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6 Facts Everyone should know about Cerebral Palsy


By Scott Tamarkin

The term “cerebral palsy” (CP) is a blanket term that refers to any occurrence of loss or impairment of motor function. Cerebral palsy affects muscle tone, movement, fine and gross motor skills, reflex, posture and balance. It can also affect vision, hearing and speech problems, as well as learning disabilities.
It “is usually caused by brain damage that occurs before or during a child’s birth, or during the first 3 to 5 years of a child’s life” (Kidshealth.org) and it is one of the most common congenital disorders of childhood. It is estimated that 500,000 American children under the age of 18 have cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy does not define a person

  • “People with cerebral palsy are exactly that. People. Just like everybody else. They love, laugh, cry and live. Just like everybody else. My four year old daughter is not defined by her CP. We are bringing her up so that SHE will define IT.” – Ellen on Facebook
  • “CP is a part of [my daughter] but she is and will not ever be defined by it.” – Cheryl on Facebook
  • “CP is a condition that needs attention but it’s not the person. If people could just spend some time to get to know him their lives would be enriched, as ours have been.” – Robyn on Facebook
  • “My son lives with CP, but it does not define him.” – Mrboosmum on the blog

Cerebral Palsy is not an illness

  • “People do not ‘suffer with CP’ as the Daily Mail would put it. It is not an illness.” – Catherine on Facebook
  • “It’s not a disease and you can’t catch it!” – Kerryanne on Facebook
  • “They should know that you can’t catch CP and that people with CP do – contrary to popular belief – have pride in their appearances.” – Rachel on Facebook
  • “You can’t catch cerebral palsy, you can talk to me x” – Lesley on Facebook

Talk to a person with Cerebral Palsy the same as you would to anyone else

  • “Just because the body might not work, don’t think that the brain don’t work either!” – Suzanne on Facebook
  • “People should respect you, it’s not our fault we have it.” – Deborah on Facebook
  • “Just because someone has CP, it doesn’t mean they are deaf or don’t understand what you say. Speak directly to someone, not about them, and not to their carer as if they aren’t present.” – Nadine on the blog....
Read more at Medical Treatment Guide.

 http://medicaltreatmentguidance.net/6-facts-everyone-should-know-about-cerebral-palsy/
cerebral palsy

Top 10 Mental Illnesses And Their Myths


By Tessa Yelton

 We’ve had several fascinating lists about bizarre mental disorders on this site, but no lists have been posted of mental illness myths. Mental illnesses, disorders and differences tend to be very misunderstood by the general public. This is a list of mental illnesses and a widely believed myth or two about each one. I’m sure there are other mental disorders with myths so widespread that I believe in them, too. Of course, you can tell me about those in the comments.

 10
Antisocial Personality Disorder
The Myth: Somebody who avoids social interaction is “antisocial”.
This is mostly a semantic error, which is why I put it in tenth place. Many people refer to someone who is reluctant to participate in social situations as “antisocial”. In fact, these people are often pro-social, even unusually so.
Antisocial Personality Disorder is diagnosed in adults who consistently ignore the rights of others by behaving violently, lying, stealing, or generally acting recklessly with no concern for the safety of themselves or others. They are often extroverted and very much the opposite of the type of people who are so often called “antisocial”, who usually care very much about other people’s feelings. These people are usually just shy or have some form of autism, depression, social anxiety disorder, or avoidant personality disorder (AvPD). AvPD, which is diagnosed in people who avoid social interaction because of an intense fear of being rejected, is probably part of the reason for this confusion. The two personality disorders, after all, have pretty similar names, even if they are entirely different things.
9
Multiple Personality Disorder

The Myth: People with Dissociative Identity Disorder radically change their behavior and lose their memory of what has just been happening when they switch personalities.
Some people would say that DID itself is the myth, since it’s, suspiciously, much more commonly diagnosed in North America than anywhere else, but let’s assume for today that it does exist.
People with DID have anywhere from two to over a hundred different personalities that alternately take over their bodies. These alternate personalities (“alters”) usually, but not always, form due to childhood trauma. The alters don’t always cause huge, noticeable changes in appearance or behavior, so observers might not even notice their existence. Many people with DID (“multiples”) realize that various alters are present and know who those people are, even before therapy, which wouldn’t work very well if they had no memory of switching. It’s possible that one personality has no knowledge of what happened while one of their alters was in charge, causing a sense of amnesia, but they might be entirely aware of what is happening and just not actively involved. The group of alters can usually communicate to some degree, and might even work together to hide the fact that they are multiple. Some multiples prefer not to have therapy to choose one personality and stop switching, because they are perfectly fine living as a team. 
8
Dyslexia

The Myth: All people with dyslexia are unable to read because they see letters in the wrong order.
This is actually two myths in one, but still only two of many myths about dyslexia. The first is that dyslexic people can’t read. Actually, most do learn to read, but if they don’t get appropriate help, they often learn slowly and stay well below their grade level in speed and comprehension. But even that’s not always true: many dyslexic children figure out how to cover up their difficulty reading until third or fourth grade or even longer. And if they are taught by someone who understands dyslexia, they can learn to read perfectly well.
The other half of this myth is that the problem dyslexics have with reading is because they see words backwards or out of order. This can seem to be the case because, in their confusion while they try to figure out a word, they mix up letters or sounds, and some dyslexic people confuse left and right or have a lot of trouble spelling. However, this is not the cause of their problem. Dyslexia is much more to do with a unique way of thinking than a problem with processing visual information...
Get the full list at She Know Everything.
http://sheknoweverything.com/top-10-mental-illnesses-and-their-myths/
Dyslexia

10 Therapy Myths That Are Just Totally WRONG (As Written By A Therapist)

By Danielle Adinolfi
There are a lot of myths about therapy that stop people from going in for a session.
Here are 10 of the most common therapy myths -- and the truth! -- straight from the mouth of a therapist:
1. Only Crazy People Go To Therapy
Most clients are ordinary, everyday people with typical problems. Things like the loss of a loved one, a break-up, or a relationship rut are common issues addressed in therapy.
Most people will go through difficult times, and therapy will help the people involved gain better insight on their issue.
2. Only Couples On The Verge Of Breakup Go To Therapy
Some couples find it helpful to have regular relationship check-ups to ensure things are working properly in their relationship. In fact, the happiest couples go in and out of therapy sessions all the time.
A lot of the work we love to do in therapy is preventative measures to help individuals work together efficiently and successfully for the long-term.
These types of session strengthen couples that are currently in a good place and hope to remain there by addressing small issues that have the potential to grow if left untreated.
3. Once You Start Therapy, You Are In For Life
Some people come for three sessions, others come for three years, but one thing is for sure: The client determines the length of therapy, NOT the therapist. (Some people choose to stay in therapy long-term that is because it makes them feel good when they make positive changes in their lives.)
Remember, therapy is a choice that can put you and your partner on the path to a greater understanding of yourselves as individuals and as a couple.
4. Couples Therapy Will Only Make Our Relationship Worse
When a couple seeks treatment, a therapist sees two possible end results for them -- staying together or amicably separating. But the clients are the ones who make that decision.
If both partners want to better their relationship, then the end goal is obvious and the work done in therapy will help alleviate some of the current issues they face.
This is where they can bring up things in a safe space and at a time when both people are ready to address whatever issues (known or unknown) are plaguing them.
5. In Couples Therapy, Therapists Side With The Partner Who Acts Like The Victim
This is a common misconception that is absolutely UNTRUE. Every therapist understands that nothing happens in a vacuum -- each partner plays an equal role in every issue.
So when one person is blaming the other, we do our best to help both partners see how they are contributing to the problem and recognize that one person is never completely at fault.
Read the full list at Huffpost Healthy Living.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yourtango/therapy-myths_b_7637096.html
carer

10 Early Signs of Liver Disease – What to Look Out For


10 Early Signs of Liver Disease
Liver disease is often stereotypically linked to alcohol or drugs, but the truth is that there are more than 100 known forms of liver disease caused by a multitude of factors. Here we list some common symptoms you should be aware of if you are concerned about liver disease.
The liver is the largest internal organ and largest gland in the human body. The liver plays a vital role in many bodily functions ranging from protein production through to blood clotting and also regulates levels of cholesterol, glucose and our iron metabolism. And by continually filtering our blood, the liver detoxifies and cleanses our bodies. With the exception of the brain it is the most complex organ, so keeping it in a good state of health is imperative. One unique and very positive point is that our livers are actually able to repair themselves, meaning that, depending on the cause of the damage and if it is spotted early, they can infact make full recoveries. 

Some of the most common symptoms of liver diseases are explained below:
1. JAUNDICE: – This is the well known ‘yellowing’ of your skin. Your whole body including sometimes your fingernails and eyes take on a yellow hue. This is mainly due to the build up of ‘bilirubin’ which is a pigment in bile. Bile is made in our livers, and is essential in the digestion process. If your liver is having problems filtering the toxins that you ingest (whether through the digestive tract, the skin or the respiratory system) bilirubin will collect in the bloodstream thus turning your pallor yellowy.

2. COLOR CHANGES TO URINE AND STOOLS: Whilst color changes can be indicators of many problems within the body, it is often a key sign with liver problems. If you keep yourself well hydrated then the urine produced should always be a pale straw type color. As per jaundice however, a build-up of bilirubin can manifest itself as a much darker colour of urine. A badly working liver may also cause your stools to become pale, bloody, or even black. Know your own body and recognize changes.

3. STOMACH CRAMPING AND BLOATING: Again noticing changes is the key point. If you start getting cramping pains or pains in the abdominal area that are persistent, this could be an indication that all is not well with the liver. You may also notice constant bloating or a feeling of being gassy; this can go on to develop into ascites. Ascites is a build up of fluid within the abdomen walls, and causes excess pressure on the lungs resulting in difficulty breathing. Treatment is invasive and requires the draining of the fluid by catheter.

4. SKIN SENSITIVTY: A common symptom is hyper-sensitive skin – excessively itching or irritating to touch. Some of this can be eased by the application of moisturising cream but it will not get better without the underlying liver problem being treated.

5. ACID REFLUX: If you suffer from increasingly frequent attacks of acid reflux with indigestion, with or without vomiting, these are other warning signs that all is not well and needs investigating further.

 Read the full list at Natural Cures Medicine 

 http://www.naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/2014/05/10-early-signs-liver-disease-look.html
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These 5 Diseases Respond Better to Cannabis Than Prescription Drugs

The reason cannabis is so effective medicinally is directly related to its ability to interact with receptors in the body which inhibit inflammation and prevent disease. 

Cannabis does this so well, that few drugs can compete with its level of potency which come essentially with no side effects. These are just 5 diseases that are proven to respond better to cannabis than to drugs, however, there are many studies currently being conducted that may prove dozens more.

Many researchers have noted that there was "inadequate" data for decaded to determine whether smoked marijuana was safe or effective in treating symptoms of pain and preventing disese.



The primary reason for the s lack of data had to do with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, which was the only source of cannabis for research and they were blocking the most meaningful studies due to close ties with pharmaceutical companies.

This view was supported by Dr. David Bearman, the executive vice president for the Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine/Society of Cannabis Clinicians.  

"Part of the problem in the United States is that the NIDA has blocked almost all meaningful studies on cannabis," Bearman said.
Bearman argues that while synthetic cannabis pills do offer pain relief, marijuana is cheaper, has fewer side effects and can be more effective.

Now decades of propaganda is being reversed as scientists and the public are being exposed to the true potential of cannabis and its ability to both heal and prevent disease.

Excellent cannabis strains which treat various medical conditions include Charlotte's Web, Harlequin, Sour Tsunami and Cannatonic.

Noting cannabis' vastly superior side effect profile DEA Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, after a two-year hearing to reschedule cannabis in 1998 said:
"Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects. But marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in the extensive medical literature describing a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality... In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume... Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."
5 DISEASES PROVEN TO RESPOND BETTER TO CANNABIS THAN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

1. Cancer

Cannabinoids, the active components of marijuana, inhibit tumor growth and also kill cancer cells. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the principal psychoactive constituent (or cannabinoid) of the cannabis plant, targets cannabinoid receptors similar in function to endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that are naturally produced in the body and activate these receptors.

Researchers have now found that cannabidiol has the ability to 'switch off' the gene responsible for metastasis in an aggressive form of cancer. Importantly, this substance does not produce the psychoactive properties of the cannabis plant.

A Spanish team, led by Dr Manuel Guzmon, wanted to see whether they could prevent a form of cancer (glioblastoma multiforme) from growing by cutting off its blood supply. 

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most difficult cancers to treat - it seldom responds to any medical intervention, especially conventional methods which poisoning and primatively destroy cells such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.

Genes associated with blood vessel growth in tumors through the production of a chemical called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have their activity reduced when exposed to cannabinoids.

Cannabinoids halt VEGF production by producing Ceramide. Ceramide controls cell death.

Dr Manuel Guzmon tested a cannabinoid solution of patients had glioblastoma multiforme and had not responded to chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. The scientists took samples from them before and after treating them with a cannabinoids solution - this was administered directly into the tumor.

Amazingly, both patients experienced reduced VEGF levels in the tumor as a result of treatment with cannabinoids.

A study published in the July 2002 edition of the medical journal Blood, which found that THC and some other cannabinoids produced "programmed cell death" in different varieties of human leukemia and lymphoma cell lines, thereby destroying the cancerous cells but leaving other cells unharmed.

A study published in a 1975 edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, which showed that THC slowed the growth of lung cancer, breast cancer and virus-induced leukemia in rats.

Titled Antineoplastic activity of cannabinoids, this study was funded by the US National Institute of Health, and performed by researchers at the Medical College of Virginia. Despite the promising results, no further research was made, and the study has essentially disappeared from the scientific literature.

A 1994 study, which documented that THC may protect against malignant cancers, and which was buried by the US government. The $2 million study, funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services, sought to show that large doses of THC produced cancer in rats. 

Instead, researchers found that massive doses of THC had a positive effect, actually slowing the growth of stomach cancers. The rats given THC lived longer than their non-exposed counterparts.

he study was unpublished and the results hidden for almost three years, until it was finally leaked to the media in 1997. (CC#17, THC for tumors).

 Read the full article at Humans Are Free

 http://humansarefree.com/2014/05/these-5-diseases-respond-better-to.html
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10 things your hospital won't tell you


3/18/2011 9:17 PM ET
|
By SmartMoney


1. "Oops, wrong kidney."
In recent years, errors in treatment have become a serious problem for hospitals, ranging from operations on wrong body parts to medication mix-ups.
At least 1.5 million patients are harmed every year by medication errors, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. One reason these mistakes persist: Only 15% of hospitals are fully computerized with a central database to track allergies and diagnoses, says Robert Wachter, the chief of the medical service at the University of California, San Francisco,Medical Center.


But signs of change are emerging. More than 3,000 U.S. hospitals, or 75% of the country's beds, signed on for a campaign by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to implement preventive measures such as multiple checks on drugs. In the first 18 months of the campaign, these hospitals had prevented an estimated 122,300 deaths.
Though the system is improving, it still has a long way to go. Patients should always have a friend, relative or patient advocate from the hospital staff at their side to take notes and make sure the right medications are being dispensed.
2. "Getting out of the hospital doesn't mean you're out of the woods."
A study released recently by Resources for the Future, a nonprofit group that conducts independent research on public health issues, says infections of sepsis and pneumonia acquired in the hospital may kill 48,000 people each year. What's more, the study shows, these infections cost $8.1 billion to treat and lead to 2.3 million total days of hospitalization.

Such revelations, along with the recent increase in antibiotic-resistant bugs and the mounting cost of health care, have mobilized the medical community to implement processes designed to decrease infections. These include using clippers rather than a razor to shave surgical sites and administering antibiotics before surgery but stopping them soon after to prevent drug resistance.
For all of modern medicine's advances, the best way to minimize infection risk is low-tech: Make sure anyone who touches you washes his or her hands. Tubes and catheters are also a source of bugs, and patients should ask daily if they are necessary.
3. "Good luck finding the person in charge."
Helen Haskell repeatedly told nurses something didn't seem right with her son Lewis, who was recovering from surgery to repair a defect in his chest wall. For nearly two days she kept asking for a veteran -- or "attending" -- doctor when a first-year resident's assessment seemed off. But Haskell couldn't convince the right people that her son was deteriorating.
"It was like an alternate reality," she says. "I had no idea where to go." Thirty hours after her son first complained of intense pain, the South Carolina teen died of a perforated ulcer.
In a sea of blue scrubs, getting the attention of the right person can be difficult. Who's in charge? Nurses don't report to doctors but rather to a nurse supervisor. And your personal doctor has little say over radiology or the labs running your tests, which are managed by the hospital. Some facilities employ "hospitalists" -- doctors who act as a point person to conduct the flow of information. Most hospitals now have rapid-response teams -- specialized personnel who can rush to the bedside to assess a declining patient. Haskell urges patients to know the hospital hierarchy, read name tags, get the attending physician's phone number and know how to reach the rapid-response team. If all else fails, demand a nurse supervisor -- likely the highest-ranking person who is accessible quickly...
Read the full article at Money.MSN
http://money.msn.com/health-and-life-insurance/10-things-your-hospital-will-not-tell-you.aspx?page=0
Hospital

12 facts you should know about disability insurance


BY 
APRIL 30, 2014 •



Most working Americans’ greatest assets are not their homes, nor their pensions, nor even their health and fitness, it is their human capital; their ability to work and produce an income over their lifetimes. When family breadwinners die (prematurely), their families are left to fend for themselves without the breadwinners’ financial support, unless of course, the families havelife insurance policies on the lives of the breadwinners that will pay death benefits sufficient to replace the lost incomes.
As bad as an early death of a breadwinner may be to a family, it actually can get much worse, at least in financial terms. When breadwinners suffer serious long-term or permanent disabilities, their families not only lose their breadwinners’ income streams, but also, in contrast with when the breadwinners’ die, they continue to incur the direct and indirect costs of feeding, clothing, housing, and caring for (which often involves additional uninsured medical expense) the disabled breadwinner. Although the problem is less severe, even single workers must worry about how they will support themselves in the event they suffer a serious disability. Basically, disability is a double-whammy risk that has led some in the insurance industry to describe such serious long-term or permanent disabilities as a living death.
Disability Income (DI) insurance is living death insurance designed to provide benefit payments (salary replacement) when the insured individual is unable to work due to a disability. Disability may result from either an injury or an illness. DI policies have an elimination period, or waiting period, until benefits commence after the insured becomes disabled. The waiting period is often 90 days, but policyowners usually can elect shorter or longer waiting periods with corresponding changes to premium charges. Insurers usually limit the benefit payments to an amount less than 100 percent of the individual’s salary, typically about 60 percent to 65 percent of income.
Individuals may acquire their disability income benefits through agroup insurance plan provided by their employer or they may purchase it as an individual policy. Although disability income policies offered by different insurers have similarities, they also differ in substantial ways from one policy to the next. Disability income policies are contracts and the provisions within may vary. Before purchasing a disability income policy, the potential policyowner should carefully review and understand the policy’s provisions.
Q: What definition of disability does the government use to determine one’s eligibility for disability benefits under Social Security?
A: Disability for Social Security purposes is defined as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a period of at least 12 months or longer. This is a fairly difficult definition to meet because it requires that disabled individuals be so severely disabled that they not only be unable to work at their previous occupations or professions but be unable to engage in any kind of gainful employment at all.
Q: What is the regular care and attendance of a physician requirement?
A: Generally, an element of meeting the definition of disability under a disability income policy is that the insured person must be under the care of a qualified physician in order to continue to receive disability income benefit payments.
Q: Are disability income benefit payments subject to FICA and FUTA tax?
A: Payments made to disabled employees by either an employer or an insurer are subject to social security tax (FICA) and federal unemployment tax (FUTA) for the first six months after the last month in which the employees worked for their employers. After six months, such payments are exempt from Social Security and federal unemployment tax. However, if the employees contributed to the plans that pay the benefit payments, the portion of such payments attributable to the employees’ contributions is not subject to Social Security tax...
Read the full article at Life Health Pro 
http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2014/04/30/12-facts-you-should-know-about-disability-insuranc
insurance
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