Introduction: Prader-Willi syndrome is a complex, very rare, sporadic genetic disorder whit core symptoms: hypotonia, hyperphagia, skin scratching, rigidity, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviour, and marked deficits in social interaction skills. Children and adolescents with PWS face many challenges in their daily lives in the areas of human functioning that are the domain of the occupational therapist, including play and social participation. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to present the play characteristics of children with Prader-Willi syndrome, to investigate which types of play are part of their daily routine and what are their social interaction skills from the parent's perspective. Methods: The thesis is based on the quantitative research method. We used a questionnaire as a measurement instrument. In the study participated ten parents of children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome age between 2 and 18 years. The data were analysed and presented in graphs and tabels. Results: The results show that play is present every day for 60% of the participants and that all types of play occur in the children's daily routine, with functional play predominating. Most of them play with peers/friends every day. The most common form of communication is speaking in single words and speaking slowly in sentences. 30% are fluent. All but one child understands the words and phrases in the conversation literally. Half of participants avoid eye contact when talking to someone they know, and 70% when meeting new people. Discussion and conclusion: Play is the main occupation of children and one of the contexts for acquiring new knowledge and experiences, including the skills in the field of social interaction. Children with special needs are often deprived of such experiences. This includes children and adolescents with Prader-Willi syndrome, who also find it hard to integrate and connect in society. Occupational therapists can use their expertise and knowledge to help children and their families improve their play patterns and social skills, social inclusion and social participation.
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