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2012年6月29日 星期五

An Independent Consultant's View of Mental Health Disorders and Special Needs


According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, one in five children from birth to 18 has a diagnosable mental disorder. Moreover, one in 10 youths has mental health problems that are serious enough to impair how they function at home, in school, or in the community in which they live. Among the diagnosable mental disorders common in children are anxiety, mood disorder such as depression, and disruptive disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactive disorders.

Special needs, however, are a different concern. Special needs is an umbrella term under which a broad array of diagnosis can be put. Children with special needs may have learning disabilities that range from being mild to profound mental retardation. They may have developmental delays from which they may catch up quickly or some from which they may not catch up at all. Also they may have an occasional panic attack or serious psychiatric problems. Some special needs that can be clearly diagnosed include fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, dysfunction of sensory integration, autism, and dyslexia.

Problems peculiar to children with a mental disorder and special needs are not uncommon. It is not unusual for a child with attention deficit hyperactive disorder to have a learning disability such as a central auditory processing disorder and may struggle with school work regardless of their intellectual abilities.

As a independent mental health consultant, here is the distinction that I make. Mental disorders are essentially psychological problems while special needs are disabilities that affect how a child can effectively function in society. The psychological problems such as mood swings, fits of depression, and feelings of anxiety can be addressed by a competent psychotherapist using one or more approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, and parent counseling. Medication may be required, but should never be the sole therapy. It is often most effective when used in combination with a behavioral based treatment. A child will not learn socially acceptable behavior if it is never addressed in therapy. A child with special needs represent a set of different concerns and approaches. They may require specialized learning strategies to help the child to meet his potential and to avoid the loss of the child's self-esteem and reduce behavioral difficulties.

Effective approaches will also involve the school system which is lawfully required to engage the child in an educational program designed to meet his needs. However despite these efforts and time, the child may not respond. Still, you have to continue with love, seek to understand the situation, and have child work towards self-sufficiency.




Keep up to date with timely financial and personal growth tips and strategies. Visit http://www.yourconsultantsite.com and http://www.youcontrol.blogspot.com. You can subscribe to the monthly Financial/Personal Growth newsletter at either site as well as read and download the free articles and e-books. Will Barnes is a financial and personal growth consultant based in Illinois. Mr Barnes has conducted hundreds of workshops on parenting and counseled parents for decades.





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2012年2月7日 星期二

Children's Health - Brain Development Disorder - Definition and Types


I. Definition

A neurodevelopmental disorder is defined as an impairment of the growth and development of the central nervous system. It effects the child's brain function in controlling emotion, learning ability and memory as well as social interaction. Today, one in six children is diagnosed with some forms of development and behaviour disorder. It is advised for parent to have their child diagnosed early, if they found that their child is withdrawing from social world, failing to learn the basic communication skill or struggle with emotional regulation, etc.. otherwise, a child may be at risk of becoming serious lifelong disability.

II. Most common types of brain development disorder

1. Autism disorder

Autism is one most common form of brain development disorder and one in 166 child is diagnosed with some forms of autism. It is defined as medical condition in which a child has some of the following impairments

a) Speech

b) Social and communication skills

c) Limited interest

d) Repetitive behaviour

2. Asperger syndrome

Children with Asperger syndrome has no problem with speech development, but have very poor social and communication skills. they may talk a lot, but fail to focus and keep up with the subject. they also have a very narrow interest as they may talk about only one single subject for months or years. Some children with Asperger syndrome may also engage in repetitive behaviour such as flagging hand.

3. Pervasive Development disorder

Children who have developed some or mild forms of autism are considered to have pervasive development disorder. Although some symptoms or important signs of autism are missing, they are likely to diagnoses with autism or Asperger syndrome later in their life.

4. Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome effects mostly girl, is defined as a condition of which children lose social and communication skills as well as purposely use of their hand. It may also accompany with symptoms of hand repetitive and seizures.

5. Childhood integrative disorder

Children with childhood integrative disorder may gradually lose their language, social communication and self help skills between the period of 2 -4 years old.

6. Sensory integration dysfunction

Sensory integration dysfunction is a condition of which a child fails to react to the information collected from the scene, caused by abnormal brain function in processing information. Typically, most children with sensory integration syndrome may be under sensitive in reaction to pain or noise or over sensitive in reaction to certain environments such as noise, bright light or often both.

7. Auditory processing disorder

Auditory processing disorder is defined as damaging of the neurological structures and pathways of sound perception, therefore children with this disorder are able to hear sounds but have trouble to interpret what they hear.

8. Expressive language disorder

This is defined as a condition of which the children have a limited vocabulary and difficulty in recalling words or expressing themselves by using complex sentences.

9. Speech apraxia

It is caused by the broken down of the inter-reaction between the brain in controlling the speech muscles during speech. Children with speech appraxia know what they want to say, but can not speak through their voice and their words are difficult to understand.

10. Attention deficit hyperactivity

ADHD is defined as psychological condition of which a child has a poor attention skill, impulsive behavior and hyper-activity. The symptoms may appear to be innocent but annoying nuisances to other children. It effects between 3-5% of children globally and most of them are diagnosed later in their childhood life.

11. Attention deficit disorder

Unlike ADHD, children with attention deficit disorder are diagnosed only with symptoms of poor attention skill and impulsive behaviour. Although, the symptoms may appear only annoying to other children, it can inflict the learning ability of the children in the class.

12. Mental retardation

Metal retardation is considered as a generalized disorder. Children with mental retardation normally fail to adapt or adjust to another type of behaviour or situation. They also have a below average IQ ( 70 or lower) and difficulty in performing routine activity.

13. Hearing impairment

Hearing impairment is characterized as a child have a reduce of the ability to detect or understand sounds. Since the children can not hear well, it may interfere with normal progress of social and communication skills causing disruptive behaviour.

14. Seizure disorder (Epilepsy)

Since the normal function of neurons is to generate electrochemical impulses to act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, the damage or abnormal function of neurons in case of seizure disorder interferes with sensations, emotions, and behavior, resulting in delay or loss of social and communication skills.

15. Nonverbal learning disorder

The problems of the nonverbal learning disorder are not speech and memory, they may seem normal when they talk and understand what they hear, but in abstracted thinking such as non-verbal problem-solving, daily change of routine and social skills.

16. Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury normally caused by physical impacts such as car accident or lack of oxygen circulated in their body for a certain amount of time that damage certain areas of the brain in controlling speech, thinking, behaviour and social skills.

17. Fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is defined as a genetic defect. Children with this syndrome have difficult to control the physical, intellectual, emotional and behavioural aspects in their daily activity as resulting of inherited cause of mental retardation.

18. Tuberous sclerosis

This another type of genetic disease, which causes tumor to be growth in the brain and other organ, leading to seizure, delay development, behaviour problem and sometimes mental retardation.

19. William syndrome

William syndrome is a genetic defect, caused by a deletion of about 26 genes from the long arm of chromosome. Children with William syndrome appear to have unusual language skill and eager for social interaction, but can also be mental retardation and heart problems.

20. Angelman syndrome

This is a condition caused by deletion or inactivation of genes on the maternally inherited chromosome 15. Children with this type of syndrome have severe mental retardation that effect their intellectual and interfere with normal development. The syndrome also accompanies with unexplained smiling and laughing.

21. Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Will syndrome is also another genetic defect caused by missing or partial missing of the seven genes on chromosome 15. Children who was born with Prader-Willi syndrome have delay development and feeding difficulty in infancy and develop compulsive eating and food obsession after age one.

22. Phenylketonuria

Phenylketonuria is a genetically metabolic disorder caused by deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase, leading to accumulation of phenylalanine, interfering with development of the brain, causing severe brain damage, mental retardation if it is not controlled by a special diet in their early life.

23. Early-onset childhood bipolar disorder

It is also known as manic-depression. Children who are diagnosed with this disorder have symptoms of frequent mood swing, alternate thinking and behaviour .

24. Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized as a children life is disrupted by unwanted, unnecessary and repetitive thought, as well as an overwhelming need to do certain thing compulsively such as washing their hand many times a day, drinking a cup water before leaving home, etc.

25. Generalized anxiety disorder

It is a kind of anxiety disorder. Children with generalized anxiety disorder always worry about something, restlessness and fear without reason.

26. Selective mutism

Selective mutism is defined as another type of anxiety in which a child who is normally capable of speech is unable to speak or becomes silent in certain situations or in front of specific people.

27. Oppositional defiant disorder

Oppositional defiant disorder is defined as an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, disobedient, hostile and defiant behaviour toward parent and authority.

28. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder association with streptococcal infection ( PANDAS)

It is defined as a condition in which the immune system attack the child central nervous system, leading to behaviour, thinking and movement problems.

29. Reactive attachment disorder

Reactive attachment disorder is defined as an inappropriate social behaviour caused by severe early experiences of neglect, abuse of parent or caregivers between the ages of six months and three years.

30. Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is described as a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality caused by inability of a child to cope with the change in the internal or external environment, leading to hallucination and delusion.




To read more of above subject or Autism, please visit http://neurodevelopmentaldisorder.blogspot.com/

For series of Infertility Articles, please visit http://fertility-infertility.blogspot.com/

All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have the author name and all the links intact. "Let You Be With Your Health, Let Your Health Be With You" Kyle J. Norton I have been studying natural remedies for disease prevention for over 20 years and working as a financial consultant since 1990. Master degree in Mathematics, teaching and tutoring math at colleges and universities before joining insurance industries. Part time Health, Insurance and Entertainment Article Writer.





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2012年1月24日 星期二

Children's Health - How to Treat Autism in a Conventional Perspective


I. Definition

Conventional medicine is also known as Western medicine. It is a system of medical approach in which medical doctor and other health professionals such as nurses, medical technician and specialists and therapists, etc. use medication, radiation, medical equipments or surgery to treat symptoms of disease and diseases.

II. How conventional medicine effects autism

A. Diagnosis

For the disease to be treated effectively, the conventional doctor first has to diagnose what causes the symptoms of the disease or diseases. It is helped by blood test, logical screen, psychological and physical examination, etc. The diagnosis of children with development disorder is always a stressful and time consuming road for both parent and children, because each doctor in conventional medicine mostly specializes in one field and can not make any suggestion outside of his or her professional judgement. You may be recommended to see other specialists if one found to be necessary. Since autism is complex disease, it requires a team of doctor before it can be diagnosed correctly and many wrong diagnosis have been done, leading to overwhelming pressure and time wasting to the parent and their children. Fortunately, many cases of autism have been correctly diagnosed and are treated accordingly.

To avoid wasting your time, here is the basic list of doctors and specialists who have been required for all children with development disorder to be diagnosed correctly:

a. Development and behaviour pediatrician

b. Paediatric neurologist

c. Children psychiatrist

d. Children psychologist

e. Speech and language pathologist

f. Occupational therapist

g. Physical therapist

h. Play therapist

i. Social worker

Some children may require more or less specialists than the list above in their road to find a cure, but we believe the list is a basic team for fast and corrected diagnosis.

B. Types of conventional treatment

1. Animal therapy

Animal therapy focus to improve in the inter action between the child and animal, thereby increasing the child confident in building relation ship as well as sensory and motor issues.

2. Auditory integration therapy

The program uses modified music and sound with an aim to correct the problems of child's in processing and understanding speech and sound.

3. Augmentative communication

Augmentative communication helps to support the child's communication output by acting as a bridge until speech develops or by providing an alternative if speech fails to develop. It includes picture exchange communication, picture and symbol displays, technological support for communication, sign language and body language.

4. Behaviour treatments

The aims of behaviour treatment is to help the autistic children to overcome the emotional , behavioural and cognitive dysfunction through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure. It is said that this types of treatment have proven to be successful in treating mood, anxiety, personality, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders in some degrees.

5. Chelation

Since children with autism have a weakened secretion system, Cchelation helps to remove heavy metals accumulated in the brain through medication taken by IV or by mouth or rubbed on the skin. Although, it is a new treatment, but in theory, it decreases physical and behaviour problems.

6. Diet

Daily diet is always important for autistic or non autistic children. Since most autistic children have problem of weakened immune system and problem with toxic elimination, intake of foods which help to strengthen immune and improve toxin secretion will do no harm while avoiding intake of foods which may elevate the allergic and gastrointestinal problem are always essential. Choosing fresh and organic foods carefully will always help to reduce metabolic conditions for autistic children.

7. Discrete trial training

Discrete trial training is a program which helps to improve the basic skills for autistic children

a) Pre learning skills such as sit, attending, look at your class mate and teacher, etc.

b) Safe skills such as know their name, address, parent phone number, etc

Before the children can proceed the more complex language, academic and social skills by beginning of with a breaking off the skills into small part and taught in repetitive drills. The process of the children is record and rewarded if the response is appropriate.

8. Facilitated communication

The program helps the non verbal students to communicate with others while someone helps to support their hands and arm.

9. Immunological treatments

The types of therapy helps to alter immune system deficit for children with autism, including steroid, infusion and intravenous munoglobulin, depending to the child's diagnosis. These treatments may carry long term health risk. There are many herbs which can help such as ginko boliba if you want to use herb or other alternative treatment for this type of disorder, please consult with your doctor before applying.

10. Medication

Medicine used by conventional medicine to treat some symptoms of autism such as hyperactive, anxiety, moodswing, seizure, gastrointestinal disorder have been proven very effective, but with some side effects, therefore it is for the child benefit to keep the dose as low as possible:

a ) Tranquilizers

i) Effects

Tranquilizers include thioridazine (Mellaril), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol) and risperidol (Risperdal) which help to treat symptoms of behaviour problem by regulating the production of dopamine, thereby increasing their attention and concentration in school and at home thus making them more able to learn.

ii) Side effect of tranquilizers include

*Sedation or sleepiness.

** Less common side effects include changes in the function of the liver, effects on blood cells, restlessness or agitation, sensitivity of the skin to the sun, and true allergic reactions

*** Re occurrence of the symptoms if the medication is stopped

b) Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitor

i) Effects

It works well for children with depression and anxiety disorders, by regulating the production of serotonin which is vital for responsible and controlling the fundamental physiological aspects of the body

ii) Side effects

*Urinary retention

** Easily agitated or upset.

*** Dizziness and Fatigue

**** Change in appetite and sleep and etc.

11. Musical therapy

Musical therapy focus in using music through singing, movement and musical instruments to assist learning of language, communication and social skills.

12. Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy is a type of program, helping to compromise physically, intellectually or emotionally to integrate coping skills into their lives in order to perform necessary tasks. but for children with autism, the main goal of occupational therapy is to integrate sensory perception through recognition and interpretation of sensory stimuli based chiefly on memory, therefore it helps the child to gain a more peaceful frame of mind and concentrate on certain tasks.

13. Play therapy

Play therapy is focus in using plays to improve the language, speech, communication, emotional and social skills.

14. Physical therapy

Physical therapy is also known as physiotherapy. The main goal of this program is to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability for the children with autism, such as walking, jumping, running, etc. so that the children can increase their physical strength, balance and motility as well as better sensory integration.

15. Rapid-prompting method

Soma Mukhopadhyay is the founder of rapid-prompting method. The method involves constant, fast-paced questioning and combined with the use of a low-tech alphabet board for spelled communication to keep the students attention and prompt rapid response from the students.

16. Recreational therapy

Encouraging the child to participate in some types of sport such as swimming, gymnastic, dance etc., thereby increasing the child awareness of social interaction.

17. Relationship development intervention

Relationship development intervention believes autism children can adapt to authentic emotional relationships with others and different environments if they are given opportunity to learn them in a gradual, systematic way by using highly structured games, exercises, back and forth focused communication, share experience and plays with others of that help to build up the experience of interacting in social relationships.

18. Social skill group

Children plays together under supervision of parents and specialist such as psychologist, this helps to improve the social interaction and social skills, thereby increasing the child awareness of inappropriate behaviours and interest in playing with other children.

19. Social story

By telling simple story with lots of pictures and sometimes words, the program improves the autistic children self help and social skills and prepare the child for the change of routine and in new environment.

20. Son-rise

Son-rise is one of the method has been taught to parent with autistic children in the 70s, unfortunately there are no published independent study has tested the efficacy of the program. The program believes by accepting autistic children as they are, with no prejudgement and interacting with them with positive, enthusiastic way as well as encouraging the children in more meaningful communication of that can help the children overcome verbal and social interactive deficit.

21. Speech and language therapy

It is a program designed to improve the autistic children ability in speech production, vocal production, swallowing difficulties and language needs and the use of language. The program can be run through different contexts including schools, hospitals, and private clinic or therapist's office.

22. Treatment and education of autism and related communication-handicap

It is a class program with the aim to teach autistic children independent work, life by communication and social skills by focusing in repetitive routines, picture schedules and structural settings.

23. Verbal behaviour

It is first discovered by Skinner, a psychologist. It helps the children to language and speech by breaking off the sentence into small part and taught in systematic way by assessing the minute details of initial and progress communication skills through gaps filling. Parent are requested to response and reward their child as well. As the communicative skills progress, the children are taught to make request, ask question and engage in more complex conversation. The program is only a theory with little experimental research until recently.

24. Vision therapy

Vision therapy may be necessary, if the child is suspected to have problem of seeing or understanding and learning for what he or she see.

25. Vitamins and supplements

Since children with autism is lack of vitamin B6, vitamin E and other trace minerals, it is no harm if they are taken in small dose. If you want to use them or high doses, please consult with your child's doctor before applying.

In fact, there are no single type of treatment which is likely to be effective for all children and all families. Instead, intervention will need to be adapted to individual needs and the value of approaches.




To read more of he above subject, please visit http://autism-homepage.blogspot.com/

For other children health articles, visit http://childernhealth-braindevelopmentd.blogspot.com/

All articles By Kyle J. Norton Are For Information and Education Only, Please Consult With Your Doctor or Related Field Specialist Before Applying.

All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have the author name and all the links intact.
"Let You Be With Your Health, Let Your Health Be With You" Kyle J. Norton
I have been studying natural remedies for disease prevention for over 20 years and working as a financial consultant since 1990. Master degree in Mathematics, teaching and tutoring math at colleges and universities before joining insurance industries. Part time Health, Insurance and Entertainment Article Writer.





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