Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or acid reflux, is a
condition that is a chronic problem for those affected by it. Common
symptoms of GERD are heartburn (a burning feeling in the chest), a
feeling of food being stuck behind your breast bone, nausea after eating
a meal, a cough, a voice that is horse sounding or a sore throat.
Symptoms can worsen at night when lying down. GERD is caused by stomach
contents leaking back out of the stomach into the esophagus (the tube
that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). Gastric or stomach
acid, food and drink, and/or pepsin (a digestive enzyme that’s main
function is to break down proteins that have been eaten) may leak out of
the stomach. The impact of these substances on the lining of the
esophagus can be harmful because they are caustic and the continuous
back flow irritates the esophagus and can cause GERD.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Special Needs: Diagnostic Differences between Educational and Medical Diagnosis of Autism
In Part 2 of this Autism
Primer, Dr. Wilkinson offers introductory answers to frequently asked questions
about identification and educational planning for ASD. Resources are also
provided that will guide you to further information. The content is intended to
be informational only and does not constitute professional advice.
Question: What is the
difference between DSM-IV-TR and IDEA?
Answer: It is important to
recognize that there is a difference between the clinical and the educational
definitions of autism. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004
(IDEA) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth
Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) are the two primary systems of
classification. The DSM-IV is considered the primary authority in the fields of
psychiatric and psychological (clinical) diagnoses, while IDEA is the authority
with regard to eligibility decisions for special education in our schools. The
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) entitles all students with
special needs to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). According to the IDEA
regulations, the definition of autism is as follows:
(c)(1)(i) Autism means a
developmental disability significantly affecting verbal and nonverbal
communication and social interaction, generally evident before age 3, that
adversely affects a child’s educational performance. Other characteristics
often associated with autism are engagement in repetitive activities and
stereotyped movements, resistance to environmental change or change in daily
routines, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The term does not apply
if a child’s educational performance is adversely affected primarily because
the child has an emotional disturbance, as defined in this section.
(ii) A child who manifests
the characteristics of ‘‘autism’’ after age 3 could be diagnosed as having
‘‘autism’’ if the criteria in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section are
satisfied.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Children With Autism DD: Special Needs: Suffer More Severe Symptoms When Born Either Preterm Or Post-term
Children With Autism Suffer More Severe Symptoms When Born Either Preterm Or Post-term
For children with autism, being born several weeks early or several weeks late tends to increase the severity of their symptoms, according to new research out of Michigan State University.
Additionally, autistic children who were born either preterm or post-term are more likely to self-injure themselves compared with autistic children born on time, revealed the study by Tammy Movsas of MSU's Department of Epidemiology.
Though the study did not uncover why there is an increase in autistic symptoms, the reasons may be tied to some of the underlying causes of why a child is born preterm (prior to 37 weeks) or post-term (after 42 weeks) in the first place.
The research appears online in the Journal of Autism and Development Disorders. Movsas, a postdoctoral epidemiology fellow in MSU's College of Human Medicine, said the study reveals there are many different manifestations of autism spectrum disorder, a collection of developmental disorders including both autism and Asperger syndrome. It also shows the length of the mother's pregnancy is one factor affecting the severity of the disorder.
While previous research has linked premature birth to higher rates of autism, this is one of the first studies to look at the severity of the disability.
Click here to read more...
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