Causes and Effects of Learning Difficulties

Causes and Effects of Learning Difficulties All learning disabilities are neurological disorders, the effects are from difference in the way an individual’s brain function. Children with learning disabilities can be as smart as their peers who do not have learning challenges. However, it can be difficult for children with learning disabilities to read, write, reason, recall information, spell and often times figure things out on their own without guidance. Learning disabilities are usually lifelong issues and they cannot be fixed or cured. Children that suffer from learning disabilities can succeed in school with the right support and supervision. Parents play an important part in a child’s success in school. Parents should encourage children’s strengths and know their weakness. They should understand the education system and learn about strategies in overcoming specific difficulties in the learning disability by collaborations and educating themselves by professionals. Many famous people in American histo ry had learning disabilities such as Albert Einstein who wasn’t able to read until age nine (What is a Learning Disability? | LD OnLine, n.d.). According to the National Institutes of Health one in every seven Americans suffers from at least one learning disability. Reading difficulty dominates with up to 80 percent of students struggling with reading on a daily basis. Additionally, basic reading and language abilities are commonly present in children that suffer from learning disabilities. Modern medicine has come a long way in diagnosing and treating some of the common learning disabilities such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) and Dyslexia, as well as the lesser known Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Visual Perceptual and Visual Motor Deficit. Scientists are learning every day how to better diagnose and increase support for those that are burdened with learning challenges. If a child’s learning disability is discovered early enough in their life the right guidance can help the child develop the necessary skills needed to live a productive life. Recently the National Institute of Health held a study which revealed over 67 percent of students with reading difficulties becoming at an average level or above in reading after special help was provided in early grades. If a parent is educated and aware of the early signs of learning disabilities, they can recognize potential signs early and get them help. Many parents can recognize character in their children that can possibly be caused by learning disabilities. At a preschool age if a parent notices the pronunciation problems, difficulty following directions, slow vocabulary, pronunciation, trouble learning numbers, alphabet, colors and shapes and often speaks later than children their age they should get their child checked for learning disabilities. In kindergarten through fourth grade children with disabilities can show signs of slow learning the connections between letters and sounds, confusing basic words, making constant spelling and reading errors and poor coordination. Through grade 5 and 8 children may have difficulty with handwriting, reverse letter sequences, trouble making friends and trouble understanding body language and facial expressions. In high school and through their adult years a person with a learning disability may continue to spell incorrectly, have trouble summarizing, and difficulty adjusting to new settings. Learning disabilities were an unknown phenomenon simply chalked up to be Minima brain damage prior to the 1940’s. There was no difference between a student with brain damage, and a lower IQ, versus a student with a high intelligence and a learning disability (History of Learning Disabilities (Part 1), n.d.). Dr. Douglas Haddad says â€Å"children who exhibited difficulties in learning were thought to be mentally retarded, displayed emotional disturbances, or be socially and culturally disturbed. Early studies on individuals with learning problems reported that they had the same learning problems as individuals who were shown to have brain damage, but appeared normal, otherwise. Thus, the term â€Å"minimal brain damage† was introduced. â€Å". Further research suggested that these learning issues were not so much issues with the brain itself, but more biologically stimulated learning disabilities. The term â€Å"minimal brain dysfunction† (MBD) was introduced. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy created the President’s Panel on Mental Retardation (Chiles, 1987). Increasing amounts of cases caused interest in student learning, and research began. â€Å"In 1969, the federal government recognized â€Å"specific learning disabilities† as a category with special education. The concept of specific learning disabilities referred to a certain subgroup of students who did not achieve academically with their ability, seemingly due to a central nervous system dysfunction that was mainly attributed to a wide spectrum of psychological disorders.† -Dr. Douglas Haddad. Now students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have special programs set up for them to learn in an environment unique to their needs. Our senses are separated, so not everything that our ears hear is interpreted by our brains. This would be the case with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Students with this disorder can have hearing that is passing, or even above average for their auditory test, but have trouble learning due to the fact that they cannot interpret the sounds that they hear. For the average person the brain processes sounds seamlessly and almost instantly. With APD, some difference mixes that process, to a child with APD, â€Å"Do you want to ride your bike or watch a movie?† may be processed or perceived as â€Å"Do you like Mike or batch cookies†. It can make simple questions or commands extremely difficult for someone who has been diagnosed with APD. Other learning disorders present very similar problems in daily tasks. Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia are two examples of other learning disorders that can make the normal learning process a difficult and uncomfortable experience. Dyscalcul ia is defined as a mathematical disability in which a person has a difficult time solving arithmetic problems and grasping math concepts. Dysgraphia is defined as a writing disability in which a person finds it hard to form letter or write within a defined space. Children and adults can suffer from one or more of these learning disabilities which would make conventional learning extremely difficult (Understood | For Learning and Attention Issues Understood, n.d.). The understood team, authors for theunderstood.org say †Many children with APD also have dyslexia, ADHD and other conditions. Recent research suggests that auditory processing issues may be a contributing factor to dyslexia.† Professionals can diagnose these different learning disorders, and generally they diagnose them at a young age. There is no difference in what these children see or hear, but there is a major difference in the way that they receive this information. They can struggle in one area such as Math, or English, or even memory but excel in others. Specialized teachers can play a major part in ensuring that these children succeed in today’s world. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder had first been described in 1902 by a Sir George Still, followed by the evidence that ADHD could arise from brain injury in 1923 by a Franklin Ebaugh; in 1967 the Federal Government funds (National Institute of Mental Health) first used for studying effects of stimulants on children with hyperactivity. Statistics of ADHD had begun in 1972 with a little under 6% for the National Health Interview Survey, followed by a second survey in 1976 with statistics closer to 5% in a time where Cylert, Dextrostat and Dexadrine had come on to the market to compete with Adderall (Data and Statistics | ADHD | NCBDDD | CDC, n.d.). This however was the beginning of the mediation processes which had started to overtake practical practices of helping this dysfunction. The rates of ADHD only continued to grow by a slower percentage, but picking up to approximately 3% per year from 1997 to 2006 and an average of approximately 5% per year from 2003 to 2011, surveys showing that the increase is growing exponentially by the years! In 2003 the survey had a statistic result of 7.8% for children diagnosed, then had grown to 9.5% in 2007 and in 2011 the statistic was up to 11% in children between the ages of 4-17 (6.4 million). The average varied from state to state with a low 5.6% in Nevada to a high of 18.7% in Kentucky (Data and Statistics | ADHD | NCBDDD | CDC, n.d.). Kids with ADHD tend to be easily distracted, missing details, and frequently changing what they are doing at the very moment after a few minutes. They have difficulty focusing on one thing and become bored very easily. Many times they have trouble focusing, organizing, learning and completing homework, often losing things such as pencils and toys. Day dreaming is common, difficulty processing information quickly and accurately, as well as following guidance or instructions. Also symptoms of hyperactivity may cause fighting, nonstop talking, dashing around, having difficulty doing t asks quietly and impulsively blurt out random comments, show emotions without restraint (NIMH †¢ Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, n.d.). Many victims of this disability are usually overlooked due to adults thinking it is simply disciplinary problems, but ADHD is growing because of genes, environmental factors, brain injuries, sugary foods and additives in foods. ADHD is treated with medications and various types of psychotherapy or combination of the treatments. The parents who have kids with this condition can help by making structure in the child’s life, such as organizing everyday items, using homework and notebook organizers, being clear and consistent, especially giving praise or rewards when rules are followed. Formal definition of dyslexia is â€Å"a disorder in children who, despite conventional classroom experience, fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities (World Federation of Ne urology, 1968, pg 26). . Dyslexia was first unknowingly discovered in 1890’s and early 1900s by a British ophthalmologist named James Hinshelwood. He defines it as a congenital defect, occurring in children with otherwise normal and undamaged brains characterized by a difficulty in learning to read. He noticed symptoms like difficulty reading and writing also letter reversal was largely common. Later on a neurologist in 1925 by the name of Samuel T. Orton worked primarily on stroke victims until he met a girl who could not read and had the same symptoms of those stroke victims. He then began to research, reading difficulties that are unrelated to brain damage and has determined a syndrome as such. Orton had observed that visual deficits did not cause dyslexia, but something else did. His theory was that the condition was caused in the brain by failure to establish hemispheric dominance. Orton also noticed that the children he was studying were largely left or mixed handed (He nry, 1998). Each individual experiences different severity of this learning disability, but all have the same symptoms that affect reading, fluency and comprehension, recalling information, writing, spelling and in some cases speech patterns. Dyslexia can also exist with other learning disabilities and can sometimes be the cause of those with learning disabilities. Dyslexia is often called the language based learning disability due to most of its symptoms being language related (Dyslexia, n.d.). Symptoms of dyslexia may include reading slowly, experiencing disorder of letters, difficulty with math computation and difficulty recalling known words. Some strategies in overcoming dyslexia include using Audiobooks and books with large print and spacing between the lines. Teachers should use other methods to allow progress for student with dyslexia such as allowing alternate forms of book reports, provide students with a copy of lecture notes, and teach student to use logic rather than memory on tests and other work. Through our eyesight we gain visual information that helps us process our surroundings and allows us to manage our daily activities. Our visual perception plays a key role in our abilities to learn mathematics, spelling and reading. Deficits in visual perception can lead to learning deficiencies in learning basic mathematics, recognizing and remembering words and letters, also the mathematical concepts of size and position, as well as mixing up words with similar begi nnings and poor handwriting. All these characteristically been associated with learning disabilities of visual processing disorder. Auditory processing disorder involves a deficit in a person’s ability to analyze information received through hearing. It is not to be confused with problems such as deafness or being hard of hearing. A person with auditory processing disorder can hear just fine the issue is much deeper in the way the brain processes the information received. This learning disability interferes with language and speech learning as well as reading and spelling. Especially when instructions given in classrooms are primarily verbal, a child with this deficit can have extremely hard time following instructions and understanding the lesson. Some ways teachers can help students with this disability include allowing students to dictate creative stories, allowing use of computer word processing, avoiding grading handwriting, using large print books, providing tracking to ols for reading such as rulers and text windows and providing alternatives to written assignments for those students (Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit, n.d.). In comparison to the general population people with learning disabilities have a greater chance of developing physical and mental issues. As a result of their lack of ability to properly describe their symptoms to a health care professional many are left untreated. Although life expectancy is increasing over time individuals with learning disability still are at a higher risk of early death (Hollins et al., 1998; McGuigan et al., 1995). Parents play a great role in a child learning process, especially when a child has a learning deficiency. Parents need to keep things in perspective, if to help their child succeed. Learning disabilities are not undefeatable, give your child plenty of physical and emotional support. Be an expert in your child, every child is unique even when they have the same learning disability do your own research into what helps and what does for your child. Learn about programs and techniques that can improve their learning ability. Embrace being a proactive parent and speak up for your child to get special attention they need from teachers and other educators but remain calm and realistic. Remember to be a good role model for your child as they do follow in your footsteps regardless of learning disability or not. References Chiles,L. (1987). Federal involvement in mental retardation programs: Past, present, and future directions.American Psychologist. doi:10.1037//0003-066X.42.8.792 Data and Statistics | ADHD | NCBDDD | CDC. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html Dyslexia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/dyslexia/ Henry,M.K. (1998). Structured, sequential, multisensory teaching: The Orton legacy.Annals of Dyslexia,48(1), 1-26. doi:10.1007/s11881-998-0002-9 History of Learning Disabilities (Part 1). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://learningdisabilities.about.com/od/whatisld/fl/History-of-Learning-Disabilities-Part-1.htm Hollins, S., Attard, M.T., von Fraunhofer, N. Sedgwick, P. (1998). Mortality in people with learning disability: risks, causes, and death certification findings in London. Developmental Medicine Child Neurology, 40, 50-56. McGuigan, S.M., Hollins, S. Attard, M. (1995). Age-specific standardized mortality rates in people with learning disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 39, 527-531. NIMH Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/index.shtml?rf=71264 Understood | For Learning and Attention Issues Understood. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.understood.org/en Visual Perceptual/Visual Motor Deficit. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ldaamerica.org/types-of-learning-disabilities/visual-perceptual-visual-motor-deficit/ What is a Learning Disability? | LD OnLine. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/ldbasics/whatisld World Federation of Neurology. (1968). Report of research group on dyslexia and world illiteracy. Dallas: WFN

Health Paper-Hypertension Essay

Hypertension also known as high blood pressure is a common condition in which the force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. Blood pressure is determined by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure. High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke and a major cause of heart attack. In the U.S alone, more than 30% of American adults have high blood pressure. Hypertension is often called the â€Å"the silent killer† because it rarely caauses symptoms, even as it inflicts serious damage to the body. You can have high blood pressure for years without any symptoms. If your blood pressure is uncontrolled it can increase your risk of serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke. High blood pressure develops over many years, and it affects nearly everyone eventually. Although high blood pressure is most common in adults, children may be at risk also. For some children, high blood pressure is caused by problems with the kidneys or heart. But for a growing number of kids, poor lifestyle habits, such as an unhealthy diet and lack of exercise contribute to high blood pressure. Most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms, even if blood pressure readings reach dangerously high levels. Although a few people with early stage high blood pressure may have dull headaches, dizzy spells or a few more nosebleeds than normal, these signs and symptoms typically don’t occur until high blood pressure has reached a severe, even life threatening stage. Thankfully, high blood pressure can be easily detected. Once you know you have it you can work with your doctor in controlling it. There are two types of high blood pressure. First, Primary (essential) hypertension. For most adults, there’s no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure, tends to develop gradually over many years. Second, Seconday hypertension. Some people have high blood pressure caused by an underlying condition. This type of high blood pressure, tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension. Various conditions and medications can lead to secondary hypertension. High blood pressure has many risk factors including: age(the risk of high blood pressure increases as you age), race, family history, being overweight or obese(the more you weigh,the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients you your tissues), not being physically active, using tobacco, using to much salt in your diet(too much salt can cause your body to retain fluid which increases blood pressure), too little potassiium in your diet, too little vitamin D in your diet, drinking alcohol, stress and certain chronic conditions. The excessive pressure on your artery walls caused by high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels, as well as organs in your body. The higher your blood pressure and the longer it goes uncontrolled, the greater the damage. High blood pressure can cause hardening and thickening of the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other complications. Blood pressure is measured with an inflatable arm cuff and pressure measuring gauge. A blood pressure reading, has two numbers. The first, or upper, number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats which is called systolic pressure. The second, or lower, number measures the pressure in your arteries between beats which is called diastolic pressure. There are four general blood pressure measurements. Fist, normal blood pressue. Your blood pressure is normal if it’s below 120/80. However, some doctors recomment 115/75 as a better goal. Once blood pressure rises above 115/75 the risk of cardiovascular disease begins to increase. Second, prehypertension. Prehypertension is a blood pressure measurement of 120/80 to 139/89. Prehypertension tends to get worse over time. Third, Stage 1 hypertension. Stage 1 hypertension is a blood pressure reading ranging from 140/90 to 159/99. Fourth, Stage 2 hypertension. More severe hypertension, stage 2 hypertension is a blood pressure reading of 160/100 or higher. Changing your lifestyle can go a long way torward controlling high blood pressure. But sometimes lifestyle changes aren’t enough. In addition to diet and exercise, your doctor may recommend medication to lower your blood pressure. Which category of medication your doctor prescribes depends on your stage of high blood pressure and weather you also have other medical problems. It’s never too early to make healthy lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, eating healthy foods and becoming more physically active. These are primary lines of defense against high blood pressure and its complications. References: Choosing Health by: Lynch, Elmore, Morgan www.webmd.com www.managingmybloodpressure.com Steadmans medical dictionary 28th Edition

Nature of globalization Essay

Globalization is a term used to explain the new era just like we learn about different periods such as stone age. It entails that people around the world are more connected to one another than ever before in terms of †¢ Information flow through sophisticated means unlike in early ages where messengers and drum beating was used for communication. †¢ Money transfers and goods transportation is quicker and efficient all over the world. Goods and services produced in one part of the world are necessarily available in all parts of the world. †¢ International travel is more convenient and faster than ever. (Martin, 2004) All this changes have been as a result of advance in technology, basically the computer. This is what has enabled globalization. Globalization can be found in five different areas; economic, cultural, political, religious and social systems. Globalization therefore, can be understood as the tendency or the process of businesses, technologies or philosophies to spread throughout the world. Nature of globalization Globalization is something that is very new in the world. For the last 30 years, there was no much discoveries in computer technology although there were computers and they were only used in the developed countries. This is why we cannot say there was globalization since globalization simply means making the world a â€Å"global village† in that every information and services are available and accessible to all the people around the globe just as it is in a small village. The idea of globalization has made it possible to harmonize the cultures of people all over the world. That is because people are able to carry out businesses across boundaries without traveling, using different currencies, making instant payment and in developed countries they use a common currency for example the Euro that is used all over Europe and the US dollar that is used by many countries. It is possible therefore, that the whole world will in future be using one common currency. This is what is referred to as economic globalization. According to Sachs (2005) technology in information has made transfer of information and especially educational information to be available across the globe. This is what has brought the idea of e-learning through the Internet. The changes in culture of the people is being felt especially in the African societies which had very stronghold in their traditions but today this has little or no influence on peoples ways of life especially in the young generation, for example changes in sexual inequality. This is as a result of globalization, people copy the lifestyles or cultures of others from the developed countries due to interaction, travels and high speed information transfer. For this same reason people are able to change their religious believes because the gospel has taken a new line, i. e. it is global reaching every corner of the globe. Conclusion When we talk of globalization we definitely have to think about the major participants in this idea. The United States dominates in this global traffic in information and ideas. (www. globalpolicy. org) The American music, movies, television and software’s are so dominant , so sought after by everybody and so visible that they are now available in every corner of the earth, including the developing countries in sub-Sahara Africa. References Raskin. P. T(2002), The Great Transition Boston Tellus Institute p31-42. Alex MacGillirray (2006) A Brief History of Globalization. New York. p122-127. Sachs,T. (2005), The end Poverty New York p 13-23 Martin, W. (2004), why globalization works, New York: Yale University Press, pg 210-235 Global policies, Available from, www. globalpolicy. org (Retrieved December 14, 2007) What is globalization, Available from, www. globalisation101. org (Retrieved December 14, 2007)

Virginia Apgar Biography, Creator of Key Newborn Test

Virginia Agpar  (1909-1974) was a physician, educator, and medical researcher who developed the Apgar Newborn Scoring System, which increased infant survival rates. She famously warned that use of some anesthetics during childbirth negatively affected infants and was a pioneer in anesthesiology, helping to raise the respect for the discipline. As an educator at the March of Dimes, she helped refocus the organization from polio to birth defects. Early Life and Education Virginia Apgar was born in Westfield, New Jersey. Coming from a family of amateur musicians, Apgar played violin and other instruments, and became a skilled musician, performing with the Teaneck Symphony. In 1929, Virginia Apgar graduated from Mount Holyoke College, where she studied zoology and a premed curriculum. During her college years, she supported herself by working as a librarian and waitress. She also played in the orchestra, earned an athletic letter, and wrote for the school paper. In 1933, Virginia Apgar graduated fourth in her class from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and became the fifth woman to hold a surgical internship at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, New York. In 1935, at the end of the internship, she realized that there were few opportunities for a female surgeon. In the middle of the Great Depression, few male surgeons were finding positions and bias against female surgeons was high. Career Apgar transferred to the relatively new medical field of anesthesiology, and spent 1935-37 as a resident in anesthesiology at Columbia University, the University of Wisconsin, and Bellevue Hospital, New York. In 1937, Virginia Apgar became the 50th physician in the US certified in anesthesiology. In 1938, Apgar was appointed Director of the Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center — the first woman to head a department at that institution. From 1949-1959, Virginia Apgar served as professor of anesthesiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. In that position she was also the first female full professor at that University and the first full professor of anesthesiology at any institution. The Agpar Score System In 1949, Virginia Apgar developed the Apgar Score System (presented in 1952 and published in 1953), a simple five-category observation-based assessment of newborn health in the delivery room, which became widely used in the United States and elsewhere. Before the  use of this system, delivery room attention was largely focused on the mothers condition, not the infants, unless the infant was in obvious distress. The Apgar Score looks at five categories, using Apgars name as a mnemonic: Appearance (skin color)Pulse (heart rate)Grimace (reflex irritability)Activity (muscle tone)Respiration (breathing) While researching the systems effectiveness, Apgar noted that cyclopropane as an anesthetic for the mother had a negative effect on the infant, and as a result, its use in labor was discontinued. In 1959, Apgar left Columbia for Johns Hopkins, where she earned a doctorate in public health, and decided to change her career. From 1959-67, Apgar served as head of division of congenital malformations National Foundation — the March of Dimes organization —, which she helped refocus from polio to birth defects. From 1969-72, she was the director of basic research for the National Foundation, a job that included lecturing for public education. From 1965-71, Apgar served on the board of trustees at  Mount Holyoke College. She also served during those years as a lecturer at Cornell University, the first such medical professor in the United States to specialize in birth defects. Personal Life and Legacy In 1972, Virginia Apgar published Is My Baby All Right?, co-written with Joan Beck, which became a popular parenting book. In 1973, Apgar lectured at Johns Hopkins University, and from 1973-74, she was the senior vice president for medical affairs, National Foundation. In 1974, Virginia Apgar died in New York City. She never married, saying I havent found a man who can cook. Apgars hobbies included music (violin, viola, and cello), making musical instruments, flying (after age 50), fishing, photography, gardening, and golf. Awards and Accolades Four honorary degrees (1964-1967)Ralph Walders Medal, American Society of AnesthesiologistsGold Medal of Columbia UniversityWoman of the Year, 1973, Ladies Home JournalAmerican Academy of Pediatrics prize named after  herMount Holyoke College created an academic chair in her name