Best Buddies Month - and Developmental Disabilities Awareness

March is National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Best Buddies is a program that matches people with intellectual disabilities with volunteers for one-on-one friendships and employment integration. Best Buddies is a non-profit international organization, organized in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver. Through the organization, 350,000 disabled individuals are matched with buddies from Middle School, High School, colleges, International - in 34 countries, Citizens from the corporate and civic communities, and e-Buddies.

Any condition that impairs development of the brain before birth or during childhood can result in an intellectual disability. Three of the most common ones are fetal alcohol syndrome, Down syndrome and Fragile X syndrome.

If you would like to volunteer to be a Best Buddie, or start a program in your school, community or company, call 1.800.89. BUDDY. Be someone's buddy today & make the world a brighter place!

Thank you katiew for use of photo Dad's Birthday Dinner.

Labels: intellectual disabilities, volunteer

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Thank You Jeffrey Loew for Grand Rounds 4.27

Australian medical student Jeffrey Loew hosted Grand Rounds this week and included my post Racial Disparities in US Healthcare. Check out his compilation of fascinating reading & enter a diabetes contest (I did).

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Thank You Monash Medical Student!

Many thanks to Monash Medical Student for hosting Grand Rounds this week. Here is a blogger who doesn't just have something to say but also has a heart for the less fortunate and a mission to fulfill helping them out. Check out this week's submissions here.

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National Youth Violence Prevention Week

The National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) is a founding partner of National Youth Violence Prevention Week. The good news is that homicides and suicides in youth are going down. The bad news is that violence remains the greatest threat to the lives of our youth, especially to racial and ethnic minorities.

• The homicide rate for black male teens (55 per 100,000) is 16 x higher than that of white male teens (3.3 per 100,00)
  
• For Latino male teens: 24 per 100,000, 15 per 100,000 for Native Americans, 7 per 100,000 for Asian male teens
• The homicide rate for black teen girls is 8 per 100, 000, 5 per 100, 000 for Native Americans, 3 per 100, 000 for Latina teen girls, 2 per 100,000 for white female teens, 1 per 100, 000 for Asian teen girls.

Firearms were the cause of death in the majority of the homicides of our youth. Philadelphia has responded to this crisis with an aggressive program, the Youth Violence Reduction Program (YVRP), funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The core of the program is identifying at-risk youth - a group of chronic violent offenders - and monitor them in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. It is expensive to implement and run, but it has saved lives. It is a multi-agency task force whose goal is simple - that each child identified as high risk will reach his or her 25th birthday. Life expectancy in the US is 78 years. Children and teens should be afforded the protections to live a full life and die a natural death. As a society, we must go the extra mile to protect our youth from violence.

Thank you carf for use of photo Urban Art.

Labels: homicide, suicide, youth violence

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Coming up: World Autism Day 2 April 2008

The first ever international event for autism and Asperger's Syndrome will be observed with World Autism Day 2 April, 2008. 60 million people around the world are now diagnosed with autism and many in Africa and Asia have lack access to public services. People continue to confuse autism with mental illness and mental retardation. Children are kept at home without schooling due to lack of understanding about the autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

HBO is doing a lot to bring both hope and awareness to the problem with the airing of the documentary film Autism: The Musical. The film tells the story of some innovative therapy techniques initiated by the creative mother of an autistic boy. It premieres on HBO at 8 PM 25 March, 2008.

Measuring a child's growth is more than height and weight increases. At each step along the way, we must check our children to make sure they are developing in areas of play, communication and interaction. At 3 months, a baby should be watching faces intently. At 7 months a baby should respond to its own name. Not responding to one's own name is a serious communication problem. Talk to your health care provider about your concerns - early intervention is crucial to improved outcomes for autistic children. A 1 year old enjoys imitating others during play. A 2 year old enjoys pretend play. If you know a child who is not meeting these milestones, urge a referral.

Thank you cindy 47452 for use of photo My Lonely Boy.

Labels: autism asperger syndrome, developmental milestones

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National Hemophilia Month: Project Red Flag

Project Red Flag is the National Hemophilia Foundation's (NHF) campaign to raise awareness about women's bleeding disorders. 2.5 million women in the US have bleeding disorders, most commonly von Willebrand disease (VMD). VMD is the most common of hemophilias (inherited blood diseases). Symptoms of VMD are:

• easy bruising
• heavy menstrual periods
• nosebleeds
• prolonged bleeding after dental work or surgery

Most women with VMD don't know they have it. Heavy menstrual bleeding is the number one Red Flag symptom of the disease in women. 30,000 women per year have a hysterectomy for heavy or prolonged periods. Some of these surgeries may be unnecessary in women with undiagnosed VMD - even dangerous for those who are undiagnosed due to excessive post-operative bleeding. Some patients are misdiagnosed with dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) without being screened for VMD (there are several blood tests that can be done). The CDC reported that it takes as long as 16 years from age of onset to diagnosis of the disease! Hemophilia and inherited blood disorders primarily strike men, but women are vulnerable too. If you have heavy periods, or other signs of VMD, discuss screening options with your doctor today. While there is no cure, just knowing the diagnosis will help protect against unnecessary complications.

Labels: bleeding disorders, hemophilia, VMD

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March is National Colorectal Awareness Month

The Prevent Cancer Foundation reminds everyone over age 50 to get screened for colorectal cancer this month. People who are obese, sedentary, over age 50 with a history of inflammatory bowel disease are at greatest risk. Use of tobacco also raises your risk of colorectal cancer.

Recommended tests:

• Fecal occult blood test (FCBT) annually
• Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) annually
• Stool DNA test (sDNA): as recommended by your provider
• Double contrast barium enema: every 5 years
• Virtual colonoscopy: every 5 years
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy: every 5 years
• Colonoscopy: every 10 years

Symptoms of colorectal cancer are:

• blood in the stool
• rectal bleeding
• change in bowel habits
• narrow stools
• stomach discomfort
• gas pains
• bloating
• abdominal distention
• vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation
• unexplained weight loss

You can prevent colorectal cancer by:

• exercising
• eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains
• get the recommended screening evaluations
• maintain a healthy weight
• avoid use of tobacco
• avoid excess use of alcohol
  

Thank you Emily for use of photo My first endoscopy.

Labels: cancer prevention, cancer symptoms, colorectal cancerr screening

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National Problem Gambling Awareness Week: March 10-16

The National Council on Problem Gambling wants to raise awareness about gambling behavior that disrupts lives and destroys families. What are the criteria for problem gambling?

• Gambling until your last dollar is gone
• Using your income and savings to gamble while letting bills go unpaid
• Losing sleep over gambling
• Being unable to stop gambling
• Feeling remorseful about gambling
• Gambling to meet your financial obligations
• Borrowing money to gamble
• Feeling depressed or suicidal about gambling or gambling debts
• Breaking the law or thinking about breaking the law to finance gambling

If you or someone you know fits any one of these criteria, call the national confidential hotline:

1-800-522-4700

Or take our Gambling Addiction Quiz here.

Thank you ldanderson for use of photo.

Labels: gambling addiction

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March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asks us to observe Brain Injury Awareness Month by protecting senior citizens from brain injuries. Millions of Americans are caregivers for parents, grandparents or other elders, but did you know that falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI). People aged 75 and over have the greatest rate of hospitalization and death due to TBI.

Here are some tips for preventing TBI due to falls in the elderly:

1. Make the environment safe:remove small throw rugs and other obstacles. Install grab bars and railings. Improve lighting and make sure the person has stable shoes.
2. Encourage exercise: strength and flexibility throughout life will help prevent injuries.
3. Have a vision check: new glasses may be needed or eye diseases may be discovered.
4. Review all medications (prescription, supplements and over-the-counter) with a doctor or pharmacist to identify any thing that might lead to dizziness and falls.
   

There are almost 6 million people in the US living with long term disabilities due to TBI. The costs to the nation are over $48 billion annually.

Thank you bookish in north park for use of photo of Elderly Man.

Labels: elderly, falls, prevention, TBI

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Are You Getting Enough Sleep? March 3-9 is National Sleep Awareness Month

The National Sleep Foundation would like us to take 7 days to get educated about something we never seem to get enough of - sleep! Sleep loss may be costing our economy billions of dollars in lost productivity, and 1500 people die annually due to sleep deprivation related crashes on our roads. So wake up America, to your need for sleep! Make your bedroom a sanctuary. It should be a calm, dark, quiet place to relax, heal and unwind.

See a doctor if you have any of these problems which disrupt your sleep:

• nightmares or anxiety
• loud snoring
• falling asleep while working or driving
• sleepwalking, talking in your sleep or restlessness
• difficulty sleeping three or more nights out of one week

Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bed time. Exercise during the day, but rest for the three hours before going to bed.

Thank you Max for use of pix Sleeping with Mom.

Labels: sleep

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