Autism

Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood — usually before age 3. Though symptoms and severity vary, all autism disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others.

It's estimated that three to six out of every 1,000 children in the United States have autism — and the number of diagnosed cases is rising. It's not clear whether this is due to better detection and reporting of autism, a real increase in the number of cases, or both.

What is clear is that though there is no cure for autism, intensive, early treatment can make an enormous difference in the lives of many children with the disorder.

Symptoms

Children with autism generally have problems in three crucial areas of development — social interaction, language and behavior. But because the symptoms of autism vary greatly, two children with the same diagnosis may act quite differently and have strikingly different skills. In most cases, though, the most severe autism is marked by a complete inability to communicate or interact with other people.

Many children show signs of autism in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life but then suddenly become withdrawn, aggressive or lose language skills they've already acquired. Though each child with autism is likely to have a unique pattern of behavior, these characteristics are common signs of the disorder:

Social skills

* Fails to respond to his or her name
* Has poor eye contact
* Appears not to hear you at times
* Resists cuddling and holding
* Appears unaware of others' feelings
* Seems to prefer playing alone — retreats into his or her "own world"

Language

* Starts talking later than other children
* Loses previously acquired ability to say words or sentences
* Does not make eye contact when making requests
* Speaks with an abnormal tone or rhythm — may use a singsong voice or robot-like speech
* Can't start a conversation or keep one going
* May repeat words or phrases verbatim, but doesn't understand how to use them

Behavior

* Performs repetitive movements, such as rocking, spinning or hand-flapping
* Develops specific routines or rituals
* Becomes disturbed at the slightest change in routines or rituals
* Moves constantly
* May be fascinated by parts of an object, such as the spinning wheels of a toy car
* May be unusually sensitive to light, sound and touch and yet oblivious to pain

Young children with autism also have a hard time sharing experiences with others. When read to, for example, they're unlikely to point at pictures in the book. This early-developing social skill is crucial to later language and social development.

As they mature, some children with autism become more engaged with others and show less marked disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead normal or near-normal lives. Others, however, continue to have great difficulty with language or social skills, and the adolescent years can mean a worsening of behavior problems.

The majority of children with autism are slow to acquire new knowledge or skills and some have signs of lower than normal intelligence. Other children with autism have normal to high intelligence. These children learn quickly yet have trouble communicating, applying what they know in everyday life and adjusting in social situations. An extremely small number of children with autism are "autistic savants" and have exceptional skills in a specific area, such as art, math or music.
Causes

Autism has no single, known cause. Given the complexity of the disease, the range of autistic disorders and the fact that no two children with autism are alike, it's probable that there are many causes. These may include:

* Genetic errors. Researchers have discovered a number of genes that appear to be involved in autism. Some may make a child more susceptible to the disorder; others affect brain development or the way brain cells communicate. Still others may determine the severity of symptoms. Each genetic error may account for a small number of cases, but taken together, the influence of genes may be substantial. Some genetic errors seem to be inherited, whereas others occur spontaneously.
* Environmental factors. Many health problems are due to both genetic and environmental factors, and this is likely the case with autism as well. Researchers are currently exploring whether viral infections and air pollutants, for instance, play a role in triggering autism.
* Other causes. Other factors under investigation include problems during labor and delivery and the role of the immune system in autism. Some researchers believe that damage to the amygdala — a portion of the brain that serves as a danger detector — may play a role in autism.

One of the greatest controversies in autism centers on whether a link exists between autism and certain childhood vaccines, particularly the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and vaccines with thimerosal, a preservative that contains a small amount of mercury. Though most children's vaccines have been free of thimerosal since 2001, the controversy continues. To date, extensive studies have found no link between autism and vaccines.

Risk factors

Autism affects children of all races and nationalities, but certain factors are known to increase a child's risk. They include:

* Your child's sex. Studies show that boys are three to four times more likely to develop autism than girls are.
* Family history. Families who have one child with autism have an increased risk of having another child with the disorder. It's also not uncommon for the parents or relatives of an autistic child to have minor problems with social or communication skills themselves or to engage in certain autistic behaviors.
* Other disorders. Children with certain medical conditions have a higher than normal risk of having autism. These conditions include fragile X syndrome, an inherited disorder that causes intellectual impairment; tuberous sclerosis, a condition in which benign tumors develop in the brain; the neurological disorder Tourette syndrome; and epilepsy, which causes seizures.
* Paternal age. Research increasingly suggests that having an older father may increase a child's risk of autism. One large study showed that children born to men 40 years or older were almost six times more likely to have autism spectrum disorder than were children born to men younger than 30 years. Maternal age, on the other hand, seems to have little effect on autism risk.
Tests and diagnosis

Your child's doctor will look for signs of developmental delays at regular checkups. If your child shows some signs of autism, you may be referred to a specialist in treating children with autism. This specialist, working with a team of professionals, can perform a formal evaluation for the disorder.

Because autism varies widely in severity and manifestations, making a diagnosis may be difficult. There isn't a specific medical test to pinpoint the disorder. Instead, a formal evaluation consists of an expert observing your child and talking to you about how your child's social skills, language skills and behavior have developed and changed over time. To help reach a diagnosis, your child may undergo a number of developmental tests covering speech, language and psychological issues.

Although the signs of autism often appear by 18 months, the diagnosis sometimes isn't made until age 2 or 3, when there may be more obvious delays in language development and social interactions. Early diagnosis is important because early intervention — preferably before age 3 — seems to be associated with the best chance for significant improvement.
Treatments and drugs

No cure exists for autism, and there is no "one-size-fits-all" treatment. In fact, the range of home-based and school-based treatments and interventions for autism can be overwhelming.

Your doctor can help identify resources in your area that may work for your child. Treatment options may include:

* Behavior and communication therapies. Many programs have been developed to address the range of social, language and behavioral difficulties associated with autism. Some programs focus on reducing problem behaviors and teaching new skills. Other programs focus on teaching children how to act in social situations or how to communicate better with other people. Though children don't outgrow autism, they may learn to function well with the disorder.
* Educational therapies. Children with autism often respond well to highly structured education programs. Successful programs often include a team of specialists and a variety of activities to improve social skills, communication and behavior. Preschool children who receive intensive, individualized behavioral interventions show good progress.
* Drug therapies. No medication can improve the core signs of autism, but certain medications can help control symptoms. Antidepressants may be prescribed for anxiety, for example, and antipsychotic drugs are sometimes used to treat severe behavioral problems.

Because autism is a devastating and so far incurable disease, many parents seek out alternative therapies. Though some families have reported good results with special diets and other complementary approaches, studies have not been able to confirm or deny the usefulness of these treatments. Some of the most common alternative therapies include:

* Creative therapies. Some parents choose to supplement educational and medical intervention with art therapy, music therapy or sensory integration, which focuses on reducing a child's sensitivity to touch or sound.
* Special diets. Several diet strategies have been suggested as possible treatments for autism, including restriction of food allergens; probiotics; a yeast-free diet; a gluten-free, casein-free diet; and dietary supplements such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and magnesium, folic acid, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. The diet that has been tried most extensively — and with the greatest anecdotal success — eliminates gluten — a protein found in most grains, including wheat — and casein (a milk protein). To learn more, talk to a registered dietitian with special expertise in autism.
* Chelation therapy. This treatment, which is recommended by some doctors and parents, is said to remove mercury from the body. But no studies have shown a link between mercury and autism, and chelation has not been shown to be a safe or effective treatment.

Read more...

Lou Gehrig's disease

Lou Gehrig's disease is a disorder that's also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (say: ah-my-uh-tro-fik lah-tuh-rul skluh-ro-sis), or ALS. The official name comes from these Greek words:

* "a" for without
* "myo" for muscle
* "trophic" for nourishment
* "lateral" for side (of the spinal cord)
* "sclerosis" for hardening or scarring

So, amyotrophic means that the muscles have lost their nourishment. When this happens, they become smaller and weaker. Lateral means that the disease affects the sides of the spinal cord, where the nerves that nourish the muscles are located; and sclerosis means that the diseased part of the spinal cord develops hardened or scarred tissue in place of healthy nerves.

ALS is often called Lou Gehrig's disease after Lou Gehrig, a hall-of-fame baseball player for the New York Yankees who was diagnosed with ALS in the 1930s. People in England and Australia call ALS Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The French refer to it as Maladie de Charcot, after the French doctor Jean-Martin Charcot, who first wrote about ALS in 1869.
What Is Lou Gehrig's Disease?

Lou Gehrig's disease damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons are nerve cells that control muscle movement. Upper motor neurons send messages from the brain to the spinal cord, and lower motor neurons send messages from the spinal cord to the muscles. Motor neurons are an important part of the body's neuromuscular system. The neuromuscular system enables our bodies to move and is made up of the brain, many nerves, and muscles. Things that we do every day — like breathing, walking, running, lifting stuff, and even reaching for a glass of water — are all controlled by the neuromuscular system.

Here's how the neuromuscular system works: If you want to make a fist, your brain first sends signals through upper motor neurons to the area in your spinal cord that controls your hand muscles. Then lower motor neurons in your spinal cord signal the muscles in your hand to move and make a fist.

Over time, Lou Gehrig's disease causes these motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord to shrink and disappear, so that the muscles no longer receive signals to move. As a result, the muscles become smaller and weaker. Gradually the body becomes paralyzed (say: par-uh-lized), which means that the muscles no longer work. However, someone with ALS, even at an advanced stage, can still see, hear, smell, and feel touch. The nerves that carry feelings of hot, cold, pain, pressure, or even being tickled, are not affected by Lou Gehrig's disease. The parts of the brain that allow us to think, remember, and learn are also not affected by the disease.

Although this disease can strike anyone, it is extremely rare in kids. According to the ALS Association, most people who develop Lou Gehrig's disease are adults between 40 and 70. Only 2 out of every 100,000 people will get the disease each year. Because it is not contagious, you can't catch ALS from someone who has the disease.

Among ALS cases in the United States, 5% to 10% are hereditary, which means the disease runs in certain families. This is called familial (say: fuh-mee-lee-ul) ALS. At least 90% of cases are not inherited; this is called sporadic (say: spuh-rah-dik) ALS.
How Is the Disease Diagnosed?

Lou Gehrig's disease doesn't always begin or become worse in the same way. The disease is different for every person who has it. In general, muscle weakness, especially in the arms and legs, is an early symptom for more than half of people with ALS. Other early signs are tripping or falling a lot, dropping things, having difficulty speaking, and cramping or twitching of the muscles. As the disease gets worse over time, eating, swallowing, and even breathing may become difficult.

It may take several months to know for sure that someone has Lou Gehrig's disease. The illness can cause symptoms similar to other diseases that affect nerves and muscles, including Parkinson's disease and stroke. A doctor will examine the patient and do special tests to see if it might be one of those other disorders. (It's like using the process of elimination to figure out the answer to a multiple-choice question on a test.)

One of the tests, an electromyogram (say: eh-lek-tro-my-uh-gram), or EMG, can show that muscles are not working because of damaged nerves. Other tests include X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a spinal tap, and blood and urine evaluations. Sometimes a muscle or nerve biopsy is needed. A biopsy is when a doctor takes a tiny sample of tissue from the body to study under a microscope. Examining this tissue can help the doctor figure out what's making someone sick.
How Is the Disease Treated?

Currently, there's no way to prevent or cure Lou Gehrig's disease, but a number of treatments are available to people with the disease. Medicines can control symptoms, such as muscle cramping and difficulty swallowing, and other drugs can slow the development of the disease.

Physical therapy can help people with ALS cope with muscle loss and breathing problems. Special equipment is also provided when it becomes necessary. For instance, a power wheelchair can enable a paralyzed person with ALS to get around. A machine called a ventilator (say: ven-til-ay-ter) can help a someone breathe.

In addition, a nurse or other health assistant may come to the person's home to provide care that the family cannot handle alone. It's normal for family members to feel upset, overwhelmed, and sad if a loved one has ALS. Counseling, as well as support from other family members and friends, can make it easier to deal with the challenges they face.
What's Life Like for Someone With Lou Gehrig's Disease?

According to the ALS Association, about half of all people with ALS live at least 3 years after they find out they have the disease, and 20% (or 1 in five) live 5 years or more. As many as 10% will survive more than 10 years.

Stephen Hawking has been living with Lou Gehrig's disease for about 40 years — ever since his diagnosis at age 21. He is the most famous long-term survivor of the disease. Born in England, Hawking is a famous physicist who furthered our understanding of the universe. He has written a lot of books, including the bestseller A Brief History of Time. He has done these things despite being confined to a wheelchair for more than 20 years, being able to move only a few fingers, and needing a voice synthesizer and special computer to speak and write.

Living with Lou Gehrig's disease is physically difficult, but it is reassuring to know that the mind is not affected. People with the disease can think as clearly as ever, are able to maintain relationships with friends and family, and should be treated respectfully and normally. Communication can be difficult because the disease affects the person's breathing and the muscles needed for speech and arm movement. With patience, the families of patients with ALS can learn to communicate effectively with their loved one.

Researchers continue to study ALS as they try to understand why it happens, and how the disease damages the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. As they learn more about the disease, researchers can continue to develop new and better treatments.

Cause:-

In a paper published in the June 1 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, UK molecular and cellular biochemistry assistant professor Haining Zhu reports on how mutations in the gene that makes superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) slows down the intracellular transport of molecules in neurons.

The results of the study by Zhu and his colleagues show that the defective transport of molecules is probably due to the aberrant interaction between the disease-causing SOD1 mutants and a motor complex that is essential to the intracellular transport in neurons. This provides new insight into ways to prevent or slow ALS.

ALS is characterized by the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles, leading to muscle weakness and atrophy. Around 25 percent of the familial forms of the disease have been linked to the mutation in the gene that makes SOD1.

Until now, how the defective variants of the SOD1 protein may interact with other cellular components to cause the disease has remained unclear. Previous studies have shown slowing of transport process in ALS patients and in related animal models. However, it is unknown how the transport process is compromised. The new results from the study by Zhu and his colleagues provide a molecular mechanism for the defective transport in ALS.

Read more...

Causes For Swollen Penis

Allergic reaction - response of body to a foreign substance allergic reaction is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
cramping abdominal pain, hives, itching, vaginal or vulvar itching or irritation

Balanitis - inflammation of glans penis
burning urination in males, discharge from penis, pain in penile foreskin, pain in penis

Insect bites - bites by various insects
a painful swelling in skin, lump or swelling on leg(s), lump(s) in skin, redness in skin

Poison ivy or oak - reaction to poison ivy or oak
blister(s) or bump(s) on skin, hives, itching, rash

Trauma urethra - injury to urethra trauma urethra is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
burning urination in females, difficulty urinating in females, impotence, painful urination in females

Paraphimosis - foreskin trapped behind glans paraphimosis is considered a medical emergency. Urgent care may be required.
difficulty urinating in males, pain in penis, painful urination in males

The penis can be affected by several different disorders ranging in severity from swelling to nerve damage and impotence. Men experiencing these problems should always consult a licensed physician for proper diagnosis and treatment. Below are a few of the best known medical disorders that can affect the male sexual organ.

Penile Oedema

One of the more common disorders of the penis, called Oedema, is characterized by a swelling of the foreskin. Penile Oedema is often caused by excessive sexual activity, including masturbation. This is usually not a severe condition as long as the foreskin remains in it's normal position and blood flow is not obstructed. If swelling persists, however, a doctor should be consulted as this may point to chronic heart disease.

Paraphimosis

Paraphimosis (also called capistration) is a condition in which the prepuce, after having been retracted behind the glans penis, is constricted and does not return to it's forward position. This disorder generally occurs due to fluid trapped in the foreskin and can be the result of intense sexual activity. It is often temporary but if it persists for several hours a physician should be contacted.

Peyronie's Disease

Peyronie's disease is a disorder that is characterized by a curvature of the penis caused by the build up of fibrous scar tissue. While surgery may be necessary to correct this condition, in some cases the use of special traction devices has been shown to be effective in straightening the penis. Read "Peyronie's Disease: Is surgery the only option?" for more information.

Pudendal Nerve Damage

The pudendal nerve, as it relates to the external genital organs, is sometimes subject to damage due to accidents or even from sitting on hard bicycle seats for extended periods of time. It is characterized by pain while sitting and a numbing of the genitals. This condition should not be confused with the loss of sensation caused by permanent nerve damage associated with diabetes or peripheral neuropathy.

Priapism

Priapism is a painful medical condition characterized by a persistent erection of the penis which is not related to sexual arousal. Complications from priapism can include ischaemia, thrombosis and impotence. Although less common, severe cases of this condition can result in gangrene which would make amputation of the penis necessary.

Impotence

Now commonly called "erectile dysfunction", impotence is probably the best known of all penis disorders. Impotence is the inability to reach or maintain an erection and is increasingly common in men over the age of 40. While not a life-threatening condition, impotence does effect sexual performance and can have serious psychological implications.

The penis disorders listed above are just a few of the medical conditions related to the male genitalia. As always, consult your physician if you think you might be experiencing any problem associated with your penis.

Read more...

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine. If your child has scoliosis, the view from behind may reveal one or more abnormal curves.

Scoliosis runs in families, but doctors often don't know the cause. More girls than boys have severe scoliosis. Adult scoliosis may be a worsening of a condition that began in childhood, but wasn't diagnosed or treated. In other cases, scoliosis may result from a degenerative joint condition in the spine.

Fortunately, most cases of scoliosis don't get worse, and periodic checkups may be all your child needs. Children with a more severe curve that continues to increase may require a brace, surgery or both.

What is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a disorder that causes an abnormal curve of the spine, or backbone. The spine has normal curves when looking from the side, but it should appear straight when looking from the front. Kyphosis is a curve seen from the side in which the spine is bent forward. Lordosis is a curve seen from the side in which the spine is bent backward. People with scoliosis develop additional curves to either side, and the bones of the spine twist on each other like a corkscrew.

Scoliosis is about two times more common in girls than boys. It can be seen at any age, but it is most common in those over 10 years old. Scoliosis is hereditary in that people with scoliosis are more likely to have children with scoliosis; however, there is no correlation between the severity of the curve from one generation to the next.

What causes scoliosis?

In most cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown (idiopathic). This type of scoliosis is described based on the age when scoliosis develops. If the person is less than 3 years old, it is called infantile idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis that develops between 3 and 10 years of age is called juvenile idiopathic scoliosis, and people that are over 10 years old have adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

There are three other main types of scoliosis:

Functional: In this type of scoliosis, the spine is normal, but an abnormal curve develops because of a problem somewhere else in the body. This could be caused by one leg being shorter than the other or by muscle spasms in the back.

Neuromuscular: In this type of scoliosis, there is a problem when the bones of the spine are formed. Either the bones of the spine fail to form completely, or they fail to separate from each other. This type of scoliosis develops in people with other disorders including birth defects, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, or Marfan's disease. If the curve is present at birth, it is called congenital. This type of scoliosis is often much more severe and needs more aggressive treatment than other forms of scoliosis.

Degenerative: Unlike the other forms of scoliosis that are found in children and teens, degenerative scoliosis occurs in older adults. It is caused by changes in the spine due to arthritis. Weakening of the normal ligaments and other soft tissues of the spine combined with abnormal bone spurs can lead to an abnormal curvature of the spine.

Others: There are other potential causes of scoliosis, including spine tumors such as osteoid osteoma. This is a benign tumor that can occur in the spine and cause pain. The pain causes people to lean to the opposite side to reduce he amount of pressure applied to the tumor. This can lead to a spinal deformity.

How Is Scoliosis Diagnosed?

Doctors take the following steps to evaluate patients for scoliosis:

* Medical history – The doctor talks to the patient and the patient's parent(s) and reviews the patient's records to look for medical problems that might be causing the spine to curve, for example, birth defects, trauma, or other disorders that can be associated with scoliosis.
* Physical examination – The doctor looks at the patient's back, chest, pelvis, legs, feet, and skin. The doctor checks if the patient's shoulders are level, whether the head is centered, and whether opposite sides of the body look level. The doctor also examines the back muscles while the patient is bending forward to see if one side of the rib cage is higher than the other. If there is a significant asymmetry (difference between opposite sides of the body), the doctor will refer the patient to an orthopaedic spine specialist (a doctor who has experience treating people with scoliosis). Certain changes in the skin, such as so-called café au lait spots (the color of coffee with milk) can suggest that the scoliosis is caused by a birth defect.
* X-ray evaluation – Patients with significant spinal curves, unusual back pain, or signs of involvement of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) such as bowel and bladder control problems need to have an x ray. The x ray should be done with the patient standing with his or her back to the x-ray machine. The view is of the entire spine on one long (36-inch) film. Occasionally, doctors ask for more tests to see if there are other problems.
* Curve measurement – The doctor measures the curve on the x-ray image. He or she finds the vertebrae at the beginning and end of the curve and measures the angle of the curve

Read more...