February 26, 2007
Vaccine to Prevent Cerebral Palsy?
This discovery could affect as many as 45,000 children a year. Research lead by Dr. Mark Schleiss, Professor of Pediatrics, and Director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota suggests that the Cytomegalovirus Or CMV virus can cause many birth defects including cerebral palsy, developmental disability and deafness. The virus affects pregnant women and can cause damage to their unborn babies.
Cytomegalovirus is commonly found and is part of the herpes family of viruses. CMV infects between 50 to 80 percent of all U.S. adults by age 40. There is no cure for it and there are rarely symptoms.
About 10 to 15 percent of newborns with congenital CMV end up with a long-term disability like developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy and deafness. CMV also can damage the placenta, leading to miscarriage.
Research is now being done in labs on guinea pigs to find a vaccine, and results have been promising. The vaccine helps stop the infection from crossing the placenta and infecting unborn babies. The virus is often undetected in pregnant women and the vaccine is given before pregnancy.
Studies on humans are set to begin shortly.
February 22, 2007
Cry For Acceptance: When We’re in the Halls, Remember: I Can Hear You
This column was published in the December 2006 issue of Chancellor High School’s newspaper, The Lightning Bolt.
The teen, Chandler, really just wants to be treated like everyone else and takes this bold measure, publishing his thoughts in the school paper to tell his classmates how he feels.
When We’re in the Halls, Remember: I Can Hear You
By Chandler Pascale
You may have seen me treading through the halls, going down the stairs, or getting off of or onto my bus. You can instantly note that I have an awkward gait (way of walking) about me. I happen to have been born prematurely, and diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. Cerebral Palsy (more commonly known as just CP) is a disease in which my brain doesn’t send its “messages” to my legs clearly, thus my way of walking is different than that of the average individual. This ailment also affects the dexterity of my hands and fingers. To think, I wanted to be a policeman when I was little!
Lately, I have heard people laugh at me, mock me, cuss me out (which I may add is an act of the purest cowardice) and plainly insult me right in my face. No, I’m not mentally retarded; in fact I’m pretty smart, and not in any Special Education classes. Many people stereotype someone who walks differently or has some other handicap as being mentally retarded or even un-human when, in reality, they are just like everyone else in all other respects. My disease is not contagious; you can’t catch my disorder by sitting next to me or at all for that matter. If you’re scared that your friends will make fun of you if they spot you talking to me, you have a choice: grow a backbone or keep worrying about your ego. (more…)
December 4, 2006
Children’s Fiction and Cerebral Palsy: Kids Books with Cerebral Palsy in Storyline
Books are always great choice for any kid, and now there more and more books to choose from that are fun, and interesting, to read and feature children living with cerebral palsy. You can pick up most of these books at your local library, if they are not available make a request, most libraries are happy to fulfill requests for books from their patrons. These books can also be found in big online bookstores like Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.
Below find a list of books that any can enjoy, living with or without cerebral palsy. If you know of others books you would like to recommend, please feel free to post in the comments sections and share with other families. We would love to here from you.
The Barn at Gun Lake
by Johnnie Tuitel, Eduardo Pilande (Illustrator), Eduardo Pilande (Illustrator), Dan Sharp (Illustrator), Sharon Lamson
Gr 4-6 - Johnnie was born with cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair. He does not find his disability to be a handicap, just a challenge to overcome in order to be accepted by the kids in his new town. To join the Gun Lake Gang, he needs to complete an initiation. He must go to the old barn by the lake and bring back something to prove he was there. He stumbles onto a CD-pirating ring while in the barn and the gang decides to find out who is running it. In the second book, Johnnie and his friends solve the mysterious explosion of a race car. Many clues point to the mechanic, and the Gun Lake Gang takes the case on to clear his name. The kids in the gang are realistic. Some of them accept Johnnie, some question his disability, and one boy is uncomfortable with the situation but tries, with reluctance, to accept what Johnnie has to offer. The characters are well defined and the mysteries are puzzling enough to keep readers involved.
Small Steps
by Louis Sachar
Two years after being released from Camp Green Lake, Armpit is home in Austin, Texas, trying to turn his life around. But it’s hard when you have a record, and everyone expects the worst from you. The only person who believes in him is Ginny, his 10-year old disabled neighbor. Together, they are learning to take small steps. And he seems to be on the right path, until X-Ray, a buddy from Camp Green Lake, comes up with a get-rich-quick scheme. This leads to a chance encounter with teen POP sensation, Kaira DeLeon, and suddenly his life spins out of control, with only one thing for certain. He’ll never be the same again.
Rolling along: The Story of Taylor and His Wheelchair
by Jamee Riggio Heelan, Nicola Simmonds (Illustrator)
Taylor and Tyler are twins. Though alike in many ways, Taylor was born with cerebral palsy and Tyler was not. When Taylor learned how to use a wheelchair it changed his life. Now he can keep up with his friends at school and even play basketball. His mobility allows him to be more independent, which he likes. This story can be beneficial for youngsters who are adjusting to a wheelchair so they can develop a sense of pride and accomplishment in their mobility. It’s also useful for siblings, friends, relatives, and classmates of a child who uses a wheelchair.
Imagine Me on a Sit-Ski!
by George Moran
Billy, who uses a wheelchair, never imagined himself able to ski, so he’s very excited when he discovers that he and his disabled classmates are going to have a chance to learn. He describes his experiences at Snow Valley, where disabled people are able to use adaptive equipment and are helped by specially trained instructors. Some of Billy’s classmates use such devices as crutches on skis; Billy uses a sit-ski. His detailed narrative describes how the equipment works as well as his adventures on the slopes. The accompanying watercolor illustrations are lively and colorful and will be helpful for introducing readers to specialized ski equipment. A book that will inspire as well as promote understanding and awareness.
On Being Sarah
by Elizabeth Helfman
Gr 5-8 - Sarah, 12, is confined to a wheelchair, with limited movement and no speech, the result of cerebral palsy. Her story involves her struggle and growth in regard to self-image; her relationships with family, peers, and neighbors; her adjustment at school; and the beginnings of a romance. Her thoughts are set in italics, reminding readers that she is nonverbal. Charles Bliss’s system of pictoral/symbol communication is worked in throughout the story, as Sarah uses this system. Helfman supplies keen realism and compassionate descriptions of the girl’s response to physical and emotional frustration, and her heroine is both introspective and outwardly determined.
Be Quiet Marina!
by Kirsten de Bear, Kirsten DeBear
Moira and Marina are special children. They’re students at the Bank Street Family Center preschool. Using black and white photos, the story follows Moria and Marina at preschool and the ups and downs of their relationship as friends. Marina is a very outgoing child who enjoys lots of activity and noise. Moira is a quiet child who enjoys playing alone. Even though they are friends, their different personalities and needs cause conflict at preschool. The photos and text relate how Moira and Marina solve their differences by communicating with one another, a task for all preschoolers. Through the use of language, each is able to confront her problems and solve them. This story is a gentle reminder that everyone has special needs, but we must all communicate effectively to understand and relate to one another. The fact that the girls seem to solve their own problem will inspire other youngsters to do the same. Viewing special needs children as just children in everyday situations, in their own words, should inspire understanding.
November 19, 2006
Commercial Movies and Films with Cerebral Palsy as Theme
Using imdb.com’s data base is a snap. If you are not familiar with it, the site catalogues pretty much every movie ever made, including those made for TV and foreign films.
I was able to compile a list of movies with cerebral palsy as part of the over all theme. I have seen most of the films and some of them may not be suitable for young children. For more information, review or user ratings on the film, just click on films title.
Door to Door
(2002) (TV)
Plot Outline: A man with cerebral palsy is determined to become a
salesman
Inside I’m Dancing
(2004)
Plot
Outline: When the kinetic Rory moves into his room in the Carrigmore
Residential Home for the Disabled, his effect on the home is immediate. Most
telling is his friendship with Michael, a young man with cerebral palsy and
nearly unintelligible speech. Somehow, Rory understands Michael, and encourages
him to experience life outside the confines of home.
Adams æbler
(2005)
Plot
Outline: A neo-Nazi sentenced to community service at a church
clashes with the blindly devotional priest.
My Left Foot
(1989)
Plot
Outline: The story of Christy Brown who was born with cerebral
palsy. He learned to paint and write with his only controllable limb - his left
foot.
Gaby: A True
Story (1987)
Plot
Outline: The life of Gaby Brimer, a girl physically handicapped, who
finally gets her goals of study and triumph.
Dance Me to My
Song (1998)
Cousin (1998)
Plot
Outline: Adam tells us the story of an older cousin, who had
cerebral palsy. Adam would go over to play, and they’d dress as superheroes,
jump off the shed, and run about the street with an old shopping trolley. Adam
explains his cousin’s wayward left arm, his strong right one, his aunt’s
understanding of her son’s rages (”bake a cake,” she’d tell him), and
the boy’s love of swimming. On Adam’s eighth birthday, the cousins are separated
by tragedy; it’s left to Adam to wonder about his cousin, and if he still
smells of licorice.
Hell House
(2001)
Plot
Outline: A look at the “Hell House” performed annually in
October by the youth members of
Cedar Hill
over 10,000 visitors each year. We see the organization and planning of the
event - including auditions, construction, scripting and rehearsals - largely
through the involvement of one family: a single father with 4 children (one of
whom suffers from cerebral palsy) including his daughter, a cast member.
Storytelling
(2001)
Plot
Outline: Storytelling is comprised of two separate stories set
against the sadly comical terrain of college and high school, past and present.
Following the paths of its young hopeful/troubled characters, it explores
issues of sex, race, celebrity and exploitation
Touched by Love
(1980)
Plot
Outline: A young nurse becomes determined to reach an unresponsive
teenage cerebral palsy patient by encouraging her to write to her favorite rock
singer, Elvis Presley.
The Kid & I
(2005)
Plot
Outline: Bill Williams (
is a down-and-out actor who is unexpectedly hired to write a sequel a la
“True Lies,” the action film that made him famous more than a decade
ago. When Bill learns that his co-star is Aaron Roman (Gores), a rich kid with
no acting experience, what appeared to be the chance for a major comeback turns
into a series of outlandish complications. As the duo embark on a journey of
outrageous misadventures, the unlikely pair discover that it takes more courage
to face real life challenges than it does fighting bad guys on the big screen.
Although Aaron may be inexperienced in acting, his tenacious spirit, unwavering
optimism and unconditional friendship turns out to be an important, enduring gift
to Bill.
America’s Heart
and Soul (2004)
Plot
Outline:
is a vast country, three thousand miles from end to end. But it’s not the land
that makes
so special, it’s the people. Filmmaker Louis Schwartzberg packed-up his camera
and hit the road, with a goal of capturing both the unparalleled beauty of the
land and the incomparable spirit of the people. He connects with people,
capturing their values, dreams, and passion in a journey that reveals the
stories, unusual, captivating, inspiring and emotional, that make Americans
into something more than a collection of individuals. It’s a celebration of a
nation told through the voices of its people.
September 15, 2006
NY Times Editorial “When Doctors Hide Medical Errors”
In New York times editorial from Sept. 9, 2006, the issue of doctor error is brought to light. Doctors admitting what we patients have known for years; doctors make mistakes and are reluctant to admit their errors or take responsibility for them.
Excerpt:
The doctors talked a good game — fully 98 percent endorsed the need to disclose serious errors to patients, according to survey results published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. But most had something less than full disclosure in mind. Only 42 percent would actually use the word “error,” while 56 percent would mention the adverse event but not the error, relegating the harm to the “stuff happens” category. Only 33 percent would explicitly apologize for their mistake.Many believe that the recent movement for tort reform, putting a ceiling on medical malpractice suits, would encourage more doctors to come forward and admit their mistakes.
The New York Times editorial offers the suggestions of more education to encourage disclosure and computerized systems to detect error.
To read full article visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/09/opinion/09sat4.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
September 7, 2006
Boy, 10, Awarded $5.3m Over Cerebral Palsy
This from Australia’s Courier Mail: A ten year-old boy left with cerebral palsy after a Queensland public hospital bungled his birth has been awarded $5.3 million in compensation, the state’s largest ever personal injury payout.
Christopher Hills, who is confined to a wheelchair and will be totally dependent on others for the rest of his life, was brought into Supreme Court Justice Phil McMurdo’s Brisbane courtroom yesterday afternoon to hear the announcement.
To read full article: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20353500-421,00.html
