顯示具有 Development 標籤的文章。 顯示所有文章
顯示具有 Development 標籤的文章。 顯示所有文章

2012年9月14日 星期五

Asperger's Syndrome - Defining Asperger's Syndrome Versus Autism and Pervasive Development Disorders


Your child may have just been diagnosed or he is showing symptoms of an autism spectrum disorders and you now wonder, What is Asperger's Syndrome? With a recent - or anticipated - diagnosis you are wondering where to turn. Perhaps you are trying to figure out what this will mean for your child and your family's future. Here you can find an overview on what Asperger's Syndrome is and what to expect in the future.

First of all, Asperger's is an autism spectrum disorder. Autism is a developmental disorder than affects the way a child...or adult...interacts with, perceives and interprets the world. A spectrum means that there are many different forms of autism, ranging from very severe to very mild. Those on the more high functioning side usually get a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.

Many children as well as adults may be misdiagnosed...this is unfortunately all too common. Many are initially diagnosed with ADHD or OCD or some other condition before a proper diagnosis is reached. This is unfortunate because it delays the start of effective training and treatments that can help someone with Asperger's syndrome.

So what does this mean?

Social Aspects of Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome is primarily a syndrome that has to do with deficits in social functioning. Someone with Asperger's will have often have trouble both understanding language and using language in a proper way. They often have a pedantic style of talking, and are often referred to as "walking dictionaries." People with Asperger's are often very smart, and can talk about facts very easily, but have a lot of trouble with small talk or really any social connections at all, at least when they're younger.

People with Asperger's syndrome don't tend to understand sarcasm or jokes, and take everything you say very literally...even when they are adults. They have very concrete thinking, and are very rule oriented. Those with Asperger's often depend on routines to get through the day, and can be very upset if their routines are interrupted; children may have meltdowns while adults may get angry or autocratic. They are prone to emotional upset if something does not go right.

Due to their deficits in social skills, children and adults with Asperger's syndrome often have trouble making friends. When they are kids, they will not understand the concept of playing with others. They will often do something called "parallel play" where they might play next to, but not with, another kid. They have to be taught to share toys and be flexible enough to play with another child. Adults can become very isolated after years of not being able to establish long-lasting friendships.

Obsessive Interests

The interests of children and adults often deviate from their peers, especially when they are older. Those with Asperger's are often obsessive about specific subjects, such as geology, a particular sports team, or trains, and their peers find this uninteresting. This constant focus on one topic and lack of interest in topics that others bring up tends to isolate them further.

Obsessive interests are a main fabric of the cloth of Aspergers syndrome. Most kids with Asperger's have something that they are very interested in and talk about it endlessly. One child might be obsessive about cars. Another "Thomas the Train". A third with volcanoes. And so forth.

Because they are unable to truly show interest in a wide range of subjects that are of interest to their peers, they become social outcasts. This all contributes to the social isolation that is so common in kids with Asperger's especially when kids start school. While their friends are talking about baseball or video games, the Aspergers child may exclusively talk about volcanoes. It doesn't take long before his or her peers in school loose interest in both the subject of volcanoes AND in the child.

In an adult, the inability to show interests in general office politics or to chit-chat about sports or the latest TV shows can isolate a person from his or her colleagues. This lack of social integration may make the person with Asperger's seem like an "odd duck" or just "not fitting in" which can lead to lay offs and lack of promotions.

Sensory Issues Are A Common Symptom Of Asperger's Syndrome

People with Asperger's syndrome often have a lot of difficulty with sensory processing. The typical person can usually tune out extraneous noise, smells and visual stimuli, among others. They do it without even thinking about it, because that's the way their brain is set up.

People with Asperger's syndrome, however, lack a "barrier" between their brain and the sensory onslaught of the world. They are far, far more sensitive to loud noises - or even soft ones no one else notices; to smells of all kinds...from what comes from your kitchen to the perfume of a passerby on the sidewalk. They often have trouble with the feeling and texture of clothing; with how tight or loose it is, and with the tags on the back. Visual stimuli can also be quite distracting. These sensory concerns need to be minimized for a child with Asperger's to function in his or her environment, and their concerns need to be taken seriously. Many adults have difficulty holding a job because of the noise, distractions and overall sensory overload of a "cubicle farm" in which they must work. A co-worker tapping a pencil or bright fluorescent lights can overwhelm an adult with Asperger's.

Fixation On Routine Is A Common Symptom Of Asperger's Syndrome

Aspies (as those with Asperger's syndrome are affectionately called) often fixated on a routine. Following a set routine is extremely common. And any change in routine may cause a meltdown. Yet stubbornly sticking to routine helps those with Asperger's feel safe and grounded. Yet family, friends, and co-workers can feel that this fixation with routine is extreme. With kids, even small change in routine, like sitting in a different chair around the dinner table, can cause a meltdown.

A lot of children with Aspergers need to know exactly what will happen in order not to feel completely overwhelmed. A good tip is to ensure that you tell your child, in advance, if there will be any change in his or her routine (such as an upcoming vacation). A good strategy is to write down what you will do, where you will go, who will be there etc. Paint a picture in your loved one's mind so that he or she can turn the future vacation into a routine before it occurs. The more your child understand what will happen and when, the more accepting he will be of the changes and the easier he will be able to handle the new experience.

Most adults learn to handle changes in routine...if for no other reason than the world around them is never predictable and they must learn in order to survive. Nevertheless, most adults with Asperger's still feel much more comfortable following a routine. This lack of spontaneity can cause challenges in relationships...how many girlfriends want their boyfriend to always take them to the same restaurant? And once there to order the same diner time after time.

Good Things About Asperger's Syndrome

While not a comprehensive list, these are the main and most common features of Asperger's syndrome. Not to fear, though, not everything about having Asperger's is negative. People with Asperger's are often more likely to be unfailingly honest, loyal, and hard working. They are often very intelligent and can make great contributions...especially in fields that they are passionate about...when they are older. They have a unique way of looking at the world that can benefit all those around them.

Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, and some of the great thinkers of the world are suspected to have or have had Asperger's. While many aspects of Asperger's Syndrome will always remain a challenge, and while there is no question your child will have a more difficult path through the world than many others, always remember there is often benefit to thinking a little bit differently. When you think about a diagnosis of Asperger's and its associated symptoms and wonder "What is Asperger's" remember you have a choice about the way you look at it.




Once we understand how a child or adult with Asperger's thinks, and understand that sensory issues as well as the need for routine motivate their actions, we can devise treatments and training to help them cope with an ever-changing world. Many treatments allow those with Asperger's to succeed and thrive. Hopefully treatments can make life a little easier especially for those with Asperger's and the people who love them. There are many other tips and suggestions that can help your loved one live a fulfilling and happy life. A great site to find information to help both children and adults with Asperger's syndrome is the web site www.AspergersSociety.org. There you will be able to sign up for the FREE Asperger's Syndrome Newsletter as well as get additional information to help your loved one be happy and succeed in life.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 清晨7:12 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , , ,

2012年9月10日 星期一

Confused About Early Childhood Development Milestones?


Early childhood development is the foundation to everyone's life. Nevertheless, each child has their own personalities and ways about them as well as similarities such as meeting developmental milestones in a relatively similar time in their lives from talking to walking.

Doctors tell parents not to compare their child with other children according to their early childhood development. One child might start walking at nine months and one might be 14 months. Both could be healthy yet have their own time schedule. Often children are around a year old when they are walking or at least starting to walk.

Taking notice of early childhood development is important though. If a child continues to miss milestones and aren't meeting early childhood development there could be a problem. This is why doctors are parents observe these things. Talking, crawling and other important elements are important parts of development. Doctors will monitor a child. It could be the child is not sitting up on schedule, but they are doing other things related to gross motor skills, such as crawling and rolling over. It could be a sign of something or it could be the child is just skipping that part of development then it will come in eventually. Otherwise a child continues to be monitored and eventually tested to ensure they don't have a disorder or condition that needs treatment.

Another part of early childhood development is fine motor skills. This includes the movements of their fingers, toes, lips, tongue and hands as well as their feet. Sometimes it might be something small that a parent doesn't even notice could mean anything. An example is walking on their tiptoes. Doing this a little is normal, but constant tiptoe walking could indicate an issue. Giving complete answers to every question presented by the doctor and the nurse will help determine if there are any early childhood development disorders that need immediate attention.

Any child with a neurological disorder or sensory integration dysfunction can hear properly but process the information differently leading to confusion. Such children are hypersensitive or insensitive to any of the five senses or with all of the senses. Most of the early childhood development disorders are diagnosed by an occupational therapist, especially sensory processing disorder.

Speech skills and articulation are also parts of early childhood development. Your baby won't be able to answer questions with words as they are still learning about speech. Parents are suggested to talk to their baby. They will learn to answer you even if it is only in babbles now then it will continue to actually words when getting older. A baby can articulate, even if they are not making words they are starting to make clear sounds, which leads to speech. Once they understand the proper sounds by listening they will be learning the correct pronunciation of every word. However, each child is different and may reach the required milestones within a flexible range of 3-4 months and sometimes that is what makes the diagnosis about late development so difficult.




For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com .





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午3:27 0 意見
標籤： , , , , ,

2012年8月22日 星期三

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.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 上午9:13 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , ,

2012年8月6日 星期一

Asperger's Syndrome - Defining Asperger's Syndrome Versus Autism and Pervasive Development Disorders


Your child may have just been diagnosed or he is showing symptoms of an autism spectrum disorders and you now wonder, What is Asperger's Syndrome? With a recent - or anticipated - diagnosis you are wondering where to turn. Perhaps you are trying to figure out what this will mean for your child and your family's future. Here you can find an overview on what Asperger's Syndrome is and what to expect in the future.

First of all, Asperger's is an autism spectrum disorder. Autism is a developmental disorder than affects the way a child...or adult...interacts with, perceives and interprets the world. A spectrum means that there are many different forms of autism, ranging from very severe to very mild. Those on the more high functioning side usually get a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome.

Many children as well as adults may be misdiagnosed...this is unfortunately all too common. Many are initially diagnosed with ADHD or OCD or some other condition before a proper diagnosis is reached. This is unfortunate because it delays the start of effective training and treatments that can help someone with Asperger's syndrome.

So what does this mean?

Social Aspects of Asperger's Syndrome

Asperger's Syndrome is primarily a syndrome that has to do with deficits in social functioning. Someone with Asperger's will have often have trouble both understanding language and using language in a proper way. They often have a pedantic style of talking, and are often referred to as "walking dictionaries." People with Asperger's are often very smart, and can talk about facts very easily, but have a lot of trouble with small talk or really any social connections at all, at least when they're younger.

People with Asperger's syndrome don't tend to understand sarcasm or jokes, and take everything you say very literally...even when they are adults. They have very concrete thinking, and are very rule oriented. Those with Asperger's often depend on routines to get through the day, and can be very upset if their routines are interrupted; children may have meltdowns while adults may get angry or autocratic. They are prone to emotional upset if something does not go right.

Due to their deficits in social skills, children and adults with Asperger's syndrome often have trouble making friends. When they are kids, they will not understand the concept of playing with others. They will often do something called "parallel play" where they might play next to, but not with, another kid. They have to be taught to share toys and be flexible enough to play with another child. Adults can become very isolated after years of not being able to establish long-lasting friendships.

Obsessive Interests

The interests of children and adults often deviate from their peers, especially when they are older. Those with Asperger's are often obsessive about specific subjects, such as geology, a particular sports team, or trains, and their peers find this uninteresting. This constant focus on one topic and lack of interest in topics that others bring up tends to isolate them further.

Obsessive interests are a main fabric of the cloth of Aspergers syndrome. Most kids with Asperger's have something that they are very interested in and talk about it endlessly. One child might be obsessive about cars. Another "Thomas the Train". A third with volcanoes. And so forth.

Because they are unable to truly show interest in a wide range of subjects that are of interest to their peers, they become social outcasts. This all contributes to the social isolation that is so common in kids with Asperger's especially when kids start school. While their friends are talking about baseball or video games, the Aspergers child may exclusively talk about volcanoes. It doesn't take long before his or her peers in school loose interest in both the subject of volcanoes AND in the child.

In an adult, the inability to show interests in general office politics or to chit-chat about sports or the latest TV shows can isolate a person from his or her colleagues. This lack of social integration may make the person with Asperger's seem like an "odd duck" or just "not fitting in" which can lead to lay offs and lack of promotions.

Sensory Issues Are A Common Symptom Of Asperger's Syndrome

People with Asperger's syndrome often have a lot of difficulty with sensory processing. The typical person can usually tune out extraneous noise, smells and visual stimuli, among others. They do it without even thinking about it, because that's the way their brain is set up.

People with Asperger's syndrome, however, lack a "barrier" between their brain and the sensory onslaught of the world. They are far, far more sensitive to loud noises - or even soft ones no one else notices; to smells of all kinds...from what comes from your kitchen to the perfume of a passerby on the sidewalk. They often have trouble with the feeling and texture of clothing; with how tight or loose it is, and with the tags on the back. Visual stimuli can also be quite distracting. These sensory concerns need to be minimized for a child with Asperger's to function in his or her environment, and their concerns need to be taken seriously. Many adults have difficulty holding a job because of the noise, distractions and overall sensory overload of a "cubicle farm" in which they must work. A co-worker tapping a pencil or bright fluorescent lights can overwhelm an adult with Asperger's.

Fixation On Routine Is A Common Symptom Of Asperger's Syndrome

Aspies (as those with Asperger's syndrome are affectionately called) often fixated on a routine. Following a set routine is extremely common. And any change in routine may cause a meltdown. Yet stubbornly sticking to routine helps those with Asperger's feel safe and grounded. Yet family, friends, and co-workers can feel that this fixation with routine is extreme. With kids, even small change in routine, like sitting in a different chair around the dinner table, can cause a meltdown.

A lot of children with Aspergers need to know exactly what will happen in order not to feel completely overwhelmed. A good tip is to ensure that you tell your child, in advance, if there will be any change in his or her routine (such as an upcoming vacation). A good strategy is to write down what you will do, where you will go, who will be there etc. Paint a picture in your loved one's mind so that he or she can turn the future vacation into a routine before it occurs. The more your child understand what will happen and when, the more accepting he will be of the changes and the easier he will be able to handle the new experience.

Most adults learn to handle changes in routine...if for no other reason than the world around them is never predictable and they must learn in order to survive. Nevertheless, most adults with Asperger's still feel much more comfortable following a routine. This lack of spontaneity can cause challenges in relationships...how many girlfriends want their boyfriend to always take them to the same restaurant? And once there to order the same diner time after time.

Good Things About Asperger's Syndrome

While not a comprehensive list, these are the main and most common features of Asperger's syndrome. Not to fear, though, not everything about having Asperger's is negative. People with Asperger's are often more likely to be unfailingly honest, loyal, and hard working. They are often very intelligent and can make great contributions...especially in fields that they are passionate about...when they are older. They have a unique way of looking at the world that can benefit all those around them.

Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, and some of the great thinkers of the world are suspected to have or have had Asperger's. While many aspects of Asperger's Syndrome will always remain a challenge, and while there is no question your child will have a more difficult path through the world than many others, always remember there is often benefit to thinking a little bit differently. When you think about a diagnosis of Asperger's and its associated symptoms and wonder "What is Asperger's" remember you have a choice about the way you look at it.




Once we understand how a child or adult with Asperger's thinks, and understand that sensory issues as well as the need for routine motivate their actions, we can devise treatments and training to help them cope with an ever-changing world. Many treatments allow those with Asperger's to succeed and thrive. Hopefully treatments can make life a little easier especially for those with Asperger's and the people who love them. There are many other tips and suggestions that can help your loved one live a fulfilling and happy life. A great site to find information to help both children and adults with Asperger's syndrome is the web site www.AspergersSociety.org. There you will be able to sign up for the FREE Asperger's Syndrome Newsletter as well as get additional information to help your loved one be happy and succeed in life.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 晚上7:50 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , , ,

2012年7月21日 星期六

Confused About Early Childhood Development Milestones?


Early childhood development is the foundation to everyone's life. Nevertheless, each child has their own personalities and ways about them as well as similarities such as meeting developmental milestones in a relatively similar time in their lives from talking to walking.

Doctors tell parents not to compare their child with other children according to their early childhood development. One child might start walking at nine months and one might be 14 months. Both could be healthy yet have their own time schedule. Often children are around a year old when they are walking or at least starting to walk.

Taking notice of early childhood development is important though. If a child continues to miss milestones and aren't meeting early childhood development there could be a problem. This is why doctors are parents observe these things. Talking, crawling and other important elements are important parts of development. Doctors will monitor a child. It could be the child is not sitting up on schedule, but they are doing other things related to gross motor skills, such as crawling and rolling over. It could be a sign of something or it could be the child is just skipping that part of development then it will come in eventually. Otherwise a child continues to be monitored and eventually tested to ensure they don't have a disorder or condition that needs treatment.

Another part of early childhood development is fine motor skills. This includes the movements of their fingers, toes, lips, tongue and hands as well as their feet. Sometimes it might be something small that a parent doesn't even notice could mean anything. An example is walking on their tiptoes. Doing this a little is normal, but constant tiptoe walking could indicate an issue. Giving complete answers to every question presented by the doctor and the nurse will help determine if there are any early childhood development disorders that need immediate attention.

Any child with a neurological disorder or sensory integration dysfunction can hear properly but process the information differently leading to confusion. Such children are hypersensitive or insensitive to any of the five senses or with all of the senses. Most of the early childhood development disorders are diagnosed by an occupational therapist, especially sensory processing disorder.

Speech skills and articulation are also parts of early childhood development. Your baby won't be able to answer questions with words as they are still learning about speech. Parents are suggested to talk to their baby. They will learn to answer you even if it is only in babbles now then it will continue to actually words when getting older. A baby can articulate, even if they are not making words they are starting to make clear sounds, which leads to speech. Once they understand the proper sounds by listening they will be learning the correct pronunciation of every word. However, each child is different and may reach the required milestones within a flexible range of 3-4 months and sometimes that is what makes the diagnosis about late development so difficult.




For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula please visit www.childdevelopmentmedia.com .





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午5:21 0 意見
標籤： , , , , ,

2012年6月16日 星期六

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.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 清晨6:59 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , ,

2012年6月4日 星期一

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.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 清晨6:31 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , ,

2012年5月13日 星期日

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.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 晚上8:13 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , ,

2012年4月20日 星期五

The Importance of Good Visual Development For Educational Success


"It takes my son a long time to get dressed on his own. He gets very frustrated if he has to button his shirt or zip his jeans."

"Our son did not creep on his hands and knees, but pulled himself across the floor by his arms."

At first glance these descriptions may not seem so out of the ordinary but these statements and those that follow in this article paint a picture of what a preschool aged child with poor development of functional vision may look like and the difficulties they may face.

Let's take a deeper look at the development of vision. As you read this article you'll begin to understand that how we move, how we think, and how we develop is important for later learning skills.

When vision develops and matures as it should, both simple and more complex life skills become automatic. Eye movement control is necessary to develop good visual perceptual abilities. When balance and motor coordination are guided by vision we are better able to integrate what we are seeing with what our body is doing. When our eyes, body and mind work together our quality of life increases. The preschool years are the best time to guide and help your child with perceptual skills that will help them during their school years.

"My child is very clumsy, always tripping over her own two feet and running into corners. She falls down a lot and has many cuts and bruises."

What is Involved in the Development of Vision and Why is it Important?

The visual system begins to develop in the womb and continues to mature throughout infancy and into early childhood. There are many important things for your child to learn in the years between birth and entering school. A child learns more and at a faster rate during these years than at any other comparable period in their life.

This is a time for developing the basic skills of walking, talking, and learning how to learn. It is a time when your child is developing control of their body, their feelings, thoughts, and actions. We develop in a sequential, yet integrated way, using other sensory inputs as part of visual processing. You may hear the phrase "vision is movement", meaning movement guides our visual process and our visual process directs our movements.

Research tells us that the development of gross motor skills (skills that involve the large muscles of the body which help with functions such as crawling, sitting upright, walking, jumping, kicking, throwing, etc.) are extremely important to the development of visual perceptual skills (a set of skills we use to gather visual information from the world around us and integrate them with our other senses; they enable us to make sense out of what is seen). Therefore, the motor system is critical in the learning process.

"Ball games are the least favorite activity of my child. He avoids games that involve catching or throwing a ball."

What Causes Delays in Visual Development?

Vision is learned through a developmental sequence of movement and processing skills which starts in the womb. Many different factors can interfere with the development of the visual system. Complications during pregnancy or with the birthing process, childhood illnesses, head trauma or injury, inherited traits and environmental factors are all examples of factors that can contribute to visual-related learning problems in the future.

"When I ask my daughter to do a few things in a specific order, she can't seem to remember more than one or two and then asks, "What was I supposed to do next?"

Why Is Our Visual System Important for Learning?

What do we mean by "visual system"? Many think that how clearly we see an object is the answer; however visual acuity, or 20/20 eyesight, is only one part of our visual system. Vision involves much more than the sharpness of an image. We need many visual abilities in order to succeed in school and life in general. These include:

- the ability to change focus when shifting attention from near to far (as in copying from the board at school)

- the ability to keep things clear at various distances, to track or move our eyes as we follow a moving target or read across the printed page

- teaming, or using both eyes together (binocularity)

- the ability to judge depth

- visual-motor integration (the ability to guide our pencil or catch a ball)

- good visual-spatial skills (coordination, laterality and directionality, crossing the mid-line)

- perceptual skills, which are the brain's interpretation of the images taken in by our eyes, such as figure ground, visual closure and form constancy

- the ability to remember what we see (visual memory)

- the ability to create mental images--learning how to "see" visual concepts--(visualize) from the words we read or hear

All of these skills are learned and are necessary for reading and learning.

"My child doesn't make eye contact. I am constantly saying, "Please look at me when I talk to you!"

How Do I Know If My Child Needs Guidance in These Areas?

By the age of three (approximately) a child should have coordinated movements, begin to alternate feet when walking down steps, hold eye contact at near and by age four, from several feet away. They should be visually interested in simple pictures, hold a crayon and draw or color, follow a moving target with just their eyes without whole head movements.

If there is a lack of coordination and balance (clumsy), if the child does not cross the midline of their body (switches objects from hand to hand) when performing tasks, or if they have trouble learning the alphabet, these can all be symptoms of difficulty in the area of visual gross motor skills.

"My child has a hard time with body coordination. Activities like riding a bike, hopping, skipping, and even running are a challenge."

How Can I Help My Child's Functional Vision Develop Correctly?

There are many things that parents and caretakers can do during this time of early development to enhance and improve how the visual system functions. When there is a delay in one area of development, there is often a delay in other areas as well. School-aged children with visual disorders often face a lifetime of learning difficulties and frustration in the classroom and in everyday life.

We know that play affects visual development and visual development affects play; motor skills and perception are interdependent. Delays in gross motor skills skew our perception which reduces our ability to explore and learn from the environment. This will eventually affect other visual abilities.

Play helps children learn about their environment. While a child plays, he is strengthening not only his muscles, but also strengthening his perceptions, he is learning new skills, letting off excess energy, trying out different solutions to problems, and learning how to interact with others.

Therefore, it is important that your child spends at least one hour per day in play that involves visually-guided movements such as ball games and other eye-hand activities. Playing games that involve movement and imagination are very important, especially now that more children are sedentary while playing video games or working on a computer.




Dr. Lori Mowbray is the director of the Minnesota Vision Therapy Center ( http://www.minnesotavisiontherapy.com ), one of the most successful vision therapy centers operating today. To learn about her new home programs Primitive Reflex Training, Visual Development, and Vision Therapy at Home, go to. http://homevisiontherapyprogram.com.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 下午3:50 0 意見
標籤： , , , ,

2012年3月9日 星期五

The Development of Old Age and Related Issues


In traditional Chinese and other Asian cultures the aged were highly respected and cared for. The Igabo tribesmen of Eastern Nigeria value dependency in their aged and involve them in care of children and the administration of tribal affairs (Shelton, A. in Kalish R. Uni Michigan 1969).

In Eskimo culture the grandmother was pushed out into the ice-flow to die as soon as she became useless.

Western societies today usually resemble to some degree the Eskimo culture, only the "ice-flows" have names such a "Sunset Vista" and the like. Younger generations no longer assign status to the aged and their abandonment

is always in danger of becoming the social norm.

There has been a tendency to remove the aged from their homes and put them  in custodial care. To some degree the government provides domiciliary care services to prevent or delay this, but the motivation probably has more

to do with expense than humanity.

In Canada and some parts of the USA old people are being utilised as foster-grandparents in child care agencies.

SOME BASIC DEFINITIONS

What is Aging?

Aging: Aging is a natural phenomenon that refers to changes occurring throughout the life span and result in differences in structure and function between the youthful and elder generation.

Gerontology: Gerontology is the study of aging and includes science, psychology and sociology.

Geriatrics: A relatively new field of medicine specialising in the health problems of advanced age.

Social aging: Refers to the social habits and roles of individuals with respect to their culture and society. As social aging increases individual usually experience a decrease in meaningful social interactions.

Biological aging: Refers to the physical changes in the body systems during the later decades of life. It may begin long before the individual  reaches chronological age 65.

Cognitive aging: Refers to decreasing ability to assimilate new information and learn new behaviours and skills.

GENERAL PROBLEMS OF AGING

Eric Erikson (Youth and the life cycle. Children. 7:43-49 Mch/April 1960) developed an "ages and stages" theory of human

development that involved 8 stages after birth each of which involved a basic dichotomy representing best case and worst case outcomes. Below are the dichotomies and their developmental relevance:

Prenatal stage - conception to birth.

1. Infancy. Birth to 2 years - basic trust vs. basic distrust. Hope.

2. Early childhood, 3 to 4 years - autonomy vs. self doubt/shame. Will.

3. Play age, 5 to 8 years - initiative vs. guilt. Purpose.

4. School age, 9to 12 - industry vs. inferiority. Competence.

5. Adolescence, 13 to 19 - identity vs. identity confusion. Fidelity.

6. Young adulthood - intimacy vs. isolation. Love.

7. Adulthood, generativity vs. self absorption. Care.

8. Mature age- Ego Integrity vs. Despair. Wisdom.

This stage of older adulthood, i.e. stage 8, begins about the time of retirement and continues throughout one's life. Achieving ego integrity  is a sign of maturity while failing to reach this stage is an indication of poor development in prior stages through the life course.

Ego integrity: This means coming to accept one's whole life and reflecting on it in a positive manner. According to Erikson, achieving

integrity means fully accepting one' self and coming to terms with death. Accepting responsibility for one's life and being able to review

the past with satisfaction is essential. The inability to do this leads to despair and the individual will begin to fear death. If a favourable balance is achieved during this stage, then wisdom is developed.

Psychological and personality aspects:

Aging has psychological implications. Next to dying our recognition that we are aging may be one of the most profound shocks we ever receive. Once we pass the invisible line of 65 our years are bench marked for the remainder of the game of life. We are no longer "mature age" we are instead classified as "old", or "senior citizens". How we cope with the changes we face and stresses of altered status depends on our basic personality. Here are 3 basic personality types that have been identified. It may be a oversimplification but it makes the point about personality effectively:

a. The autonomous - people who seem to have the resources for self-renewal. They may be dedicated to a goal or idea and committed to continuing productivity. This appears to protect them somewhat even against physiological aging.

b.The adjusted - people who are rigid and lacking in adaptability but are supported by their power, prestige or well structured routine. But if their situation changes drastically they become psychiatric casualties.

c.The anomic. These are people who do not have clear inner values or a protective life vision. Such people have been described as prematurely resigned and they may deteriorate rapidly.

Summary of stresses of old age.

a. Retirement and reduced income. Most people rely on work for self worth, identity and social interaction. Forced retirement can be demoralising.

b. Fear of invalidism and death. The increased probability of falling prey to illness from which there is no recovery is a continual

source of anxiety. When one has a heart attack or stroke the stress becomes much worse.

Some persons face death with equanimity, often psychologically supported by a religion or philosophy. Others may welcome death as an end to suffering or insoluble problems and with little concern for life or human existence. Still others face impending death with suffering of great stress against which they have no ego defenses.

c. Isolation and loneliness. Older people face inevitable loss of loved ones, friends and contemporaries. The loss of a spouse whom one has depended on for companionship and moral support is particularly distressing. Children grow up, marry and become preoccupied or move away. Failing memory, visual and aural impairment may all work to make social interaction difficult. And if this

then leads to a souring of outlook and rigidity of attitude then social interaction becomes further lessened and the individual may not even utilise the avenues for social activity that are still available.

d. Reduction in sexual function and physical attractiveness. Kinsey et al, in their Sexual behaviour in the human male,

(Phil., Saunders, 1948) found that there is a gradual decrease in sexual activity with advancing age and that reasonably gratifying patterns of sexual activity can continue into extreme old age. The aging person also has to adapt to loss of sexual attractiveness in a society which puts extreme emphasis on sexual attractiveness. The adjustment in self image and self concept that are required can be very hard to make.

e. Forces tending to self devaluation. Often the experience of the older generation has little perceived relevance to the problems of the young and the older person becomes deprived of participation in decision making both in occupational and family settings. Many parents are seen as unwanted burdens and their children may secretly wish they would die so they can be free of the burden and experience some financial relief or benefit. Senior citizens may be pushed into the role of being an old person with all this implies in terms of self devaluation.

4 Major Categories of Problems or Needs:

Health.

Housing.

Income maintenance.

Interpersonal relations.

BIOLOGICAL CHANGES

Physiological Changes: Catabolism (the breakdown of protoplasm) overtakes anabolism (the build-up of protoplasm). All body systems are affected and repair systems become slowed. The aging process occurs at different rates in different individuals.

Physical appearance and other changes:

Loss of subcutaneous fat and less elastic skin gives rise to wrinkled appearance, sagging and loss of smoothness of body contours. Joints stiffen and become painful and range of joint movement becomes restricted, general

mobility lessened.

Respiratory changes:

Increase of fibrous tissue in chest walls and lungs leads restricts respiratory movement and less oxygen is consumed. Older people more likelyto have lower respiratory infections whereas young people have upper respiratory infections.

Nutritive changes:

Tooth decay and loss of teeth can detract from ease and enjoyment in eating. Atrophy of the taste buds means food is inclined to be tasteless and this should be taken into account by carers. Digestive changes occur from lack of exercise (stimulating intestines) and decrease in digestive juice production. Constipation and indigestion are likely to follow as a result. Financial problems can lead to the elderly eating an excess of cheap carbohydrates rather than the more expensive protein and vegetable foods and this exacerbates the problem, leading to reduced vitamin intake and such problems as anemia and increased susceptibility to infection.

Adaptation to stress:

All of us face stress at all ages. Adaptation to stress requires the consumption of energy. The 3 main phases of stress are:

1. Initial alarm reaction. 2. Resistance. 3. Exhaustion

and if stress continues tissue damage or aging occurs. Older persons have had a lifetime of dealing with stresses. Energy reserves are depleted and the older person succumbs to stress earlier than the younger person. Stress is cumulative over a lifetime. Research results, including experiments with animals suggests that each stress leaves us more vulnerable to the next and that although we might think we've "bounced back" 100% in fact each stress leaves it scar. Further, stress is psycho-biological meaning

the kind of stress is irrelevant. A physical stress may leave one more vulnerable to psychological stress and vice versa. Rest does not completely restore one after a stressor. Care workers need to be mindful of this and cognizant of the kinds of things that can produce stress for aged persons.

COGNITIVE CHANGE Habitual Behaviour:

Sigmund Freud noted that after the age of 50, treatment of neuroses via psychoanalysis was difficult because the opinions and reactions of older people were relatively fixed and hard to shift.

Over-learned behaviour: This is behaviour that has been learned so well and repeated so often that it has become automatic, like for example typing or running down stairs. Over-learned behaviour is hard to change. If one has lived a long time one is likely to have fixed opinions and ritualised behaviour patterns or habits.

Compulsive behaviour: Habits and attitudes that have been learned in the course of finding ways to overcome frustration and difficulty are very hard to break. Tension reducing habits such as nail biting, incessant humming, smoking or drinking alcohol are especially hard to change at any age and particularly hard for persons who have been practising them over a life time.

The psychology of over-learned and compulsive behaviours has severe implications for older persons who find they have to live in what for them is a new and alien environment with new rules and power relations.

Information acquisition:

Older people have a continual background of neural noise making it more difficult for them to sort out and interpret complex sensory

input. In talking to an older person one should turn off the TV, eliminate as many noises and distractions as possible, talk slowly

and relate to one message or idea at a time.

Memories from the distant past are stronger than more recent memories. New memories are the first to fade and last to return.

Time patterns also can get mixed - old and new may get mixed.

Intelligence.

Intelligence reaches a peak and can stay high with little deterioration if there is no neurological damage. People who have unusually high intelligence to begin with seem to suffer the least decline. Education and stimulation also seem to play a role in maintaining intelligence.

Intellectual impairment. Two diseases of old age causing cognitive decline are Alzheimer's syndrome and Pick's syndrome. In Pick's syndrome there is inability to concentrate and learn and also affective responses are impaired.

Degenerative Diseases: Slow progressive physical degeneration of cells in the nervous system. Genetics appear to be an important factor. Usually start after age 40 (but can occur as early as 20s).

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE Degeneration of all areas of cortex but particularly frontal and temporal lobes. The affected cells actually die. Early symptoms resemble neurotic disorders: Anxiety, depression, restlessness sleep difficulties.

Progressive deterioration of all intellectual faculties (memory deficiency being the most well known and obvious). Total mass of the brain decreases, ventricles become larger. No established treatment.

PICK'S DISEASE Rare degenerative disease. Similar to Alzheimer's in terms of onset, symptomatology and possible genetic

aetiology. However it affects circumscribed areas of the brain, particularly the frontal areas which leads to a loss of normal affect.

PARKINSON'S DISEASE Neuropathology: Loss of neurons in the basal ganglia.

Symptoms: Movement abnormalities: rhythmical alternating tremor of extremities, eyelids and tongue along with rigidity of the muscles and slowness of movement (akinesia).

It was once thought that Parkinson's disease was not associated with intellectual deterioration, but it is now known that there is an association between global intellectual impairment and Parkinson's where it occurs late in life.

The cells lost in Parkinson's are associated with the neuro-chemical Dopamine and the motor symptoms of Parkinson's are associated the dopamine deficiency. Treatment involves administration of dopamine precursor L-dopa which can alleviate symptoms including intellectual impairment. Research suggests it may possibly bring to the fore emotional effects in patients who have had

psychiatric illness at some prior stage in their lives.

AFFECTIVE DOMAIN In old age our self concept gets its final revision. We make a final assessment of the value of our lives and our balance of success and failures.

How well a person adapts to old age may be predicated by how well the person adapted to earlier significant changes. If the person suffered an emotional crisis each time a significant change was needed then adaptation to the exigencies of old age may also be difficult. Factors such as economic security, geographic location and physical health are important to the adaptive process.

Need Fulfilment: For all of us, according to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory, we are not free to pursue the higher needs of self actualisation unless the basic needs are secured. When one considers that many, perhaps most, old people are living in poverty and continually concerned with basic survival needs, they are not likely to be happily satisfying needs related to prestige, achievement and beauty.

Maslow's Hierarchy

Physiological

Safety

Belonging, love, identification

Esteem: Achievement, prestige, success, self respect

Self actualisation: Expressing one's interests and talents to the full.

Note: Old people who have secured their basic needs may be motivated to work on tasks of the highest levels in the hierarchy - activities concerned with aesthetics, creativity and altruistic matters, as compensation for loss of sexual attractiveness and athleticism. Aged care workers fixated on getting old people to focus on social activities may only succeed in frustrating and irritating them if their basic survival concerns are not secured to their satisfaction.

DISENGAGEMENT

Social aging according to Cumming, E. and Henry, W. (Growing old: the aging process of disengagement, NY, Basic 1961) follows a well defined pattern:

1. Change in role. Change in occupation and productivity. Possibly change

in attitude to work.

2. Loss of role, e.g. retirement or death of a husband.

3. Reduced social interaction. With loss of role social interactions are

diminished, eccentric adjustment can further reduce social interaction, damage

to self concept, depression.

4. Awareness of scarcity of remaining time. This produces further curtailment of

activity in interest of saving time.

Havighurst, R. et al (in B. Neugarten (ed.) Middle age and aging, U. of Chicago, 1968) and others have suggested that disengagement is not an inevitable process. They believe the needs of the old are essentially the same as in middle age and the activities of middle age should be extended as long as possible. Havighurst points out the decrease in social interaction of the aged is often largely the

result of society withdrawing from the individual as much as the reverse. To combat this he believes the individual must vigorously resist the limitations of his social world.

DEATH The fear of the dead amongst tribal societies is well established. Persons who had ministered to the dead were taboo and required observe various rituals including seclusion for varying periods of time. In some societies from South America to Australia it is taboo for certain persons to utter the name of the dead. Widows and widowers are expected to observe rituals in respect for the dead.

Widows in the Highlands of New Guinea around Goroka chop of one of their own fingers. The dead continue their existence as spirits and upsetting them can bring dire consequences.

Wahl, C in "The fear of death", 1959 noted that the fear of death occurs as early as the 3rd year of life. When a child loses a pet or grandparent fears reside in the unspoken questions: Did I cause it? Will happen to you (parent) soon? Will this happen to me? The child in such situations needs to re-assure that the departure is not a censure, and that the parent is not likely to depart soon. Love, grief, guilt, anger are a mix of conflicting emotions that are experienced.

CONTEMPORARY ATTITUDES TO DEATH

Our culture places high value on youth, beauty, high status occupations, social class and anticipated future activities and achievement. Aging and dying are denied and avoided in this system. The death of each person reminds us of our own mortality.

The death of the elderly is less disturbing to members of Western society because the aged are not especially valued. Surveys have established that nurses for example attach more importance to saving a young life than an old life. In Western society there is a pattern of avoiding dealing with the aged and dying aged patient.

Stages of dying. Elisabeth Kubler Ross has specialised in working with dying patients and in her "On death and dying", NY, Macmillan, 1969, summarised 5 stages in dying.

1. Denial and isolation. "No, not me".

2. Anger. "I've lived a good life so why me?"

3. Bargaining. Secret deals are struck with God. "If I can live until...I promise to..."

4. Depression. (In general the greatest psychological problem of the aged is depression). Depression results from real and threatened loss.

5. Acceptance of the inevitable.

Kubler Ross's typology as set out above should, I believe be taken with a grain of salt and not slavishly accepted. Celebrated US Journalist David Rieff who was in June '08 a guest of the Sydney writer's festival in relation to his book, "Swimming in a sea of death: a son's memoir" (Melbourne University Press) expressly denied the validity of the Kubler Ross typology in his Late Night Live interview (Australian ABC radio) with Philip Adams June 9th '08. He said something to the effect that his mother had regarded her impending death as murder. My own experience with dying persons suggests that the human ego is extraordinarily resilient. I recall visiting a dying colleague in hospital just days before his death. He said, "I'm dying, I don't like it but there's nothing I can do about it", and then went on to chortle about how senior academics at an Adelaide university had told him they were submitting his name for a the Order of Australia (the new "Knighthood" replacement in Australia). Falling in and out of lucid thought with an oxygen tube in his nostrils he was nevertheless still highly interested in the "vain glories of the world". This observation to me seemed consistent with Rieff's negative assessment of Kubler Ross's theories.

THE AGED IN RELATION TO YOUNGER PEOPLE

The aged share with the young the same needs: However, the aged often have fewer or weaker resources to meet those needs. Their need for social interaction may be ignored by family and care workers.

Family should make time to visit their aged members and invite them to their homes. The aged like to visit children and relate to them through games and stories.

Meaningful relationships can be developed via foster-grandparent programs. Some aged are not aware of their income and health entitlements. Family and friends should take the time to explain these. Some aged are too proud to access their entitlements and this problem should be addressed in a kindly way where it occurs.

It is best that the aged be allowed as much choice as possible in matters related to living arrangements, social life and lifestyle.

Communities serving the aged need to provide for the aged via such things as lower curbing, and ramps.

Carers need to examine their own attitude to aging and dying. Denial in the carer is detected by the aged person and it can inhibit the aged person from expressing negative feelings - fear, anger. If the person can express these feelings to someone then that person is less likely to die with a sense of isolation and bitterness.

A METAPHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE

The following notes are my interpretation of a Dr. Depak Chopra lecture entitled, "The New Physics of Healing" which he presented to the 13th Scientific Conference of the American Holistic Medical Association. Dr. Depak Chopra is an endocrinologist and a former Chief of Staff of New England Hospital, Massachusetts. I am deliberately omitting the detail of his explanations of the more abstract, ephemeral and controversial ideas.

Original material from 735 Walnut Street, Boulder, Colorado 83002,

Phone. +303 449 6229.

In the lecture Dr. Chopra presents a model of the universe and of all organisms as structures of interacting centres of electromagnetic energy linked to each other in such a way that anything affecting one part of a system or structure has ramifications throughout the entire structure. This model becomes an analogue not only for what happens within the structure or organism itself, but between the organism and both its physical and social environments. In other words there is a correlation between psychological

conditions, health and the aging process. Dr. Chopra in his lecture reconciles ancient Vedic (Hindu) philosophy with modern psychology and quantum physics.

Premature Precognitive Commitment: Dr. Chopra invokes experiments that have shown that flies kept for a long time in a jar do not quickly leave the jar when the top is taken off. Instead they accept the jar as the limit of their universe. He also points out that in India baby elephants are often kept tethered to a small twig or sapling. In adulthood when the elephant is capable of pulling over a medium sized tree it can still be successfully tethered to a twig! As another example he points to experiments in which fish are bred on

2 sides of a fish tank containing a divider between the 2 sides. When the divider is removed the fish are slow to learn that they can now swim throughout the whole tank but rather stay in the section that they accept as their universe. Other experiments have demonstrated that kittens brought up in an environment of vertical stripes and structures, when released in adulthood keep bumping into anything aligned horizontally as if they were unable to see anything that is horizontal. Conversely kittens brought up in an environment of horizontal stripes when released bump into vertical structures, apparently unable to see them.

The whole point of the above experiments is that they demonstrate Premature Precognitive Commitment. The lesson to be learned is that our sensory apparatus develops as a result of initial experience and how we've been taught to interpret it.

What is the real look of the world? It doesn't exist. The way the world looks to us is determined by the sensory receptors we have and our interpretation of that look is determined by our premature precognitive commitments. Dr Chopra makes the point that less than a billionth of the available stimuli make it into our nervous systems. Most of it is screened, and what gets through to us is whatever we are

expecting to find on the basis of our precognitive commitments.

Dr. Chopra also discusses the diseases that are actually caused by mainstream medical interventions, but this material gets too far away from my central intention. Dr. Chopra discusses in lay terms the physics of matter, energy and time by way of establishing the wider context of our existence. He makes the point that our bodies including the bodies of plants are mirrors of cosmic rhythms and exhibit changes correlating even with the tides.

Dr. Chopra cites the experiments of Dr. Herbert Spencer of the US National Institute of Health. He injected mice with Poly-IC, an immuno-stimulant while making the mice repeatedly smell camphor. After the effect of the Poly-IC had worn off he again exposed the mice to the camphor smell. The smell of camphor had the effect of causing the mice's immune system to automatically strengthen

as if they had been injected with the stimulant. He then took another batch of mice and injected them with cyclophosphamide which tends to destroy the immune system while exposing them to the smell of camphor. Later after being returned to normal just the smell of camphor was enough to cause destruction of their immune system. Dr. Chopra points out that whether or not camphor enhanced or

destroyed the mice's immune system was entirely determined by an interpretation of the meaning of the smell of camphor. The interpretation is not just in the brain but in each cell of the organism. We are bound to our imagination and our

early experiences.

Chopra cites a study by the Massachusetts Dept of Health Education and Welfare into risk factors for heart disease - family history, cholesterol etc. The 2 most important risk factors were found to be psychological measures - Self  Happiness Rating and Job Satisfaction. They found most people died of heart disease on a Monday!

Chopra says that for every feeling there is a molecule. If you are experiencing tranquillity your body will be producing natural valium. Chemical changes in the brain are reflected by changes in other cells including blood cells. The brain produces neuropeptides and brain structures are chemically tuned to these neuropeptide receptors. Neuropeptides (neurotransmitters) are the chemical concommitants of thought. Chopra points out the white blood cells (a part of the immune system) have neuropeptide receptors and are "eavesdropping" on our thinking. Conversely the immune system produces its own neuropeptides which can influence the nervous system. He goes on to say that cells in all parts of the body including heart and kidneys for example also produce neuropeptides and

neuropeptide sensitivity. Chopra assures us that most neurologists would agree that the nervous system and the immune system are parallel systems.

Other studies in physiology: The blood interlukin-2 levels of medical students decreased as exam time neared and their interlukin receptor capacities also lowered. Chopra says if we are having fun to the point of exhilaration our natural interlukin-2 levels become higher. Interlukin-2 is a powerful and very expensive anti-cancer drug. The body is a printout of consciousness. If we could change the way we look at our bodies at a genuine, profound level then our bodies would actually change.

On the subject of "time" Chopra cites Sir Thomas Gall and Steven Hawkins, stating that our description of the universe as having a past, present, and future are constructed entirely out of our interpretation of change. But in

reality linear time doesn't exist.

Chopra explains the work of Alexander Leaf a former Harvard Professor of Preventative Medicine who toured the world investigating societies where people  lived beyond 100 years (these included parts of Afghanistan, Soviet Georgia, Southern Andes). He looked at possible factors including climate, genetics, and diet. Leaf concluded the most important factor was the collective perception of aging in these societies.

Amongst the Tama Humara of the Southern Andes there was a collective belief that the older you got the more physically able you got. They had a tradition of running and the older one became then generally the better at running one got. The best runner was aged 60. Lung capacity and other measures actually improved with age. People were healthy until well into their 100s and died in their sleep. Chopra remarks that things have changed since the introduction of Budweiser (beer) and TV.

[DISCUSSION: How might TV be a factor in changing the former ideal state of things?]

Chopra refers to Dr. Ellen Langor a former Harvard Psychology professor's work. Langor advertised for 100 volunteers aged over 70 years. She took them to a Monastery outside Boston to play "Let's Pretend". They were divided into 2 groups each of which resided in a different part of the building. One group, the control group spent several days talking about the 1950s. The other group, the experimental group had to live as if in the year 1959 and talk about it in the present tense. What appeared on their TV screens were the old newscasts and movies. They read old newspapers and magazines of the period. After 3 days everyone was photographed and the photographs judged by independent judges who knew nothing of the nature of the experiment. The experimental group seemed to

have gotten younger in appearance. Langor then arranged for them to be tested for 100 physiological parameters of aging which included of course blood pressure, near point vision and DHEA levels. After 10 days of living as if in 1959 all parameters had reversed by the equivalent of at least 20 years.

Chopra concludes from Langor's experiment: "We are the metabolic end product of our sensory experiences. How we interpret them depends on the collective mindset which influences individual biological entropy and aging."

Can one escape the current collective mindset and reap the benefits in longevity and health? Langor says, society won't let you escape. There are too many reminders of how most people think linear time is and how it expresses itself in entropy and aging - men are naughty at 40 and on social welfare at 55, women reach menopause at 40 etc. We get to see so many other people aging and dying that it sets the pattern that we follow.

Chopra concludes we are the metabolic product of our sensory experience and our interpretation gets structured in our biology itself. Real change comes from change in the collective consciousness - otherwise it cannot occur within the individual.

Readings

Chopra, D. The New Physics of Healing. 735 Walnut Street, Boulder, Colorado 83002,

Phone. +303 449 6229.

Coleman, J. C. Abnormal psychology and modern life. Scott Foresman & Co.

Lugo, J. and Hershey, L. Human development a multidisciplinary approach to the psychology of individual growth, NY, Macmillan.

Dennis. Psychology of human behaviour for nurses. Lond. W. B.Saunders.




http://www.psychologynatural.com/DepressionBroch.html

Dr. Victor Barnes is an Adelaide psychologist and hypnotherapist. He has also had three decades of experience in adult education including serving as Dean of a Sri Lankan college (ICBT) teaching several Australian degrees. His overseas experience includes studies and consulting experience in USA, PNG, Poland and Sri Lanka.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 上午11:56 0 意見
標籤： , ,
訂閱： 文章 (Atom)