Cerebral palsy is a general term describing a group of chronic non-pregressive neurological symptoms which cause impaired control of movement and which are evident in the first few years of life, usually before age 3. The disorders are induced by damage or faulty development of the motor areas in the brain, disrupting the patient’s ability to control movement and posture. Symptoms of cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks such as writing, poor balance and walking, and involuntary movements. The exact combination of symptoms differs from patient to patient and may vary over time. Some patients also have seizures and intellectual disability, however, this is not always the case. Babies with cerebral palsy are frequently slower than average in achieving developmental milestones like learning to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk. Cerebral palsy is usually thought of as congenital or perinatal, however, it can also be acquired after birth. Many of the causes of cerebral palsy that have been identified through research are preventable or even treatable: head injury, Rh incompatibility, jaundice and rubella (German measles).

Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy

Doctors diagnose cerebral palsy by tests of motor skills and reflexes and by medical history.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerized Tomography (CT) scans are typically ordered when the physician suspects cerebral palsy; howerer, they are not definitive. These tests can provide evidence of physical abnormalities such as hydrocephalus (an accumulation of fluid in the cerebral ventricles of the brain), and they can be utilized to exclude other brain disorders. These scans do not prove that the patient has cerebral palsy; nor do they predict how well a specific patient will function in the future. Patients with normal scans may have severe symptoms, and while others whose scans are clearly abnormal have only modest physical signs. However, as a group, patients with cerebral palsy are statistically more likely to have brain scars, cysts, and other changes visible on scans. When physical examination suggests cerebral palsy, an abnormal scan helps confirms the clinical diagnosis.

Even though specific symptoms can change as time passes, cerebral palsy by definition isn’t progressive, so if a patient shows increasing impairment, the problem is usually another neurological disorder.

Varieties of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is classified by the type of movement problem (such as spastic or even athetoid cerebral palsy) or by he body parts affected (hemiplegia, diplegia, and quadriplegia). Spasticity refers to the inability of a muscle to relax, while athetosis refers to an inability to control its movement. Babies who are initially hypotonic (“floppy”) may later develop spasticity. Hemiplegia is cerebral palsy that involves 1 arm and 1 leg on one side of the body, whereas diplegia is the involvement of both legs. Quadriplegia refers to symptoms involving all 4 extremities as well as trunk and neck muscles. Balance and coordination problems are referred to as ataxia.

For instance, a patient with spastic diplegia has mostly spastic muscle problems of the legs, while perhaps also displaying a smaller component of athetosis and balance problems. The patient with athetoid quadriplegia, on the more hand, would have lack of control of the muscles of both arms and legs, however such a patient will usually have smaller problems with ataxia and spasticity as well. Normally a child with quadriplegic cerebral palsy will be unable to walk independently. The degree of impairment can vary from patient to patient and range from mild to severe.

Cerebral Palsy Therapy

There is no standard therapy that benefits all patients. Drugs are useful to control seizures and muscle cramps and braces can compensate for muscle imbalance. Surgery, mechanical aids to help overcome impairments, counseling for emotional and psychological needs, and physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy are all effective.

Prognosis for Cerebral Palsy

Though cerebral palsy is incurable to date, many patients can enjoy near-normal lives if their neurological symptoms are properly managed.

Medical Research

There is evidence which suggests that cerebral palsy results from incorrect cell development early in prenatal life. As an example, a group of researchers has recently observed that approximately one-third of cerebral palsy patients also have missing enamel on certain teeth. Bleeding inside the brain, breathing and circulation problems and seizures can all cause cerebral palsy and each has separate causes and treatment. Researchers are currently conducting trials to determine whether certain drugs can help halt neonatal stroke, and more investigators are examining the causes of low birth-weight. More studies are being done to determine how brain trauma (like brain damage from a shortage of oxygen or blood flow, bleeding in the brain, and seizures) can cause the release of brain chemicals which lead to premanent brain damage.

Organizations Funding Cerebral Palsy Research & Therapy

Easter Seals, Epilepsy Foundation, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, United Cerebral Palsy, National Disability Sports Alliance, Childrens Neurobiological Solutions Foundation, Childrens Hemiplegia and Stroke Foundation.

When the pain got worse at home, he was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. Frank’s greatest fear came true when the doctors said he had a heart attack.

“My heart attack was really a wake-up call,” said Rella, a 42-year-old New Jersey resident who became a paramedic after his life-altering heart attack, so he could be on the frontlines of medical care. “I went through a lot of emotions and was worried about having a second attack. So now I make sure to take the right medications and work with my doctor to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.”

Frank’s story is not uncommon. A new survey of more than 500 heart attack survivors found that survivors see their attack as a wake-up call that gave them a second chance at life. However, most survivors also said their heart attack left them with feelings of depression and hopelessness. In fact, survivors said they feared another heart attack more than death. Even though survivors had these feelings, 40 percent said they were not doing everything they could to prevent another attack. This fact is troubling since one in five men and one in three women will have another heart attack within six years.

“I see these survey results come to life in my practice every day. While many of my patients who have suffered a heart attack are very aware and afraid of their increased risk of having another one, they are not doing everything they can to live a heart-healthy life. The good news is that if they take certain steps, they can prevent another attack. I tell my patients to eat healthy, exercise and take their medications. Those medications may include a beta-blocker, ACE inhibitor, statin and aspirin,” said Dr. William Abraham, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center.

In the survey, 80 percent of heart attack survivors said they needed more information to learn about their heart health. As a result, Mended Hearts, a nationwide heart patient support group affiliated with the American Heart Association, started a program called “Heartfelt Wake-Up Call.” This program offers education and support to heart attack survivors and their families. For tips on “Heartfelt Living” and “Heartfelt Support,” such as information about local support groups, tip sheets, survivors’ stories and heart-healthy recipes, visit www.mendedhearts.org.

GlaxoSmithKline provided funding and assistance in the development of “Heartfelt Wake-Up Call.”

“I encourage patients to take their health to heart” said Abraham.

Some psychiatrists think anorexia is not just about being thin or fat. It stems from fear a of growing up and losing control. It’s about fear of becoming a women, growing up, building relationships, leaving home.
Her body is changing and growing and she doesn’t like it and wants to be child sized again. Some psychiatrists think that eating disorders can also be caused by life experiences such abuse.

Some studies have shown that if a mother has anorexia a child is 12 time more likely to develop it than someone with no family history.

The person who suffers with anorexia cannot help herself. She must be treated by a mental health professional experienced in dealing with anorexia. Some receive long term psychotherapy.

The first thing however is to get this girl’s health back as best as you can. This person may need to be coaxed to eat, and, may need a supportive caregiver to actually watch to make sure she eats. There are numerous health concerns with anorexia. Some of these are osteoporosis, irregular heart beat and in the most severe of cases permanent failure of normal growth development. Most women sufferers of anorexia will lose their normal menstrual cycle. If an anorexic woman would conceive a child she would be likely to miscarry or have a baby born prematurely.

Without treatment up to twenty percent of anorexia suffers will die. With treatment 60% can recover and maintain healthy weight. However, even with treatment about 20% of people will continue to have an unhealthy lifetime obsession with weight and food.

If you confront a loved one about anorexia get ready to deal with someone in a true state of denial. They will be angry, and may become more withdrawn and depressed. There is nothing that you can do to change your loved one’s perception of him or herself. You can’t make your loved one eat. There are many organizations that are available to help anorexia sufferers and their families get the help they need.

“Bird flu” is not the same thing as human pandemic flu. “Bird flu”-H5N1 highly pathogenic Asian avian influenza-is a severe disease of birds. All the people known to have gotten it had close contact with infected birds, mostly in rural villages in Asia. Where there is no close contact with infected birds, there’s no human disease.

More good news: The food supply is protected. The poultry industry and the U.S. government take Asian avian influenza very seriously because it can threaten commercial poultry. It’s spread by migratory birds, so the federal government monitors wild birds in areas where there could be contact with Asian birds.

In addition, security on poultry farms is very tight. Poultry are kept away from wild birds. Strict procedures keep the virus from being tracked into the birds’ living space. Poultry farmers’ number one priority is to protect their flocks.

The industry and state governments sponsor extensive testing programs to watch for any signs of Asian avian influenza. Under the National Chicken Council’s program, which nearly all chicken companies follow, each flock is tested. Any poultry flock found to be infected with Asian avian influenza would be destroyed on the farm and would not enter the food supply.

You can also feel confident about your chicken or turkey dinners. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you can’t get “bird flu” from properly handled and cooked food. Just be sure to follow the instructions already printed on each package of fresh meat and poultry sold in the United States. The instructions are the same as they have always been-nothing special is needed. On the remote chance that an infected bird got into the food supply, it wouldn’t affect consumers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This is more than enough to destroy any flu viruses that may be present.

“American consumers don’t have to worry about getting the avian flu virus from eating poultry,” says Dr. Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. “We know that if you properly cook poultry, it’s safe.”

Lets take a quick look at the three most common types of conjunctivitis.

The first is viral conjunctivitis. This type is transmitted by contact with a variety of contagious viruses. These required viruses need not be any harsher than the common cold virus, as these cases are generally associated with upper respiratrory tract symptoms.

Bacterial conjunctivitis is most commonly caused by the infected’s own skin or respiratory flora due to pyogenic bacteria. Another common way to spread infection, generally by females, is through sharing of facial lotions or eye makeup. And lastly, it is possible to share this kind of “pinkeye” through contact with other people and/or their environment.

The last form that we will be looking at is allergetic conjuctivitis. This type generally follows a seasonal pattern, and is more common among those with allergic conditions. Unlike the others, allergetic conjuctivitis tends to take over both eyes, and is accompanied by swollen eyelids. It is caused by reactions to such substances as perfume, drugs, cosmetics, contact lenses, or protein deposits.