Psychosis
|
Busk 1
Megan Busk Sonja Linman Independent Study 5 May 2016 Psychosis, what is it? What causes it? What does it do? All good questions, well Psychosis is a symptom of mental illnesses, rather than a disorder in itself. It is linked to both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and causes hallucinations and/or delusions, depending on the severity of the case. Hallucinations are when the brain or other senses cause the person to hear, see or feel things that are non-existent, delusions are when the brain causes the sufferer to form beliefs that are not generally shared by society. Dopamine neurotransmitters and other alterations in the brain structure are found in people suffering from psychosis. The dopamine changes are due to active hallucinations or delusions. Most researchers believe that the dopamine levels are too high in those with psychosis and in turn this affects the victim’s social behavior, self awareness, emotions and memory. Milder forms of psychosis include; feelings of suspicion, sleep problems, depressed and suicidal feelings, distorted perceptions and obsessive thinking. Delusions of grandeur are also a problem. Symptoms to look for are; little interest in hobbies, poor grooming and hygiene, changes in body language and lack of eye contact. Other symptoms include a lack of motivation, slow movement, difficulty in planning or setting/achieving goals, a reduced range of emotions, and a tendency to not interact with others often. There is not much research on Psychosis itself, due to it being a symptom of other disorders rather than a disorder on its own. Psychosis can vary in its levels of severity, ranging from absolutely delusional, to very mild and just a bit of a loss of contact with reality. Resource(s): www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248159.php |
Sensory Processing Disorder
|
Busk 1
Megan Busk Sonja Linman Independent Study 5 May 2016 Sound, touch, taste, smell, sight, movement, balance, body position, muscle control, what do they all have in common? This is how the average human collects their daily information. What happens when one or more of these senses isn’t working effectively? Well, it can lead to issues with the interaction of others, behavioral challenges, regulating emotions can be a difficult task, as well as social relationships with friends and family. A person with Sensory Processing Disorder(SPD) can also have issues with their self-esteem and learning, because one or more of their senses isn’t receiving its information correctly. Someone who suffers from SPD may not understand their own reasons for why they excessively take risks such as running into things or jumping off of things and harming themselves. They may not understand why they have trouble doing a simple puzzle or writing any simple letter, or why they have little coordination when it comes to tasks such as riding a bike or hitting a ball with a bat. A victim of SPD may cover their ears due to loud noises, such as; the toilet flushing, a vacuum running, the sound of a shower or a hair dryer even. Some absolutely cannot stand to be touched, while others are overly clingy and constantly seek attention and touch. Some will only eat certain foods with certain textures, like macaroni or pizza, they’ll claim their clothes feel like fiberglass against their skin or that the tag is itchy or feels like a spider crawling across their neck. It’s often claimed they are hard to calm down or get to sleep, and they are rather picky of the toys they Busk 2 play with. Most avoiding things like glue, Play Doh, and mud, the feeling of being dirty irks their sense of touch. They often avoid playground equipment or anything that will make them feel as if they are no longer in control of their balance. A quote to explain what it’s like to have SPD is “Imagine driving a car that isn't working well. When you step on the gas the car sometimes lurches forward and sometimes doesn't respond. When you blow the horn it sounds blaring. The brakes sometimes slow the car, but not always. The blinkers work occasionally, the steering is erratic, and the speedometer is inaccurate. You are engaged in a constant struggle to keep the car on the road, and it is difficult to concentrate on anything else.” By Stanley Greenspan. Parents of those with Sensory Processing Disorder often claim feelings of rejection, exhaustion, incompetence and being lost and alone in their dealings with their kids. Other examples are such as: “Imagine if you are drinking some water from a paper cup, but you couldn’t tell how hard to hold the cup so it doesn’t slip or spill, so you squeeze tightly, causing it to spill all over you. The next time you go to drink it, you hold lightly, causing the cup to slip and spill all over the floor.” (Unknown.) Or “Imagine if someone whispering sounded like they were yelling at you.” (Unknown.) So in conclusion, Sensory Processing Disorder is often mistaken as Autism due to its closely related symptoms. But it is indeed its own disorder. Resource(s): www.sensory-processing-disorder.com |
Rieger's Syndrome
|
Busk 1
Megan Busk Sonja Linman Independent Study 12 May 2016 Rieger’s Syndrome is a very rare genetic disorder that causes multiple issues such as; hypodontia, glaucoma, eye abnormalities, and craniofacial mutations. There are two types of Rieger’s, Type 1 is caused by mutations on chromosome 4, Type 2 is caused by mutations on chromosome 13. The main symptoms of the eye anomalies are; an underdeveloped iris, small cornea, a cloudy ring around the outer edge of the cornea, adhesions of the front of the eye, and off centered pupils. The teeth abnormalities are hypodontia (too few teeth), smaller sized teeth, and/or cone shaped teeth. Craniofacial issues that may be apparent in a person with Rieger Syndrome are; a broad flat bridge of the nose, underdeveloped upper jaw, flattened face, widely spaced eyes, and/or protruding lower lip. Other symptoms may include an umbilical hernia, or what may appear as a hernia but in reality is just the failure of the skin around the navel area to decrease in size after birth. Glaucoma is a condition where there is increased pressure within the eyeball and it can lead to blindness if not treated. The defects in the angles of the eyes created by the iris and the cornea, which is the vein at the corner of the eye that drains the water in the eye into the bloodstream, and the adhesions associated with Rieger’s can lead to glaucoma. Busk 2 Type two of Rieger’s Syndrome is more complex in the fact that it has some more severe symptoms including; an enlarged head, cardiac issues, hearing problems, and kidney defects. The eye defects can be diagnosed within the first month of life, when the eye defects are not present, detection may not happen until early childhood. Resource(s): Rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/rieger-syndrome/ |