Category Archives: Batten Disease Treatment

Have you ever heard a family member talk about your first step or the first word you spoke? For kids with cerebral palsy, called CP for short, taking a first step or saying a first word may not be as easy. That's because CP is a condition that can affect the things that kids do every day. Some kids with CP use wheelchairs and others walk with the help of crutches or braces. In some cases, a kid's speech may be affected or the person might not be able to speak at all. Cerebral palsy (say: seh-REE-brel PAWL-zee) is a condition that affects thousands of babies and children each year. It is not contagious, which means you can't catch it from anyone who has it. The word cerebral means having to do with the brain. The word palsy means a weakness or problem in the way a person moves or positions his or her body. A kid with CP has trouble controlling the muscles of the body. Normally, the brain tells the rest of the body exactly what to do and when to do it. But because CP affects the brain, depending on what part of the brain is affected, … Continue reading →

Spastic cerebral palsy is the type of cerebral palsy wherein spasticity is the exclusive impairment present. Itself an umbrella term encompassing spastic hemiplegia, spastic diplegia, spastic quadriplegia and where solely one limb or one specific area of the body is affected spastic monoplegia. Spastic cerebral palsy affects the cerebral cortex[1] and is overwhelmingly the most common type of overall cerebral palsy. The Society for Cerebral Palsy in Europe (SCPE) estimates that the spasticity-only cerebral palsy classification sweeps in 90% of global cerebral palsy cases. But even if the 90% assertion is an exaggeration, more conservative scientific estimates still place the prevalence of spasticity-dominant or spasticity-only cerebral palsy at anywhere from 7080% of all cases, leaving cases dominated by ataxic cerebral palsy, dyskinetic cerebral palsy and athetoid cerebral palsy trailing at 2030%.[medical citation needed] People with the spastic/spasticity type of CP are hypertonici.e., they present with very stiff and tight muscle groups, far greater than typical humansand have what is essentially a neuromuscular mobility impairment (rather than hypotonia or paralysis) which stems from an upper motor neuron lesion in the brain. The corticospinal tract or the motor cortex may be secondarily affected. Spastic muscles are continuously contracting, or "tight", because the … Continue reading →

No single test can be used to diagnose cerebral palsydiagnosis involves understanding your childs medical history and identifying symptoms consistent with the condition. Diagnosing cerebral palsy as soon as possible ensures early intervention and a lifetime of excellent medical care. In some cases, cerebral palsy is diagnosed shortly after birth. Babies born prematurely or who have other significant risk factors are most likely to receive an early diagnosisoften via an MRI study that shows injury to the brain. A neurological exam with abnormal results also helps support an early diagnosis. With an early diagnosis, your baby might receive evaluations or consultations while still in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Once your baby comes home from the hospital, regular visits with cerebral palsy specialists play an important role in maximizing your childs health and abilities. Most often, children receive a cerebral palsy diagnosis when they are age 1 to 3. Children diagnosed as a toddler usually have a birth and medical history that increases their risk of cerebral palsy. Symptoms at birth, however, might not be clear enough to warrant an early diagnosis. You might suspect cerebral palsy if your child misses milestones (such as sitting up or crawling) or … Continue reading →

What is cerebral palsy? Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability of childhood. The term CP itself refers to a group of disorders that affect muscle tone, posture and movement as a result of damage to an infant's developing brain. Though the damage doesn't progress, its clinical expression and symptoms change over time with growth and development. Children with CP often have one or more associated neurologic conditions, including learning disabilities and developmental delays, epilepsy, problems with vision or hearing, and challenges with speech and communication. Often, there can be additional medical concerns such as feeding and nutritional difficulties, drooling, and respiratory symptoms. Although CP is a lifelong condition that can't be reversed, children with the diagnosis can lead rich, fulfilling lives with proper medical and surgical management as needed. Because CP is an umbrella term that can refer to several different types of brain injury, it's important to seek treatment from experts from many different disciplines who understand: The team of specialists in the Cerebral Palsy and Spasticity Centerat Boston Children's Hospital provides interdisciplinary evaluation and treatmentfor children with CP and other neuromuscular conditions. We combine expertise in orthopedic surgery, complex care, neurologyand neurosurgery, among several other … Continue reading →

What is cerebral palsy? Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term for describing a group of chronic disorders that impair a person's ability to control body movement and posture. These disorders result from injury to the motor areas of the brain. Cerebral palsy affects two to six infants out of every 1,000 births, and is the most common disability among children in the U.S. The problem causing cerebral palsy may occur while the infant is still in the womb or after birth, and the problem is not always detectable during a child's first year of life. Children with mild cerebral palsy may only have a minor limp or an uncoordinated walk, while patients with severe cases will require care and supervision throughout their lives. Many of the infants born with cerebral palsy also experience some degree of mental retardation and/or have seizures. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form and is the type seen in 75 to 80 percent of cases. Patients with this form are unable to relax their muscles, which respond by tightening further if the patient or someone else tries to stretch them. This spasticity affects the function of individual muscles, especially flexor muscles. When spasticity occurs … Continue reading →

Treatment with a clot-busting medicine or an emergency procedure to restore the blood flow through the blocked blood vessel is usually done as soon as possible. This is to prevent or minimise any damage to your heart muscle. Other treatments help to ease the pain and to prevent complications. Reducing various risk factors can help to prevent a heart attack. The heart is mainly made of special muscle (myocardium). The heart pumps blood into blood vessels (arteries) which take the blood to every part of the body. Like any other muscle, the heart muscle needs a good blood supply. The coronary arteries take blood to the heart muscle. The main coronary arteries branch off from the aorta. The aorta is the large artery which takes oxygen-rich blood from the heart chambers to the body. The main coronary arteries divide into smaller branches which take blood to all parts of the heart muscle. See separate leaflet called The Heart and Blood Vessels. If you have a heart attack, a coronary artery or one of its smaller branches is suddenly blocked. The part of the heart muscle supplied by this artery loses its blood (and oxygen) supply if the vessel is blocked. … Continue reading →

Interventional cardiologists use non-surgical techniques usually by running a catheter through the arteries into and around the heart to repair the blockages that cut off the flow of blood in and out of the heart. Our cardiologists perform angioplasties, in which a balloon attached to the catheter clears the arteries, and are also experienced in the use of stents. In addition to traditional stents, WVU uses drug-eluting stents, which deliver medication directly to the site of the blockage. At the WVU Heartand Vascular Institute, we perform between 1,500 to 1,800 angioplasties and stent placements annually. For a heart attack patient, door to balloon is the time from arrival at the hospital until the start of balloon angioplasty. The national goal for door to balloon is 90 minutes. The WVU Heartand Vascular Institute far exceeds that goal. We have the doctors, technology, and facilities, including our cardiac labs, to make a rapid diagnosis and take quick, effective action 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Weve refined our coordination and teamwork to a science. Treatments/procedures performed at the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute include: Radial Artery Access Cardiac CatheterizationWVU Heart and Vascular Institute interventional cardiologists offer … Continue reading →

Gwinnett Medical Center's cardiac services includes two of Metro Atlantas most state-of-the-art electrophysiology (EP) labs at its Strickland Heart Center in Lawrenceville. These labs will allow the cardiac experts at GMC to diagnose and treat heart arrhythmias, or problems related to the hearts rhythm. A quivering or irregular heartbeat can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 2.7 million Americans are living with these complications, which includes atrial fibrillation (AFib). If you suspect that you may suffer from AFib, have it checked out. Call 678-312-5000 or find a cardiologist near you. Gwinnett Medical Centers EP program also features the subcutaneous implantable cardiac defibrillator (SICD) procedure. GMC was also only the second hospital system in Georgia and the first in North Metro Atlanta to conduct this procedure, which enables a defibrillator to be placed directly under the skin without touching the heart. Since this amazing innovation in cardiovascular care does not involve placement of a lead inside the heart, it offers an important alternative for patients who have no vascular access or younger patients who may require multiple defibrillators during their lifetime. From diagnosing heart disease to treating cardiovascular … Continue reading →

The tragic unexpected loss of a dog is always painful. Most of us dont think of our dogs suddenly dying with no warning, but it does occur. Understanding what happened and how it happened are a significant part of closure to our loss. In a study of autopsies performed at Purdue University Small Animal Diagnostic Laboratory1 over a five-year period, nearly 10 percent (112 cases) had been associated with sudden unexpected death. None of these dogs had a history of existing disease. Dog owners often jump to conclusions in these cases -- Somebody poisoned my dog! -- when in reality malicious poisonings are extremely uncommon and most of those suspected are inadvertent exposures. The causes found by pathologists involved: A similar survey had been published in Canada and resulted in similar figures2. Causes of Death Unfortunately, in spite of all efforts, some causes of death remain undetermined. However, it is always good to pursue a cause of death for your own peace of mind and to protect other pets. General causes of sudden death can be grouped according to the organ system involved: Toxins may also be involved but no one toxin is more likely to have caused a dogs … Continue reading →

A note about pre-requisite learning: A clear understanding of human acid-base physiology is necessary before you begin this learning activity An introduction to acid-base imbalances will facilitate your understanding of the contents within this tutorial. Upon completion of this learning activity, you will be able to orecognize clinical manifestations associated with acid-base imbalances. omatch pH values with acid-base imbalances. oselect the correct answer following the review of each case study. ocompare and contrast the step-wise assessment of determining the acid-base balance of the blood. oidentify the appropriate etiology of metabolic acidosis/alkalosis and respiratory acidosis/alkalosis. odifferentiate between compensatory and non-compensatory ABG changes. Sometimes reading and deciphering Arterial Blood Gases (ABGs) can be a challenge! I have provided an interactive online tutorial for your review. Arterial blood gas values reflect ventilation and acid-base balance. The results include the arterial blood pH (concentration of hydrogen ions in the blood) , partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) dissolved in the arterial plasma, and the concentration of sodium bicarbonate (HCO3-) in the blood. Our bodies regulate an acid-base balance through a "buffer system." This buffer system neutralizes acids. There are three buffer systems that exist for the maintenance of our acid-base equilibrium: a buffer system … Continue reading →