Conditions

+ What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a neurological problem in which people get unexpected and repeated seizures or fits.It is a chronic disorder that continues for a long term of period. Approximately 50 out of every 100,000 people develop epilepsy each year and about 50 million people have epilepsy globally.

The seizures occur because of a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain – there is an overload of electrical activity in the brain. Epileptic seizures are often associated with particular triggers or changes in your daily habits or routine.The onset of epilepsy is most common during early childhood and after age 60, but the condition can occur at any age. If someone from the family has epilepsy, then the person is more likely to develop epilepsy.

Symptoms

Seek immediate care if any of these symptoms are present.

• A convulsion with no temperature (no fever).
• Short spells of blackout, or confused memory.
• Intermittent fainting spells, during which bowel or bladder control is lost. This is frequently followed by extreme tiredness.
• For a short period the person is unresponsive to instructions or questions.
• The person becomes stiff, suddenly, for no obvious reason
• The person suddenly falls for no clear reason
• Sudden bouts of blinking without apparent stimuli
• Sudden bouts of chewing, without any apparent reason
• For a short time the person seems dazed, and unable to communicate
• Repetitive movements that seem inappropriate
• The person becomes fearful for no apparent reason, he/she may even panic or become angry
• Peculiar changes in senses, such as smell, touch and sound
• The arms, legs, or body jerk, in babies these will appear as cluster of rapid jerking movements.
• If some of these symptoms are present, you must see your general practitioner who will then guide you to see a neurologist. The treatment of epilepsy involves the use of medication (anti-epileptic drugs) or in some severe or untreatable conditions, surgery also helps.

Tips to take care Small steps to help you or your loved ones along the way.

• Get plenty of sleep each night — set a regular sleep schedule, and stick to it.
• Learn stress management and relaxation techniques.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol.
• Take all of your medications as prescribed by your doctor.
• Avoid bright, flashing lights and other visual stimuli.
• Skip TV and computer time whenever possible.
• Avoid playing video games.
• Eat a healthy diet.

+ What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurological and developmental disorders. It begins early in childhood and lasts throughout a person’s life and significantly affects social and communication skills. Usually, parents may identify certain behaviors in toddlers between 18 to 24 months of age.

It is referred to as a “spectrum” because it involves numerous closely related disorders and an entire range of symptoms that may differ in different individuals. While some may be mildly impaired, others can be severely affected. However, in many cases, individuals with ASD may show great strength and excellence in a particular field.

Risk Factors

The exact cause of ASD is unknown. Apart from the listed risk factors, there can be multiple triggers that may co plicate the problem to an another degree like bullying, problems in school, unemployment, over dependency on others, social exclusion and familial stress and ill treatment.

• Sex: Boys are about four times more likely to develop autism spectrum disorder than girls are.
• Genetics: Parents who may have a child with ASD are likelier to have another child who may also develop ASD. 20% of children with ASD may also have other genetic conditions like Downs syndrome, fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis and Rett’s syndrome.
• Older parents are at an increased risk for having children who may develop ASD.

Symptoms

Seek care if any of these symptoms are present. Visit your paediatrician first.

• No response to their name by 12 months of age
• Rarely sharing enjoyment of objects or activities by pointing or showing things to others
• Repeating certain behaviors or having unusual behaviors
• Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
• Get aggressive and upset by minor changes
• Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
• Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about own feelings
• Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions
• Avoids or resists physical contact
• Reverses pronouns (e.g., says “you” instead of “I”)
• Gives unrelated answers to questions
• Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasing
• Has to follow certain routines
• Has poor eye contact
• Has difficulty recognizing nonverbal cues, such as interpreting other people’s facial expressions, body postures or tone of voice
• Has specific food preferences, such as eating only a few foods, or refusing foods with a certain texture
• Difficulty or failure to make friends with children the same age

Diagnosing ASD

Diagnosing ASD is a difficult task due to the overlapping of symptoms with other disorders especially in older adults. Usually there is a general screening that looks at any family, physiological and genetic factors which may point towards the disorder.

Post which, additional evaluations involve cognitive level or thinking skills, language abilities, age-appropriate skills, blood tests and hearing tests. A child with ASD may have a team of specialists who will help with diagnosis including child psychologists, child psychiatrists, speech pathologists, developmental pediatricians, pediatric neurologists, audiologists, physical therapists and special education teachers who also help with educational determination.

Tips to take care

Due to the wide range of symptoms, there is no single best and appropriate therapy or treatment optional available for ASD and hence it is best to choose an elective approach towards treating ASD. Behaviour programs mainly focus on social kills, communication and parent interaction. Specially trained professionals will work with both children and parents to facilitate change in challenging behaviors.

There are different forms of therapy used to treat ASD. Some of them include speech and language therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy and neurofeedback. There is no way to prevent ASD but early diagnosis and intervention can go a long way in reducing the intensity of symptoms and improving daily functioning.

ASD is a lifelong condition but with the right treatment programme, symptoms can be considerably managed and controlled. Medication is usually prescribed to help with irritability, aggression, repetitive behaviours, hyperactivity, anxiety and depression.