Owasso 7th Grade White Team Makes Students Dream Come True
10/30/2016
Jayden is a student at the Owasso 6th Grade center. He was also born with Williams Syndrome.
All Jayden wanted was a Halloween costume, so he could be a football player. Due to 11 surgeries and four heart defects,
a Halloween costume is the closest he ever dreamed to becoming an Owasso Ram. Parents from the 7th Grade Owasso White team learned of his wish, and all pitched in to help Jayden’s dream come true.
Jayden received his costume, a uniform from the team, and so much more.
Friday, just for the evening, Jayden became part of the 7th grade Owasso White team at McCarty park. That evening he walked on the practice field in full gear. Jayden warmed up with the team, and warmed a few hearts in the process. He started practice off by running some plays, kicking the ball, and launching some passes.
Williams syndrome is a developmental disorder that affects many parts of the body. This condition is characterized by mild to moderate intellectual disability or learning problems, unique personality characteristics, distinctive facial features, and heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems.
People with Williams syndrome typically have difficulty with visual-spatial tasks such as drawing and assembling puzzles, but they tend to do well on tasks that involve spoken language, music, and learning by repetition (rote memorization). Affected individuals have outgoing, engaging personalities and tend to take an extreme interest in other people. Attention deficit disorder (ADD), problems with anxiety, and phobias are common among people with this disorder.
Young children with Williams syndrome have distinctive facial features including a broad forehead, a short nose with a broad tip, full cheeks, and a wide mouth with full lips. Many affected people have dental problems such as teeth that are small, widely spaced, crooked, or missing. In older children and adults, the face appears longer and more gaunt.
A form of cardiovascular disease called supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) occurs frequently in people with Williams syndrome. Supravalvular aortic stenosis is a narrowing of the large blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body (the aorta). If this condition is not treated, the aortic narrowing can lead to shortness of breath, chest pain, and heart failure. Other problems with the heart and blood vessels, including high blood pressure (hypertension), have also been reported in people with Williams syndrome.
Additional signs and symptoms of Williams syndrome include abnormalities of connective tissue (tissue that supports the body’s joints and organs) such as joint problems and soft, loose skin. Affected people may also have increased calcium levels in the blood (hypercalcemia) in infancy, developmental delays, problems with coordination, and short stature. Medical problems involving the eyes and vision, the digestive tract, and the urinary system are also possible.
