Fda Approves Botox for Migraine Headache Use | Healthmad

Follow on Buzz

Three Year Old Chinese Boy Astoundingly Weighs 10 Stones | Healthmad

Follow on Buzz

Dying Child Maliciously Taunted by Adult Neighbors | Webupon



Follow on Buzz

Scallops in Creole Vermouth Cream Sauce | Notecook



Follow on Buzz

Crawfish Etouffee | Notecook

Follow on Buzz

Stuffed Shrimp in Hollandaise Sauce | Notecook



Follow on Buzz

Government Expected to Deny C. O. L. a. for Second Year in a Row



Follow on Buzz

Pumpkin Pancakes | Notecook

Follow on Buzz

New Study Shows Promise in Turning Off Food Allergies | Healthmad

Many of us in Marion County have missed the absence of the Marion County Informer since it closed a few months ago. I am happy to announce the arrival of MarionCountyPRESS.net. The online news site will be run by Mr. Dean Wade, owner of Pine Belt PRESS and former WDAM-TV reporter, news anchor, and weather anchor.

Like the MCI, Marion County PRESS will focus exclusively on local news, weather, politics, sports, and community events. Mrs. Chloe Oliver will be a writer and marketer for the Marion County Press. Local entities that wish to advertise their business or service on the site through print and/or video can contact Chloe by email . Mrs. Fran Ginn will continue her "Adventures in Good Eating" community column. I, for one, am excited to once again have a unique and engaging online news portal for Columbia, Mississippi. 

Coconut Bread Pudding with Chocolate Drizzle | Notecook

Follow on Buzz

Study Finds Increasing "Good Salt" Lowers Blood Pressure

Studies Claim That One Million Children Misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | HealthMad

Despite steadily increasing rates of ADHD diagnosis and treatment, many believe that it is still under-diagnosed. On the other hand, the research above is arguing that it is overly and/or misdiagnosed. According to the study by Todd Elder of Michigan State University, there’s almost 1 million U.S. children that are possibly misdiagnosed with ADHD. His research relies heavily on the age and maturity level of each individual child.

I vote idiot. He could have easily killed ground workers by deploying the slide. There are better ways to deal with unruly passengers. Passengers that do not listen to airline attendant instructions can actually be fined $25,000- that would have been more effective than possibly killing and injuring ground workers with a slide.

A bit of history via Lauren Axelrod:

The Chateau Grimaldi, constructed during the 12th century, acted as a fortress and was raised on the foundations of what was once the Greek town of Antipolis. The Chateau Grimaldi later became the residence of the Bishops of Antibes and the studio of famous artist Pablo Picasso.

Around 1383, Luc and Marc Grimaldi from Monaco, crossbowmen in the army of Queen Jeanne of Navarre, were given Chateau Grimaldi, as well as the land surrounding the fortress as a private estate. The Chateau Grimaldi remained a stronghold of the Grimaldi family until 1608. At that time, Henri VI purchased the town, ... From: Musee Picasso's At Chateau Grimaldi Archaeological Site

A list of the top 12 ridiculous, useless, and absurd baby products.

Potty Mitts


Three words- wash those hands. Parents are becoming so lazy. It is easier to mitt a child up to avoid germs, then to actually teach the child hand washing skills. Just wash your kids hands after trips to the bathroom and save some money and time.

The Dangers of Colon Cleansing | HealthMad


In the late 90’s the idea slowly started to resurface. With celebrity usage, colon cleansing has gained popularity once again. However, you should keep in mind that the celebrity endorsements and manufacturer claims do not require FDA verification or supporting evidence.Read the dangers associated with colon cleansing!

Illegal Immigrant Kills Nun After Evading Deportation Multiple Times | Newsflavor

Twenty-three-year-old Carlos Martinelly Montano, a Bolivian native, was arrested at least twice on charges of drunk driving. According to Virginia police, he has also had multiple arrests for other traffic related offenses. Montano had been turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on at least one of the offenses. Virginia authorities expected Montano to be deported. Montano was instead released back into the community, where he killed a nun while driving drunk.

According to Consumer Reports, many fashionable dietary supplements claiming to be natural actually contain ingredients that can cause cancer and heart, liver, and kidney damage. Manufacturers and retailers sell and promote the products without hesitation because Americans are spending billions of dollars yearly on them.  The Nutrition Business Journal claims that the “supplement market” was worth $26.7 billion dollars in 2009.   
There are over 54,000 dietary supplements in the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Yet, only a third have any scientifically supported evidence related to a safety level and effectiveness. Supplements coming from factories in China are not even inspected by the FDA.

Dog Saves His Owner’s Life by Chewing Off His Toe | The Real Owner

New Dental Gel for Cavities Could Retire The Dental Drill and Filling Forever | HealthMad

A gel has been developed that can help a decayed tooth return to it’s original healthy state in as little as four weeks. This could retire the dental drill and dental fillings. It would be of great value to children with handicaps, as they would no longer have to be put under anesthesia to have cavities filled.

Mom Cruelly Murders Her Autistic Children Because They Were Not Normal | Socyberty

Saiqa Akhter is charged with capital murder after strangling to death her two children- Zain, 6-year-old, and Faraal, two- year- old. The 911 tape is nothing short of sickening as Saiqa tell the operator without a shred of emotion how and why she killed her children. Saiqa is Pakistani born and the 911 operator had her repeat much of what she was saying over and over because of her heavy dialect. Listen to the tape and read the story: http://socyberty.com/crime/mom-cruelly-murders-her-autistic-children-because-they-were-not-normal/#ixzz0uQGI5Dr7

Baby Babble Used as Early Detection for Autism | HealthMad

Medical experts all agree that early diagnosis is crucial, if not essential, to maximize therapeutic improvement in children with autism. The theory being that the sooner intensive therapy is started, the more improvement is possible.

So, you can imagine the benefits that being able to distinguish early babble of an autistic child vs. a non-effected child would be. Currently, autism is usually diagnosed after a long subjective observation session by a medical specialist watching for and keeping count of the “characteristics of autism” presented.

Imagine if therapy could begin before the signs and symptoms of autism are even present! That is exactly what a new research study is focusing on. Researchers are studying those nonsense syllables that babies make as they babble in an effort to find an early screening tool. Science has proven that autistic children typically show early problems in speech, but that fact is not reliable because of the variety in how toddlers distort their babbling….in comes a computer program.

The study is being published today in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.” I think that readers should be aware that a couple of the authors were paid consultants for the company that developed the recorder and computer program. However, the researchers disclosed this information, and claim that they stopped taking the fees by the time the research was written.

Read the research here-http://healthmad.com/mental-health/baby-babble-used-as-early-detection-for-autism/

Three Percent Survival Rate for Disease You Get While Swimming | HealthMad

Most deaths associated with swimming are due to drowning. However, there is a hidden danger that few are aware of- Naegleria fowleri

Doctor Plugs Baby's Brain with Glue

It is no doubt that the field of medicine has come a long way. Not long ago things like bioprosthetic valve’s and laser surgery to remove kidney stones would have been a foreign thought for most. Yet, with all the astounding technology we have available, something as simple as glue still has an invaluable place in medicine.

Read about Joely Finkelstein and how Dr. Alejandro Berenstein saved her life with something as simple as medical glue.

I encourage you to watch this YouTube Video about Tourette Syndrome

An interesting Tourette Syndrome study was published in the July issue of the Journal of Development and Behavioral Pediatrics.

Tourette syndrome is an inherited neuropsychiatric disorder that appears in childhood. It is characterized by multiple physical and vocal tics. It is estimated that as many as 10 per 1,000 people have Tourette syndrome. The exact cause of Tourette syndrome is unknown, but genetic and environmental factors are known to have a role. Sadly, there is no universal medication to control the many variations, degrees, and manifestations of the Tourette tics. The medications that are available are used sparingly and in the lowest dose possible, as the medications’ adverse effects are often more disturbing than the Tourette symptoms.

As one can imagine, children with Tourette syndrome are usually socially awkward, teased, and are viewed as bizarre by their peers.  So, the study titled- "Children and Teens With Tourette Syndrome Find Relief With Self-Hypnosis," is welcoming news for those with Tourette Syndrome.

The study was of 33 children and adolescents with Tourette Syndrome. It found supporting evidence that self-hypnosis reduced their symptoms and improved their quality of life.

Each participant watched a video and was given self-hypnosis training in individual sessions. They were then assigned to practice the technique three times a day and answer questions about their tics and how they felt experiencing them.

Seventy-nine percent of the research participants achieved enough tic control improvement to report that they were personally satisfied with the technique. According to one of the authors of the study, Dr. Lazarus, self-hypnosis helped the patients experience a state of mind that combined relaxation with concentration on a desired focus point as other thoughts and feelings fade into the background.

Read the study here.

Nanotechnology Dressing Will Fight Infection Before You Even Know There is an Infection | Scienceray

Scientists at the University of Bath and the burns team at the Southwest UK Pediatric Burns Center in Bristol are working with international teams to create an advanced wound dressing that will detect and treat infections from the moment they arise. The prototype will take around four years, but the wait will be well worth it.

                                                                          source

You might remember the made-for-TV movie, “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,” starring John Travolta. The movie was inspired by real life SCID (also called bubble boy syndrome) sufferers- David Vetter and Ted DeVita. The genetic condition leaves the child unable to fight off germs.

The last study about SCID and gene therapy was seven years ago in Europe. The two trials involved a total of 20 children. It was stopped after  two participants were diagnosed with leukemia. Three others eventually developed leukemia as well. The survivors were cured of SCID-X1, but the European episode prompted the U.S. FDA to put certain gene-therapy studies on hold.

Finally, researchers believe that they have removed the treatment feature thought to have caused the leukemia, and we have a new gene-therapy trial for SCID in the U.S. going forward. Five other international sites will also participate. The new study is  sponsored by investigators at Children's Hospital Boston. Scientists plan to enroll 20 boys with SCID-X1. Scientists will try to correct the defective or non-functioning gene in SCID by delivering a “vector,” a virus genetically altered to contain human DNA. In theory, the normal gene with the vector will begin producing a protein that has been missing or not working. Thus, curing the disease.




Read more about SCID and the new study:

Wall Street Journal- Study Shows Hope For Gene Therapy

Severe Combined Immune Deficiency - Types And Severity Of Immunodeficiency Diseases, Scid, Gene Therapy

Science Daily- Why Gene Therapy Caused Leukemia in Some Boy in the Bubble Syndrome Patients  

Children's Hospital Boston- International Gene Therapy Trial Launched at Children's Hospital Boston for "Bubble Boy" Syndrome

Breakthrough Cord Blood Infusion Reverses Cerebral Palsy in Chloe Levine

Bone marrow stem cells have been being used in medicine for the last forty years with much success. It has been seen in the treatment of blood diseases, cancer, immune disorders, etc. In these disease processes, stem cells serve as a sort of jumper cable for the recipients immune system. However, stem cells taken from children and adults have already been exposed to things like viruses, chemicals, and toxins…which can damage or alter the cell structure and function. In comes umbilical cord blood.

Cord blood cells are taken at birth, before the infant is exposed to any environmental factors. It is also advantageous because the cells are younger and smarter. Once the cord blood is re-infused into the person, the cells migrate to wherever the person is injured and immediately go to work to help repair any damaged cells or tissue.

The umbilical cord blood collection process is simple and painless for the infant. A syringe is placed in the umbilical cord that runs from mother to infant. The blood is then sent to whatever blood bank the parent has opted to use. Sadly, the collection and storage cost is still out of reach for many families.

Chloe Levine, a child with cerebral palsy, was lucky that her parents were able to store her cord blood. See her story: http://telewatcher.com/telewatching/breakthrough-cord-blood-infusion-reverses-cerebral-palsy-in-chloe-levine/#ixzz0t0uOcE1G

B L T Pasta | Notecook

I love B (bacon) L (lettuce) T (tomato) sandwiches, but they are not too easy to transport. So, here is a BLT pasta spin that is perfect for a picnic or bring-to-work lunch.

If your house was on fire would you try to put it out with everything you could…or would you throw your hands up and say fire is part of nature?
I read an article in the Washington Post titled- “Americans are treated, and overtreated, to death,” which I thought would be about the way doctors subject patients to tests, procedures, etc.. that they do not necessarily need in an effort to not be sued. Sadly, the article was about something altogether different.     

The article starts out by describing how Rosaria Vandenberg had endured two surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation for an incurable brain tumor. After months of tubes and machines, Rosaria went home to spend her final moments with her 2-year-old daughter. She died the next day. The family says that those moments with her daughter could have been longer if only they would have known to talk about alternatives to the aggressive treatment Rosaria underwent. Rosaria’s sister-in-law, Alexandra Drane said, “We would have had a very different discussion about that second surgery and chemotherapy. We might have just taken her home and stuck her in a beautiful chair outside under the sun and let her gorgeous little daughter play around her.”

Several alike stories were included by families of those that lost their life to terminal illness. These families are hurting. They have lost a loved one and feel like tubes and machines robbed them of their “goodbye.” However, each person chooses their path; I seriously doubt that any one of these patients were told that they MUST undergo any of the treatments. 

The article goes on to say that 80% of patients say that they want to avoid hospitalization and intensive care when dying. However, that number is not representative of what is actually happening, as the article claims that hospitalizations during the last six months of life has risen from 1,302 per 1,000 Medicare recipients in 1996 to 1,441 in 2005. So, it really does not matter what people say…it matters what they do!

It seemed almost like the writer was putting a price on life after he made several references to things like…the last two years of chronic illness treatment “gobbles up” one-third of all Medicare dollars and people are “racking up bills that have made medical care a leading cause of bankruptcies.”

Dr. Ira Byock, director of palliative care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, backs up the articles theme by claiming patients are actually sicker as they die. He says that families may push for treatment, but "there are worse things than having someone you love die." Humm, I can think of worse things than my computer blowing up in my face, but that does not mean that I am not going to do everything possible to keep it from happening.

Another point the article tried to drive home was blame-  many doctors practice “exhaustive medicine” even when they know that the illness is incurable and many patients don’t want to give up. Dr. Porter Storey, an executive vice president of a hospice group, says that instead of fighting, we should be helping patients and families accept death as an inevitable part of life. Ahhh…yeah death is inevitable, but fighting for life is the root from which current lifesaving medications and procedures were invented. Everything was incurable until a cure was fought for, or at least sought after. For example, before the invention of insulin in the 1920‘s, many diabetics faced a slow and certain death. Imagine if Dr. Frederick Banting had shared the faulty logic that every medical happening is just part of an inevitable path to death and not fought to provide a life extender via insulin!  

Finally, the article pointed out that patients and their families ultimately make their own end of life path. In my opinion, it is it kind of hard to acknowledge that this is a personal decision all while bashing the decision that the majority of terminally ill patients opt for. A person has every right to seek out every option they have when they are faced with a terminal illness, no matter how remote the chance of success might be, no matter how expensive it is, no matter what their family thinks they should do. They also have the right to decline treatment. Whatever they choose to do, we should not judge, but rather support.

The PACER Center is a Minnesota training and information center funded by the U. S. Department of Education Office of Special Education (n.d., http://www.pacer.org/) writes an article for LD online explaining to lay people the evaluation process for special education. The article gives brief descriptions of measurement tools and the function of individual assessments. In addition, questions such as, “What questions should I consider when evaluation or reevaluation is proposed?” and” What if I disagree with the school’s evaluation? (p.5)” are discussed. To illustra... From: Education: What Does It Mean For Your Child

Chris, the author of this article, is a dear friend that has first hand experience in dealing with special needs children in the education system. His articles are always informative, factual, detailed, and easy for the layman to comprehend.

Read the rest of his article, "Education: What Does It Mean For Your Child."

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake | Notecook

Bailey’s Irish Cream plus cheesecake…if your mouth is not watering, then I don’t know if you are of the human gene pool!

I realize that I write a lot about the resources available (or lack there of) for special needs children and their families. However, I have long thought that one of the greatest challenges for the parent(s) of handicapped children is lack of resources, lack of available care and education, and lack of global support. These take a much heavier mental and physical toll on the parent than the child‘s actual disability ever thought of.   

A new study by the Texas A&M University Center on Disability and Development seems to give statistical data to my personal opinion. The study was published in Rehabilitation Psychology.

Seven Texas based focus groups were conducted with 40 parents of children with disabilities. The collected data was coded into themes. The four significant themes that serve as barriers to a positive parent wellbeing were:

1. Access to information and services
2. Financial barriers
3. School and community inclusion
4. Family support

Read more about the details of the study here.

Abortion Fetuses Could be Used for Adult Organ Donation | Socyberty

I read an article on MSNBC about fetuses not being able to feel pain until 24 weeks gestation. The article was scant on evidence to support the new research “finding.” So, I went on a search to find supporting evidence from both sides of the “when do fetuses feel pain” debate. In the process, I came across an article from 2009 that redirected my attention away from fetal pain. But, no fear I landed smack into the exploitation of fetuses.

Oxygen Dependent Woman Dies Because Power Company Terminated Her Electricity

Kay Phaneuf, 53-years-old, died this past Thursday. She wasn’t a newsworthy celebrity, she didn’t die from some rare newsworthy disease, and didn’t die from some newsworthy freak accident. She died because of a failed policy. A failed policy that left her oxygen machine without the electricity it needed to operate.

Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Severe Asthma Attacks | Healthmad

It seems like every week there is some sort of recall on children's products.

Here, we saw the bacteria laced Tylenol brand recall. 

Here, we saw more than 2 million Evenflo, Delta Enterprises Corp., Child Craft, Jardine Enterprises, LaJobi, Million Dollar Baby and Simmons Juvenile Products recalled after concerns that babies could suffocate, become trapped, or fall out of the baby beds.

Now, we can add infant carriers, onesies, rompers, and belts to the list of recently recalled children's products. The CYBEX 2.GO infant carrier has a buckle that can break and pose a risk of falls. The Target belts have lead in them. The onesies and rompers by Holtrop & McIndoo LLC 

If you are the parent of a special needs child and feel completely overwhelmed by the medical and fiscal issues, have no fear…you are not alone. Most parent’s with special needs children are not millionaires. We are low income and middle class folks that don’t really have spare money sitting around for things like a $30,000 muscle biopsy.

My personal situation was comfortable before Kaitlynn was born. I worked as an ADON for a nursing home and my husband was a maintenance supervisor for a prison. We were not rich by any means, but we were comfortable. We saved around $40,000 before getting pregnant, so that I could take a year off with our future baby. After Kaitlynn was born and her medical issues became apparent, I resigned from my job. It only took 6 months for her medical expenses to devour our savings. We not only now faced monthly bills that we obligated ourselves to when we had two incomes,  but a new steady stream of  medical bills and expenses to travel to all these doctors.

It was a humbling and life changing experience to say the least. I learned a frugal nature that I never would’ve thought existed within me; salvage stores, consignment shops, and discount stores became my new best friend. However, frugality was still not enough to stretch pennies into hundred dollar bills.

I swallowed my pride quickly when it came to the wellbeing of my child and getting her whatever she needed. I spent hours researching anyone and anything that would provide help. So, don’t give up on getting your child the help that they need because you hit a financial brick wall. There are many resources that specifically help families with special needs children. Here are six resources to get you started.


      Angel Flight

This private charter plane will transport ONE parent and handicapped or terminally ill child to doctor appointments, surgeries, etc for FREE. The plane is usually small and the trip is donated by the pilot or owner. There is a waiting list. So, if you need this service, it is best to apply as soon as you know the date you need the transportation.
  
      SSI Supplemental Security Income

 If your child has certain disabling conditions you may be eligible for SSI. This is a program through the Social Security office. It generally takes several months for approval, and you may get denied several times, but just keep applying. You may be eligible immediately (while approval is pending) if your child was born with certain diseases.  There is a specific list of these diseases at the SSI web site. Keep in mind that SSI approval is dependent upon income and assets. The specific allowed amounts of assets and income will differ per state. Generally, your vehicle, life insurance, and primary residence is not considered an asset. However, savings accounts, checking accounts, other property, etc are. When the child is approved for SSI, they are also automatically approved for Medicaid.
  
      CHIPS (Children's Health Insurance Program) and Disabled Child Living at Home Medicaid
     
 If you are not approved for SSI and/or Medicaid, then you may still be eligible for the “Disabled Child Living at Home” portion of Medicaid. This is a Medicaid program that DOES NOT consider income. This program only looks at the medical eligibility. The SCHIPS program does consider income as a factor, but the income cap is much higher than with Medicaid. So, both of these are viable options for middle class families stuck between not meeting income requirements for Medicaid, but not being able to afford private insurance.

      Shriners Hospitals For Children

 Shriners  will provide free care for children with certain medical conditions. These hospitals are run by the Shriners organization. You must be recommended or sponsored by a Shriners member. Contact your local chapter for an appointment with a member. It is not a difficult process. There are 22 different hospital locations. The Shriners will provide free transportation to and from medical appointment that are out of state These Hospitals are limited in the care they provide. Mostly, they specialize in orthopedic conditions, burns, cleft palate, & spinal cord injuries.

      Ronald McDonald House

 If you must travel afar to doctor appointments,  then check to see if there is a Ronald McDonald house in the area. You will have a private room here, but the bathrooms and central areas are shared. They have several locations. Again, this is one of those things you want to contact as soon as you know the date of your stay.
  
      First Steps

This is a program for developmentally delayed children. It is provided through the local health dept. The services that they offer depend greatly on the community you live in. Some offer physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and special educational instructors…while others may offer different combinations of the above disciplines. It is a home based service and generally each needed discipline will see your child once a week. You may custom build your services based on what you want and what they have available. This program is for children birth through 3 yrs of age. The therapist will help you identify and find a resource to get any equipment you need for your child. Call your local Health Dept for more information.

Adult and Baby Wet Wipes Can Cause Severe Allergic Reaction | Healthmad

Anyone with a baby can tell you that various brands of baby wipes can be skin irritating and result in rashes for some children. As a nurse, I watched some of my elderly and pediatric patients develop severe genital and anal irritations, that appeared to worsen with each cleaning. Logical deduction told me that the wipes were the likely culprit. Sure enough, 99% of the time the patient would improve when the wet wipe was discontinued and good old soap and water was reintroduced.

Handicapped children and adults are at an even higher risk for developing skin irritations, breakdowns, and sores. The last thing they need is an irritating wipe on top of it.

Up until now, it was unknown exactly what caused wet wipes and baby wipes to be skin irritating. Researchers have finally discovered one of the main culprits. Read about the discovery, patient cases, and what I recommend doing to solve the problem here: http://healthmad.com/healthcare-industry/adult-and-baby-wet-wipes-can-cause-severe-allergic-reaction/#ixzz0rbqGFoRA

BTW: if you want want to use your writing skills, desire to advocate, etc.. to make some money, then check out Triond.

Submit your blog to blogdirectory.me to share your blog with the world! It's easy- just give the url to your blog, label it, describe it, and post a simple code to your blog like this:

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a actually a complex group of genetic conditions that results in very fragile and easy to blister skin. The skin of these patients is so delicate that it is often compared to the fragility of a butterfly wing.


source

The slightest bit of friction, such as a gentle scratch, or injury results in blisters and skin erosions. These blisters are painful and under the constant attack of infection. Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) is one of the major forms of epidermolysis bullosa. DEB is further classified into three major types. The same gene is mutated, but the severity and specific symptoms vary widely from type and from individual to individual.


source 

1. Autosomal recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa or Hallopeau-Siemens type (RDEB-HS)
This is the most severe type.  Infants are typically born with areas of missing skin and widespread blistering just from the trauma of normal birth.  The blistering can affect the entire inner and outer body…from mucous membranes in the mouth and lining of the digestive tract to the toes and ears.
As these blisters heal, they do not heal as you or I would. Instead, the heal with scar tissue.  The scar tissue creates a whole new set of problems. For example, as the scar tissue builds in the esophagus, it can make it very difficult to swallow food. Progressive scarring on the outer body can cause fusion of fingers and toes, creating a web like or nub like appearance; loss of fingernails and toenails; joint contractures, which can restrict movement; etc..  Once the child reaches puberty, there is also a high risk of developing the squamous cell carcinoma, an aggressive and life- threatening type of cancer.


source

2. Non-Hallopeau-Siemens type (non-HS RDEB)

This type is usually less severe than RDEB-HS.  There are more subtypes under Non-Hallopeau-Siemens type (non-HS RDEB), but for a general discussion, mild cases will have blistering  that is limited to hands, feet, knees, and elbows in mild cases. More severe cases can have widespread blistering akin to RDEB-HS. The same malformation of toenails and fingernails is present. Scaring is usually involved. However, the scarring is usually not to the degree as it is in RDEB-HS.


source

3. Autosomal dominant type (DDEB)

This is the milder of the types. Blistering is usually confined to hands, feet, knees, and elbows. There is some scarring as the blisters heal, but it is much less severe than the other types. Most of those affected will also eventually lose malformed fingernails and toenails.

Prevalence

As a whole, there are about 6.5 million newborns in the U.S. with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, with the severe autosomal recessive forms affecting fewer than 1 per million newborns.


Treatment

Dr. Alfred Lane best discusses future treatment here. Currently there is not a cure. 




What Causes DEB?

DEB is caused by mutations in the COL7A1 gene, the gene responsible for providing instructions for making a protein used to assemble type VII collagen. This particular collagen is a major component in the anchoring fibrils that anchor the epidermis (top layer of skin) to the underlying dermis. The dermis and epidermis in a normal body is much like two pieces of Velcro stuck together. As the skin experiences friction, the skin stays anchored together. But, in a person with DEB, the Velcro fibers are absent. So, it has nothing to keep it stuck together. The skin layers slip apart with friction or trauma, causing blisters and wounds to form.

Well Known Cases

Jonny Kennedy, is one of the most well known suffers of DEB. He was the subject of a documentary called, “The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off.” Jonny died from the skin cancer associated with DEB. The documentary captured the final moments of his life. 

I recently watched a National Geographic program about 13-year-old Garrett Spaulding. The story touched me deeply, as many do not realize that EB is not just about the disfiguring aspect, but this disease causes unimaginable pain. I literally cried as I watched Garrett’s mother tackle giving her son a five hour dressing change. His entire body is literally mummified with gauze, antibiotic creams, and net wrapping. See Garretts' story on the National Geographic show, Extraordinary Humans.

15 Natural Treatments for Mosquito Bites

Read the 15 natural treatments for mosquito bites here- http://healthmad.com/health/15-natural-treatments-for-mosquito-bites/#ixzz0rLBxfLpi

Clinical trials are essentially human biomedical or health-related research studies that follow a pre-defined protocol. These trials can be interventional (addresses whether experimental treatments or new ways of using known therapies are safe and effective under controlled environment) and observational studies (address health issues in large groups of people or populations in natural settings.)

By becoming part of a clinical trial, you not only proactively participate in your own health care and gain early access to cutting edge treatment, you also contribute to the treatment and research of the disease you are afflicted with.

I get questions all the time about clinical trials. Many parents of special needs children are overwhelmed when it comes to finding a clinical trial that is disease, age, and location appropriate. I watch the clinical trial scene religiously for an idiopathic/mitochondrial disease clinical trial that fits my daughter. The two websites that I find easiest to use, reliable, and always current are:

CenterWatch


                                                                           source

This site has a little of everything. It is an excellent source to find news, directories, analysis, and listings of clinical research. If you are unfamiliar with clinical trials, the site breaks down the process in an easy to understand manner. You can search clinical trials and find out the who, what, when, where, and how of each trial; search for drug information; review already completed trials; and sign up for e-mail alerts about specific clinical trials. Start your search at CenterWatch.

ClinicalTrials.gov 

                                                                       source

This site includes current information on federally and privately supported clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions. Search by topic, keyword, disease, location, etc.. Studies are updated daily. At the moment, there are 91,384 trials listed on the site. ClinicalTrials.gov was developed by The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and The Food and Drug Administration (FDA…so users can rest assured that the listings are all legit. Start your search at ClinicalTrials.gov. 



If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comment section:)

On June 29th and June 30th, 2010 The Food and drug Administration (FDA) will hold a public hearing on the regulation of drugs, biologics, and devices for the treatment and diagnosis of rare diseases. The hearing will be held on both dates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Building 31, Room 1503, Silver Spring, Maryland. There is not a charge to attend, but seating will be on a first-come basis. 

The FDA is seeking to acquire input from healthcare providers, academic researchers, patients, family of patients, patient advocates, pharmaceutical industry, and the healthcare industry to help carve the FDA’s future path related to rare diseases. All of these groups will be given an opportunity to relate their experience, concerns , and suggestions related to  the way the FDA regulates the scientific evaluation, marketing authorization, surveillance, etc.. of products for rare diseases.

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), one of the leading organizations dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases, announced that they will have a representative to speak at the meeting. If you would like to speak or submit a written comment via NORD, you can contact Diane Dorman @ ddorman@rarediseases.org

Otherwise, you can contact The FDA for questions about how to make an oral presentation or written submission here- Paras M. Patel, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Building 32, Room 5271, Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002; telephone: 301 796-8660; fax: 301 847 8621; OPDAR@fda.hhs.gov. You must register if you want to be heard! If you just want to attend, then you do not have to register.

There are millions of people that suffer from obscure, unknown, and rare diseases. Together, these people make up a substantial portion of the population, but alone they are not an appealing business venture when it comes to discovering and marketing pharmaceutical treatments. For example there are approximately 8,000 different rare diseases. However, for a disease to be classified as a “rare disease,” it must afflict less than 200,000 people. 

This is what we call an orphan drug (developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition) and orphan disease ( so rare, obscure, or unknown that the disease does not have any viable treatment.) The economics of drug research, development, and marketing for orphan disease treatment is simply not profitable for the industry because so few are in demand of the product that would be created for each disease.

In comes The Orphan Drug Act (ODA) of January 1983. The ODA was specifically designed to encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs for those diseases that have a small market. Under the ODA a company that develops an orphan drug for a rare disease may sell it for seven years without any competition. In other words, they will have a monopoly on the drug for seven years.  The company may also receive clinical trial incentives through grants to defray the cost of clinical research; tax credits worth up to 50% of the cost of clinical trials; a waiver of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act filing fees, that was worth an estimated 1 million per application in 2008; regulatory assistance; and expedited review processes.  

The ODA also removed some of the red tape that held orphan drugs from development. All drugs focus on the pharmacokinetics, dosing, stability, safety and efficacy of a drug. However, the ODA acknowledges that the process for clinical trials of orphan drugs have special factors. For example, it might not be possible to test 1,000 patients for a phase III clinical trial of an orphan drug, as there may not even be that many people affected by the disease.   

The ODA success is clear. In the decade before the ODA was enacted,  less than ten such products for rare diseases saw the market. From 1983 to  2009, an estimated 2,116 drugs received an orphan drug designation by the Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD), 353 actually being approved for the market. The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 has clearly helped to improve the quality of life for many afflicted with rare and obscure diseases by making orphan drug research, development and marketing economically feasible and profitable for may companies.

However, there is still one major problem associated with orphan drugs… patient affordability. While the ODA made it fiscally attractive for the companies putting out orphan drugs, that does not mean that these companies are ethically concerned with ensuring patients get the medication at an affordable price. In knowing that they have a monopoly on a drug that is the only treatment option, they know that the patient will pay whatever they set the price at. The ODA incentives already make orphan drugs a profitable venture  for pharmaceutical companies. Yet, pharmaceutical companies are not happy with some profit, they want extraordinary profit. The prices of some of these orphan drugs per year are more than most people spend on a home. 

Take Botulism Immune Globulin (BIG) for treatment of infant botulism for example.  Botulism Immune Globulin cost 10.6 million dollars to bring from discovery to market. The FDA OOPD contributed $3.7 million of that cost. Yet, Baby-BIG cost $45,300 per infant/per dose. Copaxone, for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, cost $1,771 per injection.  In 2007, Teva Pharmaceuticals made $0.303 billion dollars from the sell of Copaxone. Humira, for JV idiopathic arthritis cost $1,391 for a month supply. Abbott made $0.462 billion dollars of Humira in 2007. The list goes on and on, but you get the point.

In 1990, Congress tried to amend the ODA to address some of the abuses. The bill would  have reviewed the sale record of orphan drugs in the 5th year of marketing, determined if there was still limited marketing value, and if not- it would lose two years of marketing exclusivity. The amendment passed Congress, but was sadly vetoed by President Bush. 

The ODA is doing a great service to those with rare and obscure diseases. No one is asking pharmaceutical companies to trade profitability for philanthropy, but there should be some standardized safety net to prevent profit gouging of orphan drugs. 









.

                                                                      source

Science Translation Medicine has just published groundbreaking research on spinal muscle atrophy (SMA.)


SMA is a set of inherited muscle diseases that cause muscle to continuously degenerate and weaken. The disease requires extensive and ongoing medical care. The disease process usually ends with death. In fact, SMA is one of the most common genetic causes of death in childhood. Sadly, there is no known cure or effective treatment.

The research by University of Sheffield demonstrated a novel gene transfer system that has the promise of efficient therapeutic treatment for SMA patients. I will let you read the research process below, but the approach has the possibility of establishing gene therapy with the use of just a single injection. 

It is important to note that test was conducted using animals, but these findings undoubtedly put science that much closer to actual gene therapy treatments for SMA patients.

Research in depth:

New therapy offers hope to Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) patients

Systemic Delivery of scAAV9 Expressing SMN Prolongs Survival in a Model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

New Novel Gene Treatment For Spinal Muscular Atrophy

To donate to SMA: 

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Foundation

 To support legislative action:

Legislation to enhance federal support for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) research, The SMA Treatment Acceleration Act

 

Is Drug Use a Human Right: Montel Williams and Sting Think So | Socyberty

Sting, a world renowned musician, saying that he supports the Drug Policy Alliance because, “The war on drugs represents an extraordinary violation of human rights” and because he believes in the right to “sovereignty over one’s mind and body.” Montel Williams, a television personality, says he supports the Drug Policy Alliance, “Because whether you use drugs or not, you deserve to be treated with respect, kindness, and dignity” and because he believes “in personal freedom and choice.”

Heller’s Syndrome Often Confused with Autism | Healthmad

Heller’s Syndrome (also known as (CDD) Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and disintegrative psychosis) is an extremely rare syndrome. Incidence is only one per 50,000 children, about sixty times less frequent than autism. However, research often questions the prevalence due to the similarity between Heller’s Syndrome and autism causing under-diagnosis / misdiagnosis.

Unless Congress can get their rear ends out of neutral, medical practices that take Medicare will  be forced to file claims at rates reduced by 21.3%.  After several postponements, the 19 month Medicare “doc fix” action is finally being taken up in the Senate, but Senate may be too little too late.

The Medicare payment cuts were scheduled to start June 1st, but the agency that oversees Medicare (CMS) asked contractors to delay processing patient claims for 10 business days in an effort to give Congress time to act. However, June 10th is here and the cuts have still not been addressed by Congress. Senator Charles Schumer of New York spoke about the issue in a press conference this week. He says the Senate is expected to have the 60 votes early next week. 

Even if the Senate passes the legislation next week and avoids a Republican filibuster, it still must pass the House and be signed by President Obama. So we are looking at a minimum of several weeks of Medicare rates being reduced by 21.3%.

This means a potential serious cash-flow shortage for physicians. Physicians can opt to not submit the claims until they can get an unreduced rate -or- immediately submit the claim at the reduced rate and hope for a better retroactive rate once the doc fix is passed; either way, the Medicare health care provider is going to be cash strapped with the cut. Medicare makes up about 30% of the average doctor revenue. We may see medium to small practices making serious cuts to make up for their income loss.

Read more:

http://thehill.com/news-by-subject/healthcare/102021-delay-in-medicare-payment-fix-could-mess-up-doctors-cash-flow?page=2#comments


http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/723317

It is often hard for the parent of handicapped children, young children, and special needs children to balance the need for a paycheck with the desire to stay home with the needy child.

 I know when I found out that Kaitlynn was going to have extensive medical problems, I did not hesitate to quit my nursing job and devote myself to her. However, that decision drastically impacted my lifestyle and ability to pay bills.

I turned to the internet as a way to make up a small portion of my income. Anyone that tells you that there are get rich quick portals on the internet is being dishonest. However, there are a few ways, aside from blogging, to turn your writing skills into a little cash. Keep in mind that the quality of your writing is going to determine just how much money you can make writing online. These are two of my favorites:

TRIOND

You are paid based on the amount of traffic you bring to the writing. So, you must build up a steady stream of traffic and regular readers to make any money with pay-per-click writing.
source

I have tried several pay-per-click writing sites, but my favorite is Triond. Triond is essentially a publishing service that enables you to write at will and publish content of any type to a variety of niche websites that covers topics such as: poetry and literature, business, sports, travel, health and wellness, science, cooking, etc.. You can keep track of everything you publish on Triond, how many views you get per article, comments, the source of traffic, how much money you make per entry, etc.. You can even personalize your profile page to become a writing portfolio of sorts. The company places display and contextual advertising in your content. They share 50% of the ad revenue with you (Earnings= page views*eRPM/1000.) You can also set up ad sense on the content and make even more money. Referring writers is yet another way to increase your earnings.
source

Payments are once a month by PayPal, Western Union, or paper check. I would suggest PayPal. I started out getting a paper check, but the banks would not cash it…since it came from Israel. I  have been writing under Triond for 3 years and have received my earnings every single month. Another great thing about Triond is that you will earn "lifetime" on every submissions. I did not write anything for the first three months after my second child was born and was still earning $30.00-$60.00 a month just off my past work.

I would invite you to sign up for Triond using my link (here), as Triond will pay me 10%  on top of whatever you earn per month:)

TEXTBROKER

I tried 3 different pay for content type sites. The only one that I would recommend is Textbroker. I made $800.00 the first month.
source
Textbroker serves as a posting portal for authors to pick and choose content orders to write. The orders are broken down by theme/subject, writer level, and money per word paid. You opt what to write on based on your personal knowledge and expertise. The client will post whatever specifications (SEO, word count, etc..), you write it to that specification, and you get paid. The positive is that you don’t have to market the work to get paid, like at Triond. Once you become established, you will also find satisfied clients contacting you directly for work orders. Textbroker gets the money from the client before they publish the work order…so you are guaranteed payment. 
source

Keep in mind that you must use correct grammar! Many of these orders are for professional or educational use, and poor grammar will not be tolerated. Unlike Triond, which is foreign based, you must submit your tax information at Textbroker!

School Imposes Ban on Hearing Impaired Girl Using Sign Language | Socyberty

I read an ABC News article this week about (then) 12-year-old Danica Lesko that literally left me fuming. Danica Lesko’s is hearing impaired. Her primary way of communication is sign language, especially in noisy environments like a school bus.

Stonybrook School in Branchburg, N.J. somehow rationalized Danica using sign language on her school bus as a “safety hazard.”

Read more here.

I have never liked the idea of selective elective Cesarean deliveries. It is one thing if your health is at risk and you need to have a C-section early, but many parents are pressuring their OB provider to schedule early C-sections for convenience sake….for example,  a husband that works away and might miss the delivery.

Now comes a new study showing giving scientific backing as to why  selective elective Cesarean delivery is not really a wise thing to do.  It has been clear for a long time that extremely preterm babies, say 25 weeks gestation or so, have a much higher risk of special education needs. However, later term early deliveries, say 37-39 weeks gestation, have never been examined in relation to risk of special education needs.

The birth history of 400 thousand school aged children was  analyzed by Scottish researchers. They found that autism and or special education needs (dyslexia, poor vision, deafness, etc..) were 1.16 times greater for babies born at 37-39 weeks than those born at 40 weeks. 

Sources:
NHS: Early Babies and Special Needs

PLoS Medicine: Gestational Age at Delivery and Special Educational Need: Retrospective Cohort Study of 407,503 Schoolchildren

Medical News Today: Babies Born At 37 To 39 Weeks Have Higher Risk Of Autism And Special Educational Needs

Cornbread Tacos