Tag Archive 'United States'

Jan 06 2009

Who Is At Risk For Epilepsy ?

Published by pooch under Cerebral Palsy Knowledgebase

Nearly 2.7 million Americans are affected by epilepsy. This means that 9 out of every 1,000 Americans have the disease.

Although statistics show that men are more affected than women with epilepsy, everyone is susceptible to having epilepsy. It can happen to any body of any race at any age. However, people with certain conditions are at greater risk for epilepsy.

It can be recalled that in the twentieth century, some states in the United States banned the marriage of people for fear of transmitting the disease to their children. Some even had to go through sterilization to prevent reproduction. This is due to the widespread belief that epilepsy is 100 percent heritable. This practice was stopped only with the approval of the Disabilities Act.

And yet, although epilepsy is not necessarily hereditary members of the family of a person with epilepsy have a higher risk of developing the disease. The brothers of a child with epilepsy, for example, are more likely to develop the disorder. This is not due to epilepsy is contagious, but is due to the likelihood of a genetic tendency to develop epilepsy. Furthermore, epilepsy is more likely to occur in the siblings of children who suffer from generalized convulsions. In fact, about 4 to 10 percent of other children in the family develops epilepsy. But this still depends on the type of epilepsy and the number of family members affected.

In addition, parents of children with epilepsy are also at higher risk of developing epilepsy, set at 5 percent. The risk for children whose father has epilepsy is slightly higher for children whose mother has the disorder. However, the risk is even greater if both parents have epilepsy. Although genetics is a risk factor in the development of epilepsy, the risk is relatively low and should not be a cause for great alarm. Moreover, even if the children develop the disease, most of them finally overcome epilepsy when they become adults. Advances in modern medicine make it possible to control seizures.

Age is another factor in the development of epilepsy. Although the disorder can strike at any age, children are more susceptible. In fact, nearly 50 percent of all cases of epilepsy occur before the age of ten, while 30 percent of cases are those with 10-19 years of age. The remaining 13 percent are people aged 20-29, while ten per cent are aged 30 or over. Although children are at increased risk of developing the disease, tend to experience a reduction in the frequency and intensity of seizures as they grow into adulthood. Algunos incluso outgrew la enfermedad completamente.

In addition to genetic factors and age, people with certain conditions pose an increased risk of developing epilepsy. Studies confirm that up to 5 percent of the total world population may experience a seizure at one point in their lives. Half of the cases, however a clear cause are more likely to suffer a second arrest in six months. Having two of those seizures, 80 percent of which is epilepsy. Although the exact cause of epilepsy can not be pinpointed, there are known factors that twice as likely to develop epilepsy. Such risk factors include:

Babies who have seizures during their first month
Babies born with abnormal brain structures
Babies that are too small for gestational age
Cerebral hemorrhage or internal bleeding
Unstable or abnormal blood vessels in the brain
Brain Injury
Lack of oxygen to the brain
Cerebral Palsy
Brain infections such as abscesses, encephalitis and meningitis
Brain tumors
Mental illness
Stroke due to blockage of the arteries
Early posttraumatic seizures
Degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease
Drug abuse
Fever-related seizures

Despite finding the cause of epilepsy is almost impossible, the best thing one can do is avoid the so-called embargo triggers such as intoxication, nutritional deficiencies, OTC medications that reduce the effectiveness of the seizure of drugs, stress severe lack of sleep, drug abuse and loss of drugs.

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Dec 17 2008

Who Is At Risk For Epilepsy ?

Published by pooch under Cerebral Palsy Knowledgebase

Nearly 2.7 million Americans are affected with epilepsy. This means that 9 out of every 1,000 Americans have the disease.

Although statistics show that men are more affected by epilepsy that women around the world is likely to have epilepsy. It can happen to any body, any race at any age. However, people with certain conditions are at increased risk of acquiring epilepsy.

It may be recalled that in the twentieth century, some states in the United States banned people from marrying for fear of transmitting the disease to their children. Some even had to go through sterilization to prevent reproduction. This is due to the widespread belief that epilepsy is 100 percent heritable. This practice was stopped only with the approval of the Law on Disability.

And yet, although epilepsy is not necessarily hereditary, family members of a person with epilepsy have a higher risk of developing the disease. Siblings of a child with epilepsy, for example, are more likely to develop the disorder. This is not because epilepsy is contagious, but is due to the likelihood of a genetic tendency to develop epilepsy. Furthermore, epilepsy is most likely to occur in siblings of children who suffer from generalized convulsions. In fact, about 4 to 10 per cent of other children in the family develops epilepsy. But this still depends on the type of epilepsy, and the number of affected family members.

In addition, parents of children with epilepsy are also at greater risk of developing epilepsy, linked to a 5 per cent. The risk to children whose father has epilepsy is slightly higher for children whose mother has the disorder. However, the risk is even greater if both parents have epilepsy. Although genetics is a risk factor in the development of epilepsy, the risk is relatively low and should not be a cause for great alarm. Moreover, even if children develop the disorder, most of them will definitely outweigh epilepsy at the time they become adults. Advances in modern medicine make it possible to control seizures.

Age is another factor in the development of epilepsy. Although the disorder can strike at any age, children and adolescents are more susceptible. In fact, nearly 50 percent of all cases of epilepsy occur before ten years of age, while 30 percent of cases are those aged 10-19. The remaining 13 percent are people aged 20-29, while ten per cent are aged 30 or over. Although children are at increased risk of developing the disease, tend to experience a reduction in the frequency and intensity of seizures as they grow into adulthood. Some even outgrew the disease completely.

In addition to genetic factors and age, people with certain conditions pose a higher risk of developing epilepsy. Studies confirm that up to 5 per cent of the total world population may experience a single seizure in a time of their lives. Half of the cases, however a clear cause are more likely to suffer a second arrest in a span of six months. Having two such seizures, is 80 percent chance that it is epilepsy. Although the exact cause of epilepsy can not be identified, there are known factors that twice as likely to develop epilepsy. Such risk factors include:

Babies who suffer convulsions during his first month
Babies with congenital abnormal brain structures
Babies that are too small for their gestational age
Cerebral hemorrhage or internal bleeding
Unstable or abnormal blood vessels in the brain
Brain injuries
The lack of oxygen to the brain
Cerebral Palsy
Brain infections such as abscesses, encephalitis and meningitis
Brain Cancer
Mental illness
Stroke due to blockage of the arteries
Early in postraumatic seizures
Degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease
Drug abuse
Fever-related seizures

Despite finding the cause of epilepsy is almost impossible, the best thing one can do is to avoid so-called triggers, however, as food poisoning, nutritional deficiencies, over-the-counter medications that reduce the effectiveness of the seizure of drugs , Severe stress, the lack of sleep, drug abuse and loss of medicines.

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Dec 10 2008

8 Million Reasons To Resist Junk Science and Save Your Kids

Published by pooch under Cerebral Palsy Knowledgebase

Our understanding of mental illness has evolved over the centuries. We’ve gone from being simply stashing the afflicted somewhere far away, for treatment of them. However, the treatments have not always been successful. This is the story that those in the treatment of mental health community does not want told.

It was not long ago that the reduction of part of a person’s brain, or delivery of major tension of electricity through the head of someone who was considered the most modern and effective for treatment of mental illness. These “effective” treatments often produced living corpses that were converted into the chambers of the state. Beyond treatment, there are a number of legitimate concerns and criticisms about how psychologists or psychiatrists decide a person is mentally ill or in need of various levels of therapy.

The greater shame to mental health “professionals” has been his inability to show scientifically what constitutes a mental disorder. In the 1970s, for example, thousands of people were languishing in a state mental health services in the United States that do not belong there. It was during this period that people suffering from cerebral palsy, physical disabilities or nothing at all had been discovered among the thousands of “patients” often dilapidated facilities.

Mixed with a population of drug addicts, chronic alcoholics, habitual offenders and insane persons were those who had been misdiagnosed as mentally ill. Many of them had been placed there by the relatives are unable or unwilling to care for them. Others were admitted by the judicial authorities to act in good faith on the recommendations of medical professionals. Most had arrived as children or adolescents and have been physically and sexually abused for years by other patients or caregivers themselves.

Today, we are told that the ‘old days’ of mental health care have been left behind. Mental health professionals are better informed, trained and have superior diagnostics and treatments to offer to potential patients. Often These treatments include medications so caustic that, in liquid form, gloves are required to heavy for them. As to the diagnosis, here are some observations that require a response that is taken directly from a form designed to detect mental illness:

1. Sometimes I can not control the urge to strike another person. 2. I flare up quickly, but getting faster. 3. I am sometimes overcome with jealousy. 4. If provoked enough, you could hit someone or throw something. 5. I often find myself in disagreement with the people. 6. Sometimes I feel that I have received a raw deal in life. 7. When people annoy me I may tell you what I think of them. 8. Sometimes I feel like a powder keg ready to explode. 9. My friends tell me that you can get argumentative. 10. I know that my friends talk about me behind my back. 11. When people are especially nice for me, I wonder what they want.

Ask yourself if you would like to end up with a lifetime of potentially dangerous drugs or spending years in the theory on the basis of how you even respond to some of these statements? It may surprise to find that eight million children in the U.S. now receive medication for the treatment of vagrants and unscientifically proven mental illness on the basis of questions and like the comment of “abnormal” behavior by unqualified persons, such as teachers, school administrators and nurses.

Once a teacher, principal or school nurse makes your mind that your child needs help, watch out! They call the school or district psychologist or psychiatrist that is, more often then not, are happy to say his comments. Parents are called in, given the bad news and told officially or unofficially that his son was not welcomed in school until they are medicated or sign up for counseling sessions.

School systems around the world have become outpatient clinics supply children with daily doses of dangerous drugs to control the abnormal behavior was described as fidgeting, squirming in their seats, talking out of turn and not listening to a teacher or authority figure. When I was in school behaviors were treated for a drug called detention. Before enrolling your child in one of Doctor Feelgood miracle drugs, there are some things you should know and probably do not have been said.

The diagnosis and treatment of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) has become a source of breakout huge profits for pharmaceutical companies, local treatment centers and caregivers. Once psychiatrists and psychologists began to redefine the normal behavior of children as “abnormal” or “deviant”, which won the lottery for themselves and prescription drug companies. To note that until a few years ago, the same health professionals diagnosed with gay and lesbian people as abnormal, deviant and mentally ill.

School shootings that occurred in the Columbine High School in 1999 and a Native American Educational Fund in 2005 were committed by children under treatment for ADHD with prescription drugs. In addition to being ignorant of the dangerous side effects and addiction to these drugs can cause, children who have them are often unaware of some of the consequences of a lifetime associated with being treated for ADHD.

The FDA says there is no cure for ADHD. This means that once you begin receiving treatment for it, are taking medication for the rest of his life. How long will be before the states or the federal government to insist that people with ADHD continue their medication until a doctor said to be cured? Even now, many states are limiting the ability of people diagnosed or treated for ADHD to obtain professional licenses, serve on the scope of the law or work in different jobs of civil service.

Despite the fact that thousands of school-age children will be diagnosed with ADHD this year, there is no scientific evidence to prove the condition exists. The existence of the conditions and recommended treatments are based solely on theory and conjecture. If a school is not to educate a child, must be the fault of the child or parents. If you’re the child, mental illness has to be the answer and ADHD is often your best estimate.

Studies show that drug treatments do not work. Children are not given the drugs prescribed to as many courses as children who do not have any. The children who take drugs are at risk. The FDA has reported that between 1990 and 1997 there were 160 deaths directly related to drugs used to treat ADHD. There were also hundreds of hospitalizations.

Canada has already banned Adderall XR. It is used to treat ADHD, but twenty sudden deaths associated with its use have raised serious concerns. The FDA in the United States has not banned the drug. Ritalin, a drug most popular used to treat ADHD, may be even more dangerous. According to Peter R. Breggin, MD, Director of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology and Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins University, decreases blood flow to the brain. This can suppress the normal physical and mental growth patterns in children.

Although counseling is not as harmful as turning your child in a prescription drug addict, may have some serious side effects for you and your family. It is for professionals in mental health counseling sessions that serious cases of physical, mental or sexual abuse are often ‘discovered’ by the therapist as repressed memories. Even more shocking, a determination of what constitutes abuse of the left is almost entirely up to the therapist. Only screams of her son could drive a visit from Child Protective Services or you hauled into Family Court. Because everyone who has listened to “a mental health professional” and wanted the best for your child.

A hundred years ago the doctors who offer ‘bleeding’ as a treatment for everything from serious physical injury to a headache. Today, parents are being encouraged to turn their children to doctors and caregivers who rely on junk science to deal with the conditions they have no basis in scientific fact. Before making a decision like that, look at the matter very carefully. The future success and happiness of her child may depend on it.

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