Received controllable shocks Essay Example for Free

Received controllable shocks Essay They both said that the extent of a persons social network and their perceived sense of support are positively linked. The role of control in the perception of stress also plays a part. A sense of control reduces the extent to which a situation may be experienced stressful. It has been suggested that control affects the immune system. Laudenslager et al. (1983) showed direct effects on the immune system. He used rats that were placed in three groups, one received controllable shocks, the second group were a yoked control (received the same shocks as the first rat, but they had no direct control over the shocks), a third group received no shocks. All the rats were injected with cancer cells. Laudenslager found that 65% of the controlled shock group rejected the cancer cells, compared with only 27% of the yoked controlled and 55% of the no-shock group. His study suggests that control is important to the functioning of the immune system. Psychological approaches have also been applied in anger management courses since anger has been found to increase vulnerability to heart disease. B) Asses the strengths and weaknesses of two biological approaches (6) One biological approach is biofeedback. It is a technique to learn how to control involuntary muscles, or voluntary muscles that are not normally controlled, such as blood pressure and heart rate. The aim of it is to reduce ANS activity and therefore the bodily sensations associated with stress. In turn this will reduce the consequent effects of stress in terms of illness. An individual is attached to a monitor that produces feedback about some physiological activity. (E. g. The machine would produce an auditory or visual signal to indicate weather an individuals heart rate is too high or about right. ) These machines provide all different feedback to the patient, who is then taught techniques to reduce the levels. (Such as relaxation training. ) This means that physiological activity is brought under control. The key thing is that physiological activities are ones we wouldnt usually be able to control. Biofeedback has been shown to produce short and long-term reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, and brain-wave rhythms. Biofeedback training does fit into three main stages; developing an awareness of the particular physiological response (e. g. heart rate), learning ways of controlling that physiological response in quiet conditions. This can include providing rewards for successful control in addition to feedback. Then transferring that control into the conditions of everyday life. Dworkin and Dworkin (1988) did a study with teenagers who were suffering from curvature of the spine (scoliosis). The teenagers successfully used biofeedback techniques to learn how to control the muscles of their spine and thus alter the posture and overcome the disorder. Another biological approach is Anti-anxiety drugs. The body produces chemicals (hormones) that create anxiety. This can be countered using other chemicals (i. e. drugs) that reduce anxiety. There are several different types of drugs that all work differently. Barbiturates are depressants of the central nervous system, and long-acting barbiturates are effective in reducing anxiety. However, they do have various side effects. They can create problems of concentration, lack of coordination, and slurred speech. They also tend to be addictive. Anxious patients who stop taking barbiturates report numerous symptoms such as delirium, irritability, and increased sweating. The problems with them led them to be replaced by benzodiazepines in the 1960s. These are the most used anti-anxiety drugs, such as Valium and Librium. They promote GABA, the bodys natural relief of anxiety relief which reduces serotonin levels, which will in turn reduce arousal. Although, they are very effective and used by millions of people, they also have some of unwanted side effects. They often have sedative effects, and can make people feel drowsy. They can also cause cognitive and memory impairments, they sometimes lead to feelings of depression. Also, many people become dependent on benzodiazepines, and find it very hard to stop taking them. Sudden removal of benzodiazepines can lead to a return of the initial symptoms of intense stress and anxiety. Ants-anxiety drugs can be very effective at reducing feelings of stress. However, they do not address the problems that are causing stress. They help cope with stress but not to manage it.

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Causes, Diagnosis and Support

Autism Spectrum Disorders: Causes, Diagnosis and Support Autism Spectrum disorders Introduction Autism awareness in todays society has moved from the shadow of shame and unknown to the forefront of research and education as an increasing number of children and people with Autism Spectrum disorders gain attention in every aspect of their everyday lives. This paper will attempt to explore the many faces of autism: identification, possible causes, treatment, societal reaction/interaction, the learning/teaching cooperative, and expectations for the future regarding this disorder in an ever evolving and expanding society. What is Autism? How does it manifest? Are there specific characteristics inherent to the disorder? How was it discovered? Who gets it? How is it diagnosed? When? Has the cause been identified? Is it hereditary, environmental or societal? Is there a cure? What kind of treatment is available, and how has it changed since discovery of the disorder? Do autistic children face specific learning challenges? What teaching methods best reach autistic children? Are some methods more effective than others? Autism is very broad, far-reaching and involved, but herein I expect to go from a brief discussion of the broad topic to the specific: How does autism affect the learning/teaching relationship between children and teachers? What is Autism? Autism was first thought to be mental retardation or insanity. In 1943, Leo Kanner noticed that these children did not fit the pattern of emotionally disturbed children and instead recorded patterns of being slow learners. Hans Asperger, making similar discoveries, discovered what has come to be known as Aspergers Syndrome often used to label autistic people that can talk. Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, working completely independent of one another, recognized autism for what it was: a developmental disorder that interferes with a childs communication, social and interaction behavior. (Carew, 2009) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). It is a bio-neurological developmental disability usually appearing before the age of three, best known for impairing a childs ability to communicate and interact. Life-long disabilities significantly impact several areas of development: communication impairments, social difficulty, sensory processing deficits and a need for solid routines within their lives. Characteristics of Autism manifests in a myriad of ways: delay in verbal development, a need to finish what they begin, a rather h3 resistance to change in daily routine, lack of spontaneity, distress at being touched and the ability to show any kind of emotion, as well as an inability to process and respond to humor. There are five subcategories associated with ASD, each with its own distinctive and unique features: Autistic Disorder, Aspergers Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), Retts Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Treatment within each subcategory is as diverse and varied as the individual being treated, depending on the individuals personality, unique symptoms and manifestation of autism. How is it Diagnosed? To help determine the difference between autism and mental retardation, a qualified professional will examine and score children who are suspected of having autism through a questionnaire based on direct observation by professionals and reports given by parents, family members, and teachers. This test is known as CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) and was developed by Eirc Shopler, Robert Reichier and Barbara Rochen Reiner. (Schopler, Reichler, DeVellis, Daly, 1980) CARS was published in 1980, but the development began a lot earlier, in 1966. A Study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center determined an accuracy rating of 98% in diagnosing children and showed encouraging results in diagnosing adolescents as well. CARS incorporates the criteria of Leo Kanner (1943) and Creak (1964), and characteristic symptoms of childhood autism. (Schopler et al., 1980) The test focuses on 15 categories of behaviors, characteristics, and abilities and how the expected development is different than the actual development if autistic symptoms are present. The categories are: Relating to people, imitation, emotional response, body use, object use, adaptation to change, visual response, listening response, taste, smell and touch response and use, fear or nervousness, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, activity level, level and consistency of intellectual response, and general impressions. A child can score on a scale of one to four. Scoring a one meets a normal range for a childs age and scoring a four means the child is severely abnormal. (Secor, 2009) Who Gets It? Although it is unclear how much of the surge reflects better diagnosis, recent data suggests a 10-fold increase in autism rates over the past decade. The journal, Pediatrics, released on October 5, 2009, reported one percent of U.S. children ages 3-17 have an Autism Spectrum disorder, a prevalence of 1 in 91. This is a dramatic increase from the 2007 report by the Center for Disease Control reported 1 in 150 children diagnosed with Autism. Boys are diagnosed four times more often than girls. There has been no connection established regarding socio-economic status, race or religion in identifying autistic individuals. (Kogan, 2009) Cause of Autism All over the world, researchers are working to find just what causes Autism. However no direct, specific cause of Autism has been determined, to date. The pressure to identify a cause is a top priority among researchers and it appears, due to the various levels of severity and combinations of symptoms, there may be multiple causes and scientific evidence suggests both genetic and/or environmental factors. Because of intense research, there are several specific claims that have been disproven. Bruno Bettelheim, a once well-renowned child psychologist, blamed autism on parents, specifically mothers, claiming they did not properly bond with their children. There is no evidence to support that claim. Due in large part to Dr. Bernard Rimland, who has an autistic son, founded the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research institute. Dr. Rimland was instrumental in helping to determine autism as a biological disorder not a causal effect, ie., neglect, isolation, cold, indifferent or bad parenting. He disproved the theory by defining ASDs as biological disorders, not emotional illnesses in his book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior (Rimland, 1964). However, Dr Rimland is a proponent of another high profile controversial claim suggesting vaccinations given to children during babyhood may be a cause of the disorder. Despite Dr Rimlands advocacy and beliefs, this claim has little or no scientific backing. In fact, in a timely ruling Friday, March 12, 2010, the so-called vaccine court, a special branch of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, found that the mercury-containing vaccine preservative thimerosal is not to blame for autism, and concluded the last of three cases on theories related to a vaccine-autism relationship. A 2009 ruling rejected a theory that thimerasol can cause autism when combined with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which perhaps was based on a discredited medical journal article published in 1998 by British physician, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, linking a particular type of autism and bowel disease to the measles vaccine. The 2009 ruling predicated the dropping of a second case based on a theory that certain vaccines alone cause autism. Interestingly, in this third case, the court found that none of the expert witnesses who argued mercury can have a variety of effects on the brain, offered opinions on the cause of autism in any of the three specific cases argued. (Schmid, 2010)(emphasis added) Two studies conducted by researchers at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia link specific genes to autism. One study pinpoints a gene region that may account for as many as 15 percent of autism cases, while another study identifies missing or duplicated stretches of DNA along two crucial gene pathways. Significantly, both studies detected genes implicated in the development of brain circuitry in early childhood. (Wang, 2009) A specific connection between fragile x (FXS) and autism has also been found. Dr. Don Bailey , director of the Frank Porter Graham Institute, and colleagues found that in young boys with FXS, 25% met the criteria for autism using the (CARS). Their profile of behaviors was very similar to that of children with autism but without fragile X. Consequently, they also found that children with autism and FXS together, had a lower IQ than children with either FXS alone or autism alone. (Bailey, Jr., Hatton, et al., 2001) Methods of Treatment Since 1943, many ways have been developed to help the autistic child. Then, the famous Sigmund Freud discovered that parents who did not attempt to communicate with an autistic child saw no progress, while a close parent/child relationship seemed to cause the child to thrive and move forward. Although it lingered well into the 50s and 60s, Freuds theory lacked two critical bits information: first, oftentimes the parent didnt try to interact with the child due to the Autistic behavior; and second, in some cases it was a genetically inherited personality. For a time, children were removed from their home to see if they would recover although there was no clear-cut evidence of any value in future use of this method. Due to research and study, it was found that facilitated communication could teach the child to communicate with the world; for example an autistic child could be taught to manage and control his emotions; a parent could help a child desensitize from the over sensitivity to sound. Today, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Occupational Therapy (OT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Physical Therapy (PT), Sensory Integration Therapy, Floortime, and medications, all have a place in accepted scientific treatment. Alternative methods are also sometimes used. These can include Dietary intervention, Vitamins and Minerals, Social Skills Groups, Music and Art Therapy, and even Dolphin Therapy. One of the most tried and true methods utilized today, Applied Behavior Therapy (ABA) is usually accompanied by Physical Therapy and Occupational therapy. As with any treatment there are good and bad points associated with each. ABA was developed by Dr. Ivar Lovaas and contains the B.F. Skinners theories on operant conditioning. This treatment includes rewards which may include toys or treats, for acceptable behavior. There is no punishment for wrong or incorrect behavior, however. There are a myriad of steps involved, and a fairly rigid structure to this method. ABA is very time-consuming and has shown many positive results. According to some ongoing research, diet may be fueling Autism. There is convincing empirical evidence that special diets help autistic individuals. Karl Reichelt of Oslo has been a pioneer in this area for decades, showing the highly significant effects of removing gluten, gliadin and casein from the diets of autistic children. There are now about forty research studies in Norway, the U.K., Italy, and the United States supporting this finding. Special diets are, most often, hard to implement. Eighteen research reports have been published since 1965, by scientists in six countries showing that about half of all autistic children and adults improve significantly when given large amounts of B6. Unlike drugs, B6 is a safe, natural substance that the brain requires. This vitamin, along with the mineral magnesium, is used in the production of serotonin. In a comprehensive review of the neurochemistry of autism, published in 1990, Dr. Edwin Cook wrote, The most consistent finding has been that over 25% of autistic children and adolescents are hyperserotonemic. However, after 29 years of investigation, the mechanism of hyperserotonemia has not been determined. (Genetics, autism and priorities, 1997) Teaching Methods Autistic children all have specific learning challenges; however, the method of approach depends entirely on the child. When teaching an autistic child, environmental considerations, a set schedule and routine for the student and a visual structure the student can see clearly to enable them to understand what is expected of them, and when it is expected of them. No one method is necessarily better than another. Many of the various methods utilize the same basic principles needed to help focus and teach a child with autism. An effective instructional strategy is one that incorporates structure, a communication system, sensory accommodations, individualized programming, inclusion, social integration and access to the general curriculum. It is important to find research-based methodology that has proven effective through application and data collection. This helps enhance the effectiveness and accountability of the program. There are also different teaching approaches enabling students with this disorder to learn and function as well as any other student in the classroom. No one approach has proven more effective. However, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) (Shopler, E 1997) incorporates several methodologies and techniques into one program. Developed in the 1970s at the University of North Carolinas School of Medicine, the philosophy behind TEACCH was: the environment should be changed to meet the needs of the students, not the students changed to meet the needs of the environment. Techniques are developed to meet the specific communication, social and coping needs of the student. The goal is to help students with ASDs learn functional skills so they can live productively and reach their full potential at school and home, and later in their community and working lives. TEACCH stresses the need for elements of behavioral and cognitive interventions, direct teaching of social skills, the need for structure, and the use of visual cues to show tasks to be done in work or play areas. Another stand alone method of teaching, also one of the components within TEACCH, Structure-Positive-Empathetic-Low Arousal- Links (SPELL), emphasizes a clear routine and an atmosphere that helps maximize positive relationships and reduce anxiety while teaching children with ASD. This can be accomplished by trying to anticipate the experiences, settings, or problems the children may consider threatening. This methodology has been integrated into most of the centers run by the National Autistic Society. Basic strategies need to be implemented inside a classroom to help transition students with ASD. These include: A clear structure and daily routine Use of clear and unambiguous language (not a lot of humor or irony) Make clear which behaviors are unacceptable Address the child individually Provide a warning if there is an impending change in routine or activity switch Know the students ticks and what abnormal behavior might be Specific teaching using photographs, video recording, how feeling are expressed and communicated so they can be recognized. Regular opportunity for simple conversations to help increase the use of how and why questions Use charts to record behavioral progress reinforcement How Does Autism Affect the Learning/Teaching Relationship Between Children and Teachers? Any teacher can get very frustrated with children in general, and if a disability is added to the equation, it can make for a difficult learning and teaching experience for both parties involved. It is important to remember what the student is going through and having to deal with. Patience truly is a virtue for the teacher, combined with empathy, understanding, encouragement and compassion. Within any teaching strategy, to work and develop a method of structured teaching, there must be an understanding of the unique features and characteristics of the autistic child. A teacher must organize the childs environment so the child is able to focus on relevant information and not be distracted by irrelevant things. The teacher must also develop appropriate activities to engage the student and not frustrate them. The instructor must also help the student understand what is expected of them so they do not have any disruptions to their routine or be inadvertently thrust outside of their comfort zone. Despite a teachers best efforts to reduce the stress, anxiety and frustration of the environment, behavioral challenges will still arise, depending on the characteristics of the autistic child. Conclusion Autistic Spectrum Disorder has come out of the shadows and gained notoriety in todays society through the actions of celebrities, organizations, and parents of autistic children as awareness of this increasingly prevalent disorder increases exponentially with research, education and mainstreaming. Since it was identified just a little over a half century ago, ASD has gained attention and momentum and tremendous strides in identification, possible causes, treatment, societal reaction/interaction, the learning/teaching cooperative, have provided lofty expectations for the future. While teaching students with ASD is challenging, it can also be hugely rewarding. Teaching methods like TEACCH, which encompass the basic principles and techniques found to be most effective and least upsetting for the autistic child: consistency in a passive environment, an unvaried schedule and basic repetitive routine enable teachers to help the autistic student learn and progress within a safety zone geared toward their own individual learning style. Although there is no cure, there have been significant strides in identifying, developing and implementing new treatments every day. Children with ASD are often able to lead full, happy, and productive lives, interacting with society on their own terms. One can only hope that the strides of today will be not only matched but outpaced in the future as ASD becomes not a mysterious disorder of unknown origin, but a minor affliction overcome by millions, unidentifiable and without stigma in the mainstream world. Bibliography Carew, Betty. (2009, January 28). The History of autism. Retrieved from http://healthmad.com/children/the-history-of-autism/ Kogan, Michael, et al. (2009). Prevalence of parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in the US, 2007. Pediatrics, 10.1542(1522) Schopler, E, Reichler, RJ, DeVellis, RF, Daly, K. (1980). Toward Objective classification of childhood autism: childhood autism rating scale (cars). J Autism Dev Disorder, 10(1), 91-103. Secor, M.L. (2009, january 6). Child autism rating scale. Retrieved from http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Childhood_Autism_Rating_Scale Rimland, Bernard. (1964). Infantile autism: the syndrome and its implications for a neural theory of behavior. New York: Prentice Hall. Schmid, Randolph. (2010, march 12). Court says thimerosal did not cause autism. Associated Press, Wang, Kai, et al. (2009). common genetic variants on 5p14.1 associate with autism spectrum disorders. Nature, 459(528-533), Retrieved from http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7246/full/nature07999.html Bailey, D. B., Jr., D. D. Hatton, et al. (2001). Autistic behavior, fmr1 protein, and developmental trajectories in young males with fragile x syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 31(2), 165-174. Genetics, autism and priorities. (1997). Autism Research Review International, 11(2), Retrieved from http://autism.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ/YazTi=1sdn=autismcdn=healthtm=27f=00tt=14bt=1bts=1zu=http%3A//www.autism.com/ari/faq/faq_diets.htm Exkorn, Karen Siff. (2005). The autism sourcebook everything you need to know about diagnosis, treatment, coping, and healing. New York, NY: HarperCollins. Shopler, E (1997) Implementation of TEACCH philosophy. In D. Cohen and F. Volkmar (eds). Handbook of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders. New York: Wiley. Autism Spectrum disorders Introduction Autism awareness in todays society has moved from the shadow of shame and unknown to the forefront of research and education as an increasing number of children and people with Autism Spectrum disorders gain attention in every aspect of their everyday lives. This paper will attempt to explore the many faces of autism: identification, possible causes, treatment, societal reaction/interaction, the learning/teaching cooperative, and expectations for the future regarding this disorder in an ever evolving and expanding society. What is Autism? How does it manifest? Are there specific characteristics inherent to the disorder? How was it discovered? Who gets it? How is it diagnosed? When? Has the cause been identified? Is it hereditary, environmental or societal? Is there a cure? What kind of treatment is available, and how has it changed since discovery of the disorder? Do autistic children face specific learning challenges? What teaching methods best reach autistic children? Are some methods more effective than others? Autism is very broad, far-reaching and involved, but herein I expect to go from a brief discussion of the broad topic to the specific: How does autism affect the learning/teaching relationship between children and teachers? What is Autism? Autism was first thought to be mental retardation or insanity. In 1943, Leo Kanner noticed that these children did not fit the pattern of emotionally disturbed children and instead recorded patterns of being slow learners. Hans Asperger, making similar discoveries, discovered what has come to be known as Aspergers Syndrome often used to label autistic people that can talk. Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger, working completely independent of one another, recognized autism for what it was: a developmental disorder that interferes with a childs communication, social and interaction behavior. (Carew, 2009) Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). It is a bio-neurological developmental disability usually appearing before the age of three, best known for impairing a childs ability to communicate and interact. Life-long disabilities significantly impact several areas of development: communication impairments, social difficulty, sensory processing deficits and a need for solid routines within their lives. Characteristics of Autism manifests in a myriad of ways: delay in verbal development, a need to finish what they begin, a rather h3 resistance to change in daily routine, lack of spontaneity, distress at being touched and the ability to show any kind of emotion, as well as an inability to process and respond to humor. There are five subcategories associated with ASD, each with its own distinctive and unique features: Autistic Disorder, Aspergers Disorder, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD), Retts Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Treatment within each subcategory is as diverse and varied as the individual being treated, depending on the individuals personality, unique symptoms and manifestation of autism. How is it Diagnosed? To help determine the difference between autism and mental retardation, a qualified professional will examine and score children who are suspected of having autism through a questionnaire based on direct observation by professionals and reports given by parents, family members, and teachers. This test is known as CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) and was developed by Eirc Shopler, Robert Reichier and Barbara Rochen Reiner. (Schopler, Reichler, DeVellis, Daly, 1980) CARS was published in 1980, but the development began a lot earlier, in 1966. A Study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center determined an accuracy rating of 98% in diagnosing children and showed encouraging results in diagnosing adolescents as well. CARS incorporates the criteria of Leo Kanner (1943) and Creak (1964), and characteristic symptoms of childhood autism. (Schopler et al., 1980) The test focuses on 15 categories of behaviors, characteristics, and abilities and how the expected development is different than the actual development if autistic symptoms are present. The categories are: Relating to people, imitation, emotional response, body use, object use, adaptation to change, visual response, listening response, taste, smell and touch response and use, fear or nervousness, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, activity level, level and consistency of intellectual response, and general impressions. A child can score on a scale of one to four. Scoring a one meets a normal range for a childs age and scoring a four means the child is severely abnormal. (Secor, 2009) Who Gets It? Although it is unclear how much of the surge reflects better diagnosis, recent data suggests a 10-fold increase in autism rates over the past decade. The journal, Pediatrics, released on October 5, 2009, reported one percent of U.S. children ages 3-17 have an Autism Spectrum disorder, a prevalence of 1 in 91. This is a dramatic increase from the 2007 report by the Center for Disease Control reported 1 in 150 children diagnosed with Autism. Boys are diagnosed four times more often than girls. There has been no connection established regarding socio-economic status, race or religion in identifying autistic individuals. (Kogan, 2009) Cause of Autism All over the world, researchers are working to find just what causes Autism. However no direct, specific cause of Autism has been determined, to date. The pressure to identify a cause is a top priority among researchers and it appears, due to the various levels of severity and combinations of symptoms, there may be multiple causes and scientific evidence suggests both genetic and/or environmental factors. Because of intense research, there are several specific claims that have been disproven. Bruno Bettelheim, a once well-renowned child psychologist, blamed autism on parents, specifically mothers, claiming they did not properly bond with their children. There is no evidence to support that claim. Due in large part to Dr. Bernard Rimland, who has an autistic son, founded the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research institute. Dr. Rimland was instrumental in helping to determine autism as a biological disorder not a causal effect, ie., neglect, isolation, cold, indifferent or bad parenting. He disproved the theory by defining ASDs as biological disorders, not emotional illnesses in his book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior (Rimland, 1964). However, Dr Rimland is a proponent of another high profile controversial claim suggesting vaccinations given to children during babyhood may be a cause of the disorder. Despite Dr Rimlands advocacy and beliefs, this claim has little or no scientific backing. In fact, in a timely ruling Friday, March 12, 2010, the so-called vaccine court, a special branch of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, found that the mercury-containing vaccine preservative thimerosal is not to blame for autism, and concluded the last of three cases on theories related to a vaccine-autism relationship. A 2009 ruling rejected a theory that thimerasol can cause autism when combined with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, which perhaps was based on a discredited medical journal article published in 1998 by British physician, Dr. Andrew Wakefield, linking a particular type of autism and bowel disease to the measles vaccine. The 2009 ruling predicated the dropping of a second case based on a theory that certain vaccines alone cause autism. Interestingly, in this third case, the court found that none of the expert witnesses who argued mercury can have a variety of effects on the brain, offered opinions on the cause of autism in any of the three specific cases argued. (Schmid, 2010)(emphasis added) Two studies conducted by researchers at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia link specific genes to autism. One study pinpoints a gene region that may account for as many as 15 percent of autism cases, while another study identifies missing or duplicated stretches of DNA along two crucial gene pathways. Significantly, both studies detected genes implicated in the development of brain circuitry in early childhood. (Wang, 2009) A specific connection between fragile x (FXS) and autism has also been found. Dr. Don Bailey , director of the Frank Porter Graham Institute, and colleagues found that in young boys with FXS, 25% met the criteria for autism using the (CARS). Their profile of behaviors was very similar to that of children with autism but without fragile X. Consequently, they also found that children with autism and FXS together, had a lower IQ than children with either FXS alone or autism alone. (Bailey, Jr., Hatton, et al., 2001) Methods of Treatment Since 1943, many ways have been developed to help the autistic child. Then, the famous Sigmund Freud discovered that parents who did not attempt to communicate with an autistic child saw no progress, while a close parent/child relationship seemed to cause the child to thrive and move forward. Although it lingered well into the 50s and 60s, Freuds theory lacked two critical bits information: first, oftentimes the parent didnt try to interact with the child due to the Autistic behavior; and second, in some cases it was a genetically inherited personality. For a time, children were removed from their home to see if they would recover although there was no clear-cut evidence of any value in future use of this method. Due to research and study, it was found that facilitated communication could teach the child to communicate with the world; for example an autistic child could be taught to manage and control his emotions; a parent could help a child desensitize from the over sensitivity to sound. Today, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Occupational Therapy (OT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Physical Therapy (PT), Sensory Integration Therapy, Floortime, and medications, all have a place in accepted scientific treatment. Alternative methods are also sometimes used. These can include Dietary intervention, Vitamins and Minerals, Social Skills Groups, Music and Art Therapy, and even Dolphin Therapy. One of the most tried and true methods utilized today, Applied Behavior Therapy (ABA) is usually accompanied by Physical Therapy and Occupational therapy. As with any treatment there are good and bad points associated with each. ABA was developed by Dr. Ivar Lovaas and contains the B.F. Skinners theories on operant conditioning. This treatment includes rewards which may include toys or treats, for acceptable behavior. There is no punishment for wrong or incorrect behavior, however. There are a myriad of steps involved, and a fairly rigid structure to this method. ABA is very time-consuming and has shown many positive results. According to some ongoing research, diet may be fueling Autism. There is convincing empirical evidence that special diets help autistic individuals. Karl Reichelt of Oslo has been a pioneer in this area for decades, showing the highly significant effects of removing gluten, gliadin and casein from the diets of autistic children. There are now about forty research st

Two Main Categories of Collaboration Essay -- Collaboration Writing Cl

Two Main Categories of Collaboration The first thing I noticed about the subject of collaboration is that it is huge—there are as many styles, types, methods, rationales, theories, benefits and drawbacks as there are theorists and scholars. Additionally, almost no one appears to agree on even such simple matters as terminology (Is it collaborative writing or collaborative learning? Is it peer response, review, or editing?), let alone on actual application and practice. As Kenneth Bruffee states in â€Å"Collaborative Learning and the ‘Conversation of Mankind,’† an essay many supporters and detractors of collaborative writing hearken back to time and time again, his essay â€Å"offers no recipes† because there are no recipes for effectively adding collaborative writing to an English classroom (394). There are merely guidelines for successful collaboration and rationales supporting or denying the usefulness of incorporating collaborative writing. Kenneth Topping, director for the Cen tre for Paired Learning at Dundee University, supporting the notion that collaboration is without rules or recipe, writes, â€Å"Collaborative writing is not a single homogeneous procedure† (1). There are two main categories of collaboration: dialogic and hierarchical. Rebecca Moore Howard explains in her guide â€Å"Assigning Collaborative Writing—Tips for Teachers† that â€Å"in dialogic collaboration, the group works together in all aspects of the project, whereas in hierarchical collaboration, the group divides the task into component parts and assigns certain components to each group member† (1) George Landow, in â€Å"Hypertext: The Convergence of Contemporary Critical Theory and Technology,† identifies four basic types of collaboration, some dialogic, some hierar... ...tive Learning.† in Cross-Talk in Comp Theory: A Reader. Ed. Victor Villanueva, Jr. Urbana, Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English, 1997. 439-456. Weiner, Harvey S. â€Å"Collaborative Learning in the Classroom: A Guide to Evaluation.† The Writing Teacher’s Sourcebook. Eds. Gary Tate and Corbett. New York, NY: Oxford UP: 1988. 238-247. Yancey, Kathleen Blake, & Spooner, Michael. â€Å"Collaborative/Social Process Theory.† in Theorizing Composition: A Critical Sourcebook of Theory and Scholarship in Contemporary Composition Studies. Ed. Mary Kennedy. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1995. 37-41. Zeni, Jane. â€Å"Oral Collaboration, Computers, and Revision.† in Writing With: New Directions in Collaborative Teaching, Learning, and Research. Eds. Bleich, David; Fox, Thomas; Reagan, Sally Barr. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1994. 213-226.

Presenting People in Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in

Presenting People in Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes, and Island Man In this essay I will compare the ways in which the poets present people in â€Å"Two Scavengers in a truck, two beautiful people in a Mercedes† by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and â€Å"Island Man† by Grace Nichols. In this essay I will look at the shape, structure, poetic devices and language in both poems. Firstly I will examine what the two poems are about and the ways how both poets portray the people in the poems. The poem â€Å"Two Scavengers in a truck, two beautiful people in a Mercedes† is about a coincidence meeting of the two working class scavengers and a beautiful, rich couple in Mercedes. This poem was set in America and was aimed to show that there is class division and was commenting on American society. In this poem there is a huge contrast between rich and poor. I know this because the description of the two scavengers and the rich couple shows us the inequality that the two classes have. The poem is not set in stanzas but can be divided into 5 stages. It is more s...

Diabetes Mellitus Essay -- essays research papers

Diabetes Mellitus Is a multisystem disease related to abnormal insulin production, impaired insulin utilization, or both. Diabetes Mellitus is a serious health problem throughout the world. It is the 5th leading cause of death in the U.S. It is the leading cause of heart disease, stroke, adult blindness, and nontraumatic lower limb amputations. Etiology and Pathophysiology Current theories link the cause of diabetes, singly or in combination, to genetic, autoimmune, viral, and environmental factors (obesity, stress). Regardless of its cause, diabetes is primarily a disorder of glucose metabolism related to absent or insufficient insulin supplies and/or poor utilization of the insulin that is available. The two most common types of diabetes are classified as type I or type II diabetes mellitus. Gestational diabetes and secondary diabetes are other classifications of diabetes commonly seen in clinical practice Normal Insulin Metabolism Insulin is a hormone produced by the B cells in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. Under normal conditions, insulin is continuously released into the bloodstream in small pulsatile increments (a basal rate), with increased release (bolus) when food is ingested. The activity of released insulin lowers blood glucose and facilitates a stable, normal glucose range of approximately 70 to 120 mg/dl. The average amount of insulin secreted daily by and adult is approx. 40 to 50 U, or 0.6 U/kg of body weight. Other hormones (glucagons, epinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol) work to oppose the effects of insulin and are often referred to as counterregulatory hormones. These hormones work to increase blood glucose levels by stimulating glucose production and output by the liver and by decreasing the movement of glucose into the cells. Insulin and the these counterregulatory hormones provide a sustained but regulated release of glucose for energy during food intake and periods of fasting and usually maintain blood glucose levels within the normal range. An abnormal production of any or all of these hormones may be present in diabetes. Insulin is released from the pancreatic B cells as its precursor, proinsulin, and is then routed through the liver. Proinsulin is composed of two polypeptide chains, chain A and chain B, which are linked by the C-peptide chain. The presence of C peptide in serum and urine is a useful indic... ...d at bedtime). Pancreas Transplantation Is used as a tx option for patients with type I diabetes mellitus who have end-stage renal disease and who have had or plan to have a kidney transplant. Kidney and pancreas transplants are often done together. If renal failure is not present, the ADA recommends that pancreas transplantation should only be considered for patients who exhibit the following three criteria: *A history of frequent, acute, and severe metabolic complications (hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis) requiring medical attention *Clinical and emotional problems with exogenous insulin therapy that are so severe as to be incapacitating *Consistent failure of insulin-based management to prevent acute complications Successful pancreas transplantation can improve the quality of life of people with diabetes, primarily by eliminating the need for exogenous insulin, frequent daily blood glucose measurements and many of the dietary restrictions imposed by the disorder. Pts who undergo pancreas transplantation require immunosuppression to prevent rejection of the graft and potential recurrence of the autoimmune process that might again destroy pancreatic islet cells.

Essay on Technical Education in India

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is the statutory body and a national-level council for technical education, under Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. [2] Established in November 1945 first as an advisory body and later on in 1987 given statutory status by an Act of Parliament, AICTE is responsible for proper planning and coordinated development of the technical education and management education system in India.The AICTE accredits postgraduate and graduate programs under specific categories at Indian institutions as per its charter. [3] The AICTE Act of 1987 AICTE is vested with statutory authority for planning, formulation and maintenance of norms and standards, quality assurance through school accreditation, funding in priority areas, monitoring and evaluation, maintaining parity of certification and awards and ensuring coordinated and integrated development and management of technical education in the country as part of the AICTE Act No. 2 of 1987. The AICTE Act, stated verbatim reads: To provide for establishment of an All India council for Technical Education with a view to the proper planning and co-ordinated development of the technical education system throughout the country essay writer salary, the promotion of qualitative improvement of such education in relation to planned quantitative growth and the regulation and proper maintenance of norms and standards in the technical education system and for matters connected therewith where to buy essays online. [edit] Current objectiveIn order to improve upon the present technical education system, the current objectives is to modify the engineering curriculum as follows: 1. Greater emphasis on design oriented teaching, teaching of design methodologies, problem solving approach. 2. Greater exposure to industrial and manufacturing processes. 3. Exclusion of outmoded technologies and inclusion of the new appropriate and emerging technologies. 4. Greater input of management education and professional communication skills. edit] AICTE bureaus The AICTE comprises nine bureaus, namely: * Faculty Development (FD) Bureau * Undergraduate Education (UG) Bureau * Postgraduate Education and Research (PGER) Bureau * Quality Assurance (QA) Bureau * Planning and Co-ordination (PC) Bureau * Research and Institutional Development (RID) Bureau * Administration (Admin) Bureau * Finance (Fin) Bureau * Academic (Acad) Bureau For each bureau, adviser is the bureau head who is assisted by technical officers and other supporting staff.The multidiscipline technical officer and staff of the Council are on deputation or on contract from government departments, University Grants Commission, academic institutions, etc. References 1. ^ Regional Offices AICTE website. 2. ^ Technical Education Overview Department of Higher Education 3. ^ AICTE Act[dead link] 4. ^ National Level Councils Tech Ed. , Department of Higher Education. 5. ^ Growth of institutions affi liated to AICTE 6. ^ â€Å"UGC, AICTE to be scrapped: Sibal†. iGovernment. in. Retrieved 29 November 2011. 7. â€Å"AICTE to revamp its approval system next week†. Business Standard. Retrieved 29 November 2011. * | | All India Council for Technical Education| | Abbreviation| AICTE| Formation| November, 1945| Headquarters| New Delhi| Location| Kolkata, Chennai, Kanpur, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Bhopal, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Gurgaon[1]| Main organ| Council| Affiliations| Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development| Website| Official web site Remarks| Dr. S S Mantha, Chairperson (acting| |   

Career Goal-Setting Worksheet Essay

1. Adjust your professional or career goal you created in Week Two based on the Career Plan Building Activities results from the My Career Plan assignment. How did the results of the Career Interest Profiler and Career Plan Building Activity on Competencies contribute to your professional goal development? After seeing my results from each one of these I came to find that I came right on track with the career that I chose. Because in my Career Plan Building Activity the results was right on track because I love working with people. I can not think about working doing a nother kind of job because this is what I want to do. 2. Describe how you will balance academic expectations and your personal and professional responsibilities. I believe the most important expectation would be to contact my advisor least once a week. Learn about what is required for me doing the time I am in school. Like the requirements for my major, policies, and procedures.And develop an plan such as my academic plan, including my timeline that I work as I near graduation. 3. How can understanding the importance of SMART criteria and your career interests and competencies help you move toward your career and academic goals? After doing my SMART criteria and interest profiler They let me know where I were haeded and now I know that I working toward the degree. Both the SMART criteria and the inerest profiler gave me some pretty good ideals about what kind of job I should have. Both let me knew that I love to work with other people. 4. Now that you have set academic goals and identified your career interests, explain the relationship between academic goals, skills, and professional goals. My academic goal is to one day be able to work with groups of people and may work with kids. And the professional goal I am working toward getting is near the same as the each of these the academic gaols, skills, and my professional. I plan to work toward my career goal by doing what ever it take in achieve my goal.