver uncomfortable. But what's with all the tribalism? If your kid is literally incapable of indifference toward people (or, you know, of speaking with their mouth parts), what's the big deal?

That said, I would never want to meet such a person. I would cringe and possible hurl every time they went in for a hug. I can't believe they are calling it "love", although I guess it sort of explains why neurotypicals feel that "love" entitles them to so much. (Hey, they feel good about invading my space, how dare I deny them that joy?)

As to the oxytocin article…

On the one hand: God, will these allistics never accept that they are not the most important thing in the world?

On the other hand: This nasal spray sounds like "I know kung fu".

 

[Katleya]

That said, I would never want to meet such a person. I would cringe and possible hurl every time they went in for a hug. I can't believe they are calling it "love", although I guess it sort of explains why neurotypicals feel that "love" entitles them to so much. (Hey, they feel good about invading my space, how dare I deny them that joy?)

I would run away so fast if I were to be faced with a serial hugger I've never met and "allowed" into my personal space, I'd probably break some records. Or knock myself unconscious on the way out, from hitting a door frame (that's the most likely option, I guess).
I never thought about the "joy denying", but you might have pointed out something critical.

As to the oxytocin article…

On the one hand: God, will these allistics never accept that they are not the most important thing in the world?

On the other hand: This nasal spray sounds like "I know kung fu".

I didn't get the "I know kung fu" part, I'm sorry.
I wouldn't mind using a spray like that on occasion, when there's more sensory overload and anxiety than I can cope with, but parents using something on their kids without any actual proof of efficiency and harmlessness, that sounds stupid. But how can we expect society to accept those kids if even their parents aren't willing & ready? You'd think "unconditional love" would apply here...

 

[Ylva]

It's from The Matrix. Basically, they plug a completely untrained guy's brain into a computer and upload, not knowledge, but a skillset.

 

[Crossbreed]

I like this version, too.

 

[toothless]

i see all beings as generic fleshy objects so it doesnt matter to me who they are i will still bear hug them as i love the sensory input from bear hugs,i dont love them though.

 

[Ylva]

That is both sensible and terrifying.

edit exactly five years later: no, it's actually just sensible.

 

[Katleya]

It's from The Matrix. Basically, they plug a completely untrained guy's brain into a computer and upload, not knowledge, but a skillset.

Thanks, Ylva. I should have been able to tell it was the Matrix, but few people are worse at recognizing movie from a quote than I am

 

[Slim Jim]

I've seen a documentary on this, some years ago. Very interesting.

Hmnn. "oxytocin, aka the love hormone," I know about that.

I guess that explains people with multiple marriages, you get addicted to the rush. With me, I think I might be deficient in this, apart from occasions when I do feel things for certain persons. Now I guess, maybe that's why I want to hold on to that feeling, if somebody makes me feel love.

And when you are mostly indifferent, bordering on cold, and unresponsive, to the masses of humanity, You need all the oxy you can get..

 

[ShaunG]

I came across this on National Geographic.
At first, I found it very irritating, because I thought it was implying autism made people incapable of love, but reading on, I guess they've coined that nickname mostly because of the compulsion to hug. I still found it interesting in quickly tackling oxytocin (which has been raised already here), as well as a friendliness gene.

I thought the overlapping aspects were actually very interesting, and wonder how much there is in common in terms of affected genes.

Below is an excerpt of the article:

This Rare Medical Condition Makes You Love Everyone

Williams syndrome, which affects 30,000 people in the U.S., is often called the opposite of autism.

By Simon Worrall
PUBLISHED JULY 16, 2017

A child that can’t stop hugging people, has no fear of strangers, and loves everyone equally—sounds beautiful, right?

Not always. People with Williams syndrome, a rare genetic condition, face problems every bit as challenging as those with autism, from learning difficulties to trouble forming friendships. As Jennifer Latson reveals in her moving book, The Boy Who Loved Too Much: A True Story Of Pathological Friendliness, it can also be immensely difficult for parents.

The syndrome, whose sufferers have a surfeit of oxytocin, aka the love hormone, affects roughly 1 in 10,000 people worldwide, with 30,000 in the U.S.

[Continued here]

It also links to this 2013 article on oxytocin trials: Oxytocin: the "love hormone" might also help in autism

Looking forward to your views!

I am a mental health case manager who works with homeless people and one of my homeless clients has Williams syndrome. He is as described, thought he get's targeted a lot on the street. He has some really severe heart problems. It's impossible not to like him because he's so genuinely friendly.