Down syndrome

I’m pretty sure everyone has seen or personally knows someone affected by Down’s syndrome.  It is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21^st chromosome.  The syndrome was discovered by John Langdon Down in 1866, a British physician.  The incidence of Down syndrome happens approximately once in every 733 births.  Although it does happen with younger parents, it is more frequent with older ones.  You can identify a person with Down’s by their cognitive ability, physical growths and different facial characteristics.  The normal IQ of a child is 100 while it is 50 for children with Down syndrome. 



Children affected by Down syndrome



To improve the development of Down syndrome children, it is important to have early childhood intervention, medical treatment, a conductive family environment and vocational training.  Before the birth of these children, it is impossible to predict the symptoms that an individual with Down’s will develop.  The physical characteristics of people with Down syndrome are different from ours...  They have a abnormally small chin, oblique eyes, poor muscle tone, flat nose, a single fold in their palm, a short neck, white spots on the iris, large space between their large and second toe, broad head and a round face. 

Their intellectual skills are a whole lot less developed than ours but most are still able to get a good job in the real world.  With the help of physical therapy, children with Down syndrome will develop walking at an earlier age than later.  Some kids may start walking at the age of 2 while others start around the age of 4. 

Adults affected by Down’s syndrome are smaller and tend to be more obese than an average person.  Women with Down’s are usually around 4 feet 9 inches and men tend to be about 5 feet 1 inch. 

Having a child with Down syndrome can be very difficult to handle by a family since they have higher risks for many conditions like congenital heart disease, thyroid disorders, gastrointestinal, infertility, neurology and eye disorders, hearing loss and immune deficiencies.  All of this can affect a family deeply.

I have always enjoyed working with deficient children and I’m glad I did my research on this particular syndrome. 

What do you know about caffeine?

Since I finished my book a few weeks ago, I decided to do a blog on something that interests me a whole lot. Since so many people have a regular intake of caffeine, I was very interested by it. What is it? Why do we drink it so much? Where does it come from? What does it do to our bodies?



caffeine powder extract



The global consumption of caffeine is 120 000 tonnes per year. It is the world’s most popular psychoactive substance. This amount makes that every person drinks about one serving of a caffeinated beverage every single day. It is crazy how 90% of adults will consume caffeine every day. Caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. People might see this drug as a good or a bad thing for humans. On the positive side of caffeine, it is used on newborns to treat apnea (breathing problem) and correct irregular heartbeats. It is also shown that it gives better general body coordination, that it decreases fatigue and increases attentiveness. Various manufacturers sell caffeine tablets for students studying for exams and people who work or drive for long hours. These tablets are supposed to improve mental alertness. There are also many negatives for caffeine... The main side effects are blurred vision, dizziness, and dryness of the mouth, fast heartbeats, drowsiness, decreased or increased hunger, thirst, anxiety, confusion, irritability and insomnia.  Caffeine can also reduce hair growth. The overuse of caffeine can lead to a condition called caffeinism. It leads to nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches and heart palpitations. It also increases the production of stomach acid and over time, it can give you erosive esophagitis, where your oesophagus gets inflamed. Overdoses of caffeine can cause you to see flashes, to have seizures, to have ringing ears, to have nausea and to vomit, without considering the many more symptoms.

Caffeine is present in seeds, in leaves and in fruit of various plants. Sometimes, it serves as a natural pesticide to kill insects. One of the world’s primary sources of caffeine is the coffee bean, from which coffee is brewed. Caffeine is also produced artificially and added to certain foods.

Caffeine was first isolated from coffee in 1819. In its pure form, caffeine is a white, bitter-tasting powder. With all the processing, the bitterness is taken away from caffeine and great tasting drinks are made.

This research has taught me many things about caffeine. I think it is important to remember to never take too much of anything because it can become harmful. It is always better to take something in small portions then in bigger portions. I hope you learned something as well by reading this blog!

The end.

RETELL:

I have finished my book!  From chapter 22 to the very last page, I have certainly been touched by this profound story...

It was time for another one of her annual exams.  Just like every year, Scott and Amy had a ritual to always finish a crossword puzzle before the exam and to always have a muffin after it.  This year, things hadn’t worked out that great and the nurse came to get Amy before the couple had finished the crossword puzzle.  Amy believes that it was the cause of her heart spasm on the exam table.  Since this was also the first time this had ever happened, she was frightened.  After everything was over, the doctors reassured her that her heart and her arteries were still in good condition. 

Amy finally got the joy of her life in September of 1996.  Since she was unable to carry a baby herself, they adopted a boy named Casey. 

Amy got shocking news sixteen years after her heart transplant.  She is finally told by one of her doctors that her heart had a birth defect and not a virus like they had told her.  Not too long after getting these revolting news, Amy and Scott move to the Suburbs with five couples that are extremely close to them.  About once a year, they would all go on a trip together without any kids.  Amy found this very hard as they did a whole lot of physical activities.  She held through it just like she always had learned to do around her healthy friends.  A year later, there it was again; her annual exam.  Just like every year, she was shaking and was terrified.  This year, the doctors had some shocking news to tell her.  The mark that could cause her to have artery disease at any time had disappeared.  This was extremely rare and Amy was unable to ask any questions because she knew there would be no answers do to this rareness.  Ms. Silverstein often had nausea and high fever but not one doctor was able to tell her why because most heart transplant patients would die a few years after their transplant due to artery disease.  Amy always had sinus infections and got told to have surgery for it.  Even after her surgery, she would still get them.  Not too long after this surgery, she discovered a lump under her armpit and immediately went to see a specialist.  He thought it might be post-transplant lymphoma cancer and recommended to have it taken off.  Amy is now at the end of the road.  She doesn’t want to live any more.  She wants to give up.  She wants to quit taking her medicine because it is killing her immune system.  She is at the lowest point in her life. 

Amy ends up not having cancer.  A week after her surgery, they had to drain blood out of her armpit.  After such good news, she feels more courageous to keep going on with her life but still feels like she is dragging down everybody around her.  Scott organized a meeting with Amy’s doctor, Dr. Davis.  At the meeting, Amy tells her doctor how she wants to give up on life because she’s not healthy and will never be.  Since she threatens her doctor to completely stop taking her medicine, he agrees to lower the quantity.  He also suggests that she takes writing classes since that is what she loves doing.  Scott inspires Amy to push for life like she has been doing all these years.  “I’ll try” was her answer.

RELATE:

Once again, it is very hard to be able to relate to such a powerful story.  I do relate to her in a way that I complain when I am sick but my sickness is not nearly as intense as hers.  In any other way, I do not relate to her since she is a rare case.  She got a heart transplant and my heart is fine.  She wants to die while I enjoy living.  She is a mother and I am a simple child.  Although we have nothing in common, I look up to her for being so strong and for not giving up.    

REFLECT:

This was hands down the best book I have ever read!  It made me realize that my life is so easy compared to other’s lives.  Most of the time, I take things for granted and I don’t appreciate the fact that I am healthy and I am able to go for a simple run without feeling like my heart is falling out of my chest.  Amy is still living with her husband, Scott and her son, Casey in New York.  I find her so strong to have kept going even with all the odds against her.  She should have died many years back but she kept fighting, something that would have been extremely hard for me!  I recommend this book to everyone.  It gives you such a good perspective on your own life.  Every heart beat now counts to me thanks to Amy Silverstein, the author of Sick Girl.  Amy wrote a message at the end of the book and I would like to share it with you since it hit me and I hope it can affect every single one of you.

“There is nothing simple about my heart transplant life.  Despair most certainly can coexist with joy.  Anger with hope.  Sadness with gratitude.  Tears with cheers.”