“Life is like a camera. Just focus on what is important. Capture the good times. Develop from the negatives. If things don’t work out, take another shot.”
A picture is a moment in time that is captured. It brings back memories and allows us to relive certain life events. Some are taken without notice, and others are posed. When we pose for a picture, we usually try to give our best side, smile, and posture. What if we did that in life? What if we lived each moment as if it were going to be captured? Let us try to present our best selves at work, with our family, and with everyone we encounter. Let us behave as if we believe the moment will be captured forever. The reality is that our behavior is captured. What we do will be remembered by someone. Even if no one is watching, each decision we make comes together to construct our lives and our memories.
Each day is a new opportunity to show off our best selves. It is an opportunity to “take another shot.” There will always be someone who will remember how you spoke to them, how you treated them and how you made them feel. How do you want to be remembered? What “captured” moments will you leave behind?
Spinal Cord Injuries and Their Impact on Children
By: TELETONUSA /
Spinal cord injuries are one of the most severe injuries a child can experience. A spinal cord injury can have long-term consequences, including disability and major disruptions to a child’s way of life. The body’s spinal cord is critical to overall health and functionality, and injuries to the spinal cord can impact the child’s entire body.
How common are spinal cord injuries in children?
Approximately 5% of all spinal cord injuries occur in children. Although rare, when they do occur, spinal cord injuries can have severe and irreversible consequences. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), only 10-25% of pediatric patients recover fully from a spinal cord injury, and around 64% of children recover partially.
What causes spinal cord injuries?
A spinal cord injury can result from any accident that causes trauma to the spinal cord. However, some of the most common accidents that cause spinal cord injuries in children include:
Car crashes
Being struck by a motor vehicle
Falling
Accidents related to sports activities
Injuries from child abuse or domestic violence
How do spinal cord injuries impact children?
A spinal cord injury can have consequences that change a child’s life forever. The extent of the injury and what part of the spinal cord is impacted are two of the most important factors in how affected the child will be by the injury.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary based on the severity of the injury. Some of the most common symptoms that accompany a spinal cord injury include:
Spinal shock (numbness, loss of movement)
Difficulty breathing
Diminished bowel and bladder function
Numbness in arms, legs, or chest
Treatment
The course of treatment for a spinal cord injury depends on the injury’s magnitude and what part of the body is impacted. Treatment generally includes time in the ICU where the patient can be observed, and doctors can create a long-term treatment plan.
While in the hospital, the child will generally work with various medical professionals, including trauma specialists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and physical and occupational therapists.
Long term impact
Adjusting to life following a spinal cord injury can be a very long and difficult process for a child and their family. Spinal cord injuries often have permanent impacts that can lead to major changes to the child’s way of life, as well as their family’s way of life. Depending on the extent spinal cord injury, the child may need:
A wheelchair for increased mobility
A feeding tube (if throat and neck muscles were affected by the injury)
Medications to help with bladder and bowel function
Medications to manage the pain
A ventilator, if the child’s breathing is affected
In addition to these treatments, physical therapy is crucial for a child with a spinal cord injury. Physical therapy can help prevent muscle wasting and other complications and help the child have the best long-term outcomes.
Cerebral palsy is a group of motor disorders that impact a person’s body movement, muscle tone, and coordination. Thousands of children are affected by cerebral palsy in the United States alone. According to the CDC, cerebral palsy is found in approximately 1 in 345 children, and is one of the most common childhood disorders in the United States.
While symptoms and seriousness of cerebral palsy vary case by case, a can be life-altering for a child and their family. Understanding cerebral palsy can help family and friends provide the best possible care and support to a child with cerebral palsy.
What causes cerebral palsy?
In most cases, cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage before or after birth (also referred to as congenital cerebral palsy). Rarely, abnormal brain development can also cause cerebral palsy.
Most children with cerebral palsy are diagnosed during the first two years of life, and the exact cause is unknown in most cases. However, there are several risk factors associated with cerebral palsy, including:
Premature birth
Being born underweight
Being born as a twin or another multiple
Being conceived with the help of reproductive technology (such as in vitro fertilization)
Having a mother who developed an infection during pregnancy
Complications during birth (such as placental complications or uterine ruptures)
Medical malpractice or negligence during birth
Who is impacted by cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a pervasive disease. In the U.S. alone, approximately 764,000 people have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and around 10,000 babies are born with cerebral palsy every year.
According to the CDC, cerebral palsy occurs more frequently across certain groups. For example, cerebral palsy is diagnosed more frequently among black children than white children and is more prevalent among boys than girls.
What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?
There are many symptoms of cerebral palsy, which vary from child to child. Most of the symptoms impact motor skills, speech, or social development. Some common symptoms of cerebral palsy include:
Poor balance and muscle coordination
Spasticity (muscle stiffness)
Poor motor skills
Difficulty swallowing
Delayed speech development
Problems with fine motor skills, such as fastening a button
Involuntary movement
Intellectual disabilities
Eye muscle imbalance
What does life look like for a child with cerebral palsy?
As symptoms and their seriousness vary with cerebral palsy, life looks different for every affected child. However, over half of the children with cerebral palsy can walk independently.
Secondary conditions are common in children with cerebral palsy, and these can impact their quality of life. Some of the most common associated conditions include epilepsy, autism, digestive issues, deafness, and blindness.
Cerebral palsy is an expensive disorder to live with. On average, it costs over $1 million to treat cerebral palsy throughout a child’s lifetime. Medical costs are ten times more expensive for a child with cerebral palsy than for a child without the disorder.
Although there is no cure for cerebral palsy, with proper treatment, support, and therapy, children with cerebral palsy can live healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.
Benefits of Therapy for Children with Cerebral Palsy
By: TELETONUSA /
Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disorder among children in the United States. While a cerebral palsy diagnosis comes with many life adjustments, proper treatment can improve a child’s quality of life.
One of the most important treatments for cerebral palsy is therapy. Therapy may be the only treatment for some children with less severe cerebral palsy. For others, it will be needed to supplement other treatments.
This article will look at the benefits and types of therapy for children with cerebral palsy.
Benefits of Therapy
Therapy will help maximize the child’s mobility and independence. It will also increase the child’s heart and lung fitness and help the child develop motor skills. Improving overall fitness through therapy will reduce the child’s risk of other complications and health issues.
Types of Therapy
There are three main types of therapy for children with cerebral palsy: physical, occupational, and speech and language therapy.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is important for children with cerebral palsy because it can improve balance, muscle strength, coordination, and endurance. It can also help with pain management and treat other conditions such as scoliosis and hand, wrist, and knee deformities. Although over half (58.9%) of children with cerebral palsy can walk independently, physical therapy can improve walking ability and other skills.
Although physical therapy is important for any child with cerebral palsy, during the toddler and early childhood years, physical therapy is particularly crucial, as children are still in the early stages of development.
Physical therapy will look different for each child, depending on their individual needs and the severity of their condition. Before beginning therapy, the child’s physical therapist will evaluate their needs and create a treatment plan. However, common physical therapy includes exercises designed to:
Develop muscle tone
Increase flexibility
Improve strength
Improve balance and touch
Help with walking and posture
Physical therapy for children with cerebral palsy includes massages, time in the swimming pool, using weights, and electric muscle stimulation.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy is important for children with cerebral palsy because it helps them develop fine motor skills. For example, with occupational therapy, children can improve their ability to perform activities such as:
Brushing their teeth
Tying their shoelaces
Holding a pencil
Using scissors
Picking up toys or other objects
To develop these skills, occupational therapy generally includes activities such as reaching, positioning, and releasing objects, with some form of play or game involved to keep the child engaged.
Speech and Language Therapy
According to a study performed by Swedish researchers, more than half of children with cerebral palsy experience some degree of speech problems.
Some children with cerebral palsy experience difficulties developing speech and controlling oral muscles due to brain damage. Speech and language therapy can help children with speech problems improve their language skills, learn to communicate more effectively, and help with the child’s ability to chew and swallow while eating. A typical speech and language therapy appointment may include the following:
Breathing exercises
Jaw exercises
Swallowing exercises
Alternative Therapy
Lastly, as every child’s situation is different, some children with cerebral palsy may respond more positively to alternative therapy options. Alternative therapy options have the same long-term goals as traditional therapy, including improving mobility, reducing risk for other health conditions, and improving motor skills. Some examples of alternative therapy include:
Aquatic therapy
Horse/equine therapy
Music therapy
A child’s doctor can help decide what type of therapy, or combination of therapies, will most benefit a child’s unique needs and health complications for the best possible outcome.
January 24 is International Education Day. This day celebrates the role of education in promoting peace and development.
Education is a fundamental tool to access other rights and is the path to building a better future in our society, and a door for the participation of all people. Every person has the right to education, and governments are committed to providing quality, inclusive and equitable public education.
Education and Disability
According to the UNICEF report entitled “Seen, Counted, Included,” although people with disabilities have the right to education, it is common for them to find barriers to accessing it on an equal footing with others.
There are more than 240 million girls and boys with disabilities in the world. As an example, we share some hard data with you:
42% less likely to have basic knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic;
49% more likely to never have attended school;
47% more likely not to attend primary school, 33% more likely not to attend lower secondary, and 27% more likely not to attend upper secondary;
51% more likely to feel unhappy;
and 41% more likely to feel discriminated.
What can you do?
Children with disabilities should not be the only people fighting for inclusive education. Below, we share three actions to make inclusive education a reality:
If you have children or relatives with one or multiple disabilities, get involved in their education. If it is in your hands, offer them support in their studies.
Eliminate stigmas! Talk to your children about discrimination and how to prevent it.
Spread the word! The more of us who are aware of the challenges that people with disabilities face to receive inclusive and quality education, the more pressure we can exert to change this situation.
From Your CRIT Counselor: The Goal Is The Progress, Not Perfection
By: TELETONUSA /
“My goal is not to be better than anyone else, but to be better than I used to be. “ – Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Most people begin the new year by making resolutions and setting new goals involving healthier, improving finances, and traveling more.
Setting these goals is excellent, but what if instead of focusing on the outside, we focus on the inside? What can you do to become a better version of yourself? Comparing yourself to someone else may seem like a way to push you to change or achieve goals; however, it increases stress and anxiety in many cases. You will never be like your next-door neighbor, the movie star you admire, or the models you see on TV or the internet.
Becoming a better you is not about being perfect. Perfectionism is an illusion. It is not real and not achievable and can lead you to excessive levels of anxiety. Work on progress, not perfection. The goal is to become a better version of yourself. You are not the same person you are now that you were a year ago or that you will be in one year. Make change intentional.
This year, make it a goal to learn something new each day, try a new hobby, or learn a new language. Select something that will help you grow personally, professionally, or both. Remember to be intentional in the choices you make to achieve progress. Every small step counts if it is consistent.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI): What it Means for Children and Their Families
By: TELETONUSA /
Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is a genetic disorder that impacts thousands of families across the world. Also known as brittle bone disease, OI is characterized by bones that do not form normally or easily fracture, even with impact as minor as a sneeze.
OI is a lifelong disease, and a diagnosis of OI can be life-altering, both for the patient and their loved ones. Let’s take a look at what OI is, what it looks like to live with OI, and how OI impacts families.
What is OI and how is it caused?
OI is a genetic disorder that results in soft bones. Most children with OI have a defect in one of the genes passed from their parents. The mutations that cause OI are related to the genes that create and manage collagen.
Collagen, also known as the body’s building block, is an essential protein that the body uses to strengthen bones and build connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments, and the whites of the eyes. In patients with OI, the body either creates collagen that doesn’t function properly or too little collagen, leading to brittle bones.
How common is OI?
Approximately 1 out of every 20,000 people are diagnosed with OI. However, there are 15 different types, ranging from mild to severe.
The most common type of OI is Type I, which accounts for about half of all OI cases. Patients with Type I have the mildest symptoms of OI and typically experience less than several dozen fractures in their lifetime.
Type II OI is the most severe form of OI and occurs in approximately 10% of all OI cases. For patients with Type II OI, it is rare to live more than a few weeks after birth. Type III occurs in about 30% of all OI cases and is severe, but it is possible for the patient to have an average lifespan. All other types of OI occur extremely rarely and vary in severity.
In the United States alone, between 25,000 and 50,000 people are estimated to have OI. It occurs equally across racial groups and genders.
What are the symptoms of OI?
Symptoms of OI (and their severity) depend on the type of OI the patient has. Some of the most common symptoms include:
Bones that break or fracture easily
Blue or gray tint to the whites of the eyes (also known as sclera)
Brittle teeth
Skin that bruises easily
Hearing loss over time
Spinal curvature
What is it like to live with OI?
Although there is no cure for OI, there are various forms of treatment available to manage symptoms, including frequent exercise, water therapy, medicine to improve bone strength, and implementing a healthy diet.
With consistent treatment, therapy, and good nutrition, many people with OI live long, productive and healthy lives. However, people with OI are likely to experience hundreds of bone fractures in their lifetime. Leg, arm, ankle and wrist braces may be needed to support weak bones. Extra dental work will likely be required, as many patients with OI have brittle teeth.
How does OI impact families?
OI impacts thousands of families across the United States, and for most families, having a child with OI involves major changes to their way of life. This often includes frequent clinical visits and therapy appointments, learning how to become proper caregivers, and altering family recreation to activities that are safe for the child with OI.
As it may be difficult to find safe options for daycare, many parents choose to become full-time caregivers. Families often choose to relocate to homes that are safe for their child with OI, such as one level houses or homes that have low light switches.
Learning how to properly support and care for a child with OI can be challenging, but it is more than possible. At CRIT, we’re here to support you and your family every step of the way.
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries: Frequency, Causes, and Side Effects
By: TELETONUSA /
Traumatic brain injuries, also known as TBI, are a leading cause of death and disability among children. Side effects of TBI can include lifelong cognitive challenges in school, relationships, and social settings. Understanding the leading causes and treatment of TBI is important for preventing accidents and knowing how to respond if they happen.
What is a traumatic brain injury?
TBI is a form of brain injury caused by a sudden impact on the brain that results in permanent, lasting damage. Damage caused by TBI can either be localized or spread throughout the brain. In children, TBI is considered a chronic condition. As the child’s brain is still developing, both the side effects and the injury’s extent will manifest over time.
How common are pediatric traumatic brain injuries?
Traumatic brain injuries are more prevalent than any other disease and occur across all races and genders. According to the CDC, the leading cause of death and disability in children ages 0-4 and 15-19 is a traumatic brain injury. Studies show an estimated incidence of pediatric TBI of 691 per 100,000 children.
Types of TBI
TBI can be classified into three types: mild, moderate, and severe. The type of TBI a patient is diagnosed with is based on three factors:
How long (and if) the child experienced a loss of consciousness
Whether the child experienced post-traumatic amnesia and for how long
How confused the child was following the injury
TBI can be caused by either a primary or secondary injury. Primary injuries occur at the time of impact and include fractures, blows to the head, concussions, and brain bleeds. Secondary injuries, however, occur as complications of the initial insult. Secondary injury includes lack of sufficient oxygen or blood flow, brain swelling, and blood pressure change leading to brain damage.
What causes traumatic brain injuries in children?
There are various causes of TBI, the frequency of which vary by age.
Falling: According to the CDC, falling accounts for 50.2% of TBI in children between 0 and 14. Falls among children often occur on stairs, off a bed, or in the bath.
Near-drowning: Children can also experience TBI from near-drowning. An estimated 5,000 children are hospitalized yearly from near-drowning, with 15% experiencing severe, lifelong loss of brain function, damaging their ability to think and remember.
Choking: Choking is another cause of pediatric TBI. For children aged three and under, choking is a leading cause of death and injury and can lead to brain damage. A child whose brain is deprived of oxygen for longer than 4-6 minutes can sustain lifelong cognitive disabilities.
Side effects of TBI
Children diagnosed with TBI may experience a range of outcomes and symptoms. Here are a few of the most common side effects:
Decreased awareness or responsiveness: Children with severe TBI may enter a coma or vegetative state, have decreased self-awareness, or experience brain death (an irreversible condition characterized by no detectable brain activity).
Headaches: Chronic headaches lasting several months are common among patients with pediatric TBI.
Infections: If the tissue around the brain has been damaged, patients may experience infections such as meningitis.
Fluid buildup: Fluid buildup can cause swelling and pressure in the brain.
Nerve damage: Nerve damage can result in facial paralysis, hearing loss, vision problems, and dizziness.
Treatment of Pediatric TBI
Unfortunately, the initial trauma a patient experiences from a traumatic brain injury is usually irreversible. However, prompt medical care can help prevent further damage from occurring. For this reason, it’s vital to bring a patient with TBI to the hospital as quickly as possible.
Medical providers will monitor the patient’s blood flow and help ensure the patient receives enough oxygen and maintains healthy blood pressure.
Children who have experienced neurological disabilities from TBI can also benefit from rehabilitation (rehab), such as physical and occupational therapy and psychiatric care. Rehab care can help children who have experienced TBI adapt to physical changes in their bodies and improve function at home and in social settings.
“Be yourself because an original is worth more than a copy.“
Be yourself. Be authentic. We hear that a lot nowadays. However, it is hard to be yourself when you do not know who you are. We know what we are. We are sons/daughters, husbands/wives/partners, employees, employers, co-workers, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, caregivers, and so on.
We spend so much time trying to impress others. We change our appearance, behaviors, thoughts, and feelings for others. We want to fit in and feel accepted. What is most important is that we accept ourselves. The longest relationship you will ever have is with yourself. I encourage you to work on that relationship. Find out who you are that includes your likes and dislikes, qualities, and areas of improvement. I have seen how other relationships and situations improve when we are comfortable, accepting, and loving of ourselves.
The original is worth more because it is unique. It is the first of its kind. You are unique, and there is no one like you. No one has seen or experienced what you have. Be comfortable being yourself.
