Yesterday night was an unforgettable night for me. Around 12 midnight my son woke up crying. He normally does that when I am just sinking into sleep. Thinking it was his usual histrionics my wife took him up and began soothing him. What followed next was terrifying. He started gasping , shuddering and held his neck at an unnatural angle. His eyes went wide and he stared unseeingly at us without breathing. I tried to soothe him and my wife tried and we were at our wits end and something pushed me to call 911. The person who attended the call took all the details regarding the condition and just my apartment number and within 3 minutes a cop with emergency kit was in my doorstep and in another 5 minutes the ambulance crew was there.
Thankfully he was well by the time and was starting to look at them like aliens. They had a look at him and wanted to know if we needed to be taken the hospital. When we assured them it was okay they left after giving some medical advice. The police man was the last to leave after ensuring everything was fine.
Three things struck my mind after this episode
1. We are in a foreign country alone with nobody to guide us. The only guidance we have is the Grace of God and the prayers of others. I do not have a clue as to what I would have done if my son did not become normal. I still shudder to recollect the same.
2. The second thing is 911. The thing that amazed me was the speed of response and the way in which they responded. When a few minutes can make a difference between life and death 911 is a lifesaving process by providing emergency services in that precious few minutes. I have begun reading about 911 and its history in the US and I plan to put it in a separate post.
3. Whenever such a thing happens my wife would begin to insist on returning to India and I pointed out her with smugness that such a service is not there in India. Most cases we tend to have a biased attitude when comparing US and India.Each country is unique in its own way. However returning to the main issue I had to eat my words when I came to know we have a similar service 108 in India. Its not available in all the places.However its a start. It has been pioneered in India by GVK EMRI (Emergency Management and Research Institute) and it has a current fleet of 1900 ambulances across Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Goa, Chennai, Rajasthan,Karnataka, Assam Meghalaya and Madhya Pradesh. When you call 108 it would be received by a state of the art call center and they handle Health emergencies, Crime and Fire.
Considering the population factor 108 has some way to go. However its a sterling initiative and we should be proud and supportive of such efforts. Believe me I know the terror of the ordeal when no help is available during your darkest hour.
I have given the EMRI website details below
http://www.emri.in/content/view/24/59/
Monday, November 30, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Home where I belong
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Inspirational Songs
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The other day I came across a beautiful and Poignant song sung by Mark lowry(Gaither vocal band. Home Where I belong. The verses reiterate the simple truth that we are just passing through. Nobody else can make a fool out of himself and make a point across at the same time like Mark. And when he puts aside his clowns face and sings a song the pure conviction hits you in the face. You can not listen to this song without a tear in your eyes and a smile in your face.
They say that heaven's pretty
And living here is too
But if they said that I
would have to choose between the two
I'd go home, going home, where I belong
And sometimes when I'm dreaming
It comes as no surprise
That if you look and see
The homesick feeling in my eyes
I'm going home, going home, where I belong
While I'm here I'll serve him gladly
And sing him all my songs
I'm here, but not for long
And when I'm feeling lonely
And when I'm feeling blue
It's such a joy to know that
I am only passing through
I'm headed home, going home, where I belong
And one day I'll be sleeping,
When death knocks on my door
And I'll awake and find that
I'm not homesick anymore
I'll be home, going home, where I belong
Watch the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP6QG_pJuSM and be blessed
They say that heaven's pretty
And living here is too
But if they said that I
would have to choose between the two
I'd go home, going home, where I belong
And sometimes when I'm dreaming
It comes as no surprise
That if you look and see
The homesick feeling in my eyes
I'm going home, going home, where I belong
While I'm here I'll serve him gladly
And sing him all my songs
I'm here, but not for long
And when I'm feeling lonely
And when I'm feeling blue
It's such a joy to know that
I am only passing through
I'm headed home, going home, where I belong
And one day I'll be sleeping,
When death knocks on my door
And I'll awake and find that
I'm not homesick anymore
I'll be home, going home, where I belong
Watch the song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP6QG_pJuSM and be blessed
Monday, November 2, 2009
LEARNING DISABILITY
Labels:
Occupational Therapy
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Learning disability is a wide topic and is a group of many features. So I have described it in 2 posts. Most of us are aware of LD.However we may not be very clear on the same.I have tried my best to explain few concepts in brief so that it gives a clear picture. This article will give you a clear explanation on,
1. Definition of LD
2. Etiology
3. What constitutes learning disability and what is not
The next post will contain details on each of the clinical features of LD
DEFINING LEARNING DISABILITY
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), LD is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction.
ETIOLOGY
The human brain begins growing in the 4th week of pregnancy at a rate of over 4,000 cells per second. Unlike an adult, the fetus does not have a functional blood brain barrier to protect itself from toxic insult. This lack of natural defense allows chemicals into the fetal brain with potential to cause serious harm and disruption in this delicate brain growth process.
Scientists and researchers have now confirmed in a number of research studies that children with learning disabilities exhibit at least one of several types of damage to the brain structure. This can appear as either one or more of the following:
* Fewer numbers of brain cells in important areas of the brain
* Smaller size of brain cells
* Brain cells that migrated to the wrong part of the brain (called dysplasia)
* Lower than normal blood flow to specific areas of the brain
* Brain cells that metabolize glucose (the brain's primary fuel) at lower than normal levels
The above provides a neurological explanation for "WHAT" has actually happened inside the brains of the learning disabled, however, it does not address the question as to "WHY" it has happened. The question of "WHY" is still under research.
WHAT IS LEARNING DISABILITY AND WHAT IS NOT?
A learning Disability is what one see as wrong from the outside. That is, a child that can not read, write, do math, or run properly among their peer group is a learning disabled child. At the same time if a child has a stroke and ends up with deficits like a learning disability, we don't call it that, even though it may look exactly like a learning disability. Learning disabilities can be strongly inherited.
Even i had the same confusion on how to conclude it as Learning Disability during my study period,when one of my tutors explained it to me in such a way that i still remember it. Let me share it.
X is 8 years old. He can not read. He knows his letters, but still lags behind in reading. He also is poor in maths. He is clumsy than most children his age. His memory is not that good. His writing is very poor. There is nothing that X does to what a person would expect from an 8 year old boy. He has always been behind, and he is a very slow learner.
This is the feature one sees in mental retardation. That is, X is poor at reading, but he is not worse at reading. I would not say that X has a learning disorder.
Y is also 8. He can not read either. He knows his letters, but when he reads he reads backwards, skips lines, and can't understand how words are organized on the page. He is good in math, loves to build things, is a good drawer and is on two sports teams.
Y has a learning disorder in reading. He is of average intelligence and his reading is much worse than a person who is of average intelligence.
Z is also 8. She can not read in school, however her mom swears she can at home. She knows the letters and sounds, but doesn't pay attention to what she is doing. She has a hard time paying attention to other things, too. She is interested in fishes. Once she found a book about fishes that she was very interested in reading, she read it without problem.
Z has Attention Deficit Disorder.She has no problem reading, if she can pay attention.
I hope the examples cited above would have cleared the confusion on when to call it Learning Disability
1. Definition of LD
2. Etiology
3. What constitutes learning disability and what is not
The next post will contain details on each of the clinical features of LD
DEFINING LEARNING DISABILITY
According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), LD is a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction.
ETIOLOGY
The human brain begins growing in the 4th week of pregnancy at a rate of over 4,000 cells per second. Unlike an adult, the fetus does not have a functional blood brain barrier to protect itself from toxic insult. This lack of natural defense allows chemicals into the fetal brain with potential to cause serious harm and disruption in this delicate brain growth process.
Scientists and researchers have now confirmed in a number of research studies that children with learning disabilities exhibit at least one of several types of damage to the brain structure. This can appear as either one or more of the following:
* Fewer numbers of brain cells in important areas of the brain
* Smaller size of brain cells
* Brain cells that migrated to the wrong part of the brain (called dysplasia)
* Lower than normal blood flow to specific areas of the brain
* Brain cells that metabolize glucose (the brain's primary fuel) at lower than normal levels
The above provides a neurological explanation for "WHAT" has actually happened inside the brains of the learning disabled, however, it does not address the question as to "WHY" it has happened. The question of "WHY" is still under research.
WHAT IS LEARNING DISABILITY AND WHAT IS NOT?
A learning Disability is what one see as wrong from the outside. That is, a child that can not read, write, do math, or run properly among their peer group is a learning disabled child. At the same time if a child has a stroke and ends up with deficits like a learning disability, we don't call it that, even though it may look exactly like a learning disability. Learning disabilities can be strongly inherited.
Even i had the same confusion on how to conclude it as Learning Disability during my study period,when one of my tutors explained it to me in such a way that i still remember it. Let me share it.
X is 8 years old. He can not read. He knows his letters, but still lags behind in reading. He also is poor in maths. He is clumsy than most children his age. His memory is not that good. His writing is very poor. There is nothing that X does to what a person would expect from an 8 year old boy. He has always been behind, and he is a very slow learner.
This is the feature one sees in mental retardation. That is, X is poor at reading, but he is not worse at reading. I would not say that X has a learning disorder.
Y is also 8. He can not read either. He knows his letters, but when he reads he reads backwards, skips lines, and can't understand how words are organized on the page. He is good in math, loves to build things, is a good drawer and is on two sports teams.
Y has a learning disorder in reading. He is of average intelligence and his reading is much worse than a person who is of average intelligence.
Z is also 8. She can not read in school, however her mom swears she can at home. She knows the letters and sounds, but doesn't pay attention to what she is doing. She has a hard time paying attention to other things, too. She is interested in fishes. Once she found a book about fishes that she was very interested in reading, she read it without problem.
Z has Attention Deficit Disorder.She has no problem reading, if she can pay attention.
I hope the examples cited above would have cleared the confusion on when to call it Learning Disability
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Halloween - Trick or Treat
Labels:
Observations
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comments
Halloween has come and gone. Since this is my second time in the US I was not surprised to see the Pumpkin decorations and ghosts outside the houses here in new Jersey.But i was quite unprepared for Trick or Treat. As a Halloween tradition children go from house to house asking Trick or Treat. If you do not treat them with sweets they would play some trick on you.That's how if works.
Well Saturday evening I was watching a movie with my wife and my son was sleeping. Though its a Indian neighborhood we do not mingle that much. I was slightly surprised when my door bell rang. When I opened it there were two small witches and a skeleton standing outside. It was the kids from the neighboring houses with their moms and they cried Trick or Treat. To say I was embarrassed would be the understatement of the year.I stammered out a sorry and explained that I had forgotten about the whole thing and did not have any sweets. The two girls smiled at me and turned away. The little kid dressed up as the skeleton glared at me and said Trick or Treat again. His mom dragged him away. But not before he fixed me with a "What a idiot" glare. As he belongs to the little ruffians league in my neighborhood I shudder to think what kind of a trick he is going to play on me.
Well Saturday evening I was watching a movie with my wife and my son was sleeping. Though its a Indian neighborhood we do not mingle that much. I was slightly surprised when my door bell rang. When I opened it there were two small witches and a skeleton standing outside. It was the kids from the neighboring houses with their moms and they cried Trick or Treat. To say I was embarrassed would be the understatement of the year.I stammered out a sorry and explained that I had forgotten about the whole thing and did not have any sweets. The two girls smiled at me and turned away. The little kid dressed up as the skeleton glared at me and said Trick or Treat again. His mom dragged him away. But not before he fixed me with a "What a idiot" glare. As he belongs to the little ruffians league in my neighborhood I shudder to think what kind of a trick he is going to play on me.
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