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| Sunday, 19 October 2003 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Compiled by Carol Aloysius Autism : the mysterious disorder We still don't know what really causes Autism. Could it be the MMR vaccination which now given to so many children in South Asia, is there something in the MMR that stirs up trouble in some children and others. Is there a genetic disposition.
(There were recent reports about a weak gene), is it caused by foetal distress at birth or caused by environmental factors - scientists and the medical world are still divided as to what really causes Autism. While the debate rages on in many parts of the world, there is a steady increase in numbers. They say there are 30,000 autistic people in Sri Lanka - the numbers of people with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome could be much higher because there is no data collection across Sri Lanka. What's more people with autism who have a very specific disability have no public services in health, education, specialist speech therapy and respite care. They are lost without proper, structured support - autistic children desperately need structured help - in mainstream schools, in the hospital, at home. Autistic adults need help in the workplace, at University they need help at home - Autism is a 24 hour job and parents and carers need support too. Life can be so hard for a parent and carer. Early intervention is absolutely crucial and yet there are doctors who have not even heard of the CHAT System initiated by the world expert Dr. Simon Barry-Cohen of Cambridge University to diagnose autism in young children. Medical professionals need training on autism, so do teachers in mainstream schools. Employees of private sector organisations need to organise disability training-from the Chairman, to the cleaner. New Disability Laws have been introduced by the UNF Government-so it is no longer an option. It is a legal duty. What is Autism? Autism is a type of pervasive developmental disorder or PDD. Symptoms of PDD include severe communication problems such as understanding language; difficulty to relating to people, objects and events; unusual play with toys and other objects; difficulty with changes in routine or familiar surroundings, and repetitive body movements or behaviour patterns. Other types of PDD are Asperger's syndrome, Rett's syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder and others. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder - all of us have neurones in our brains to process thought, they need to fire in the correct order - in the brains of autistic children these neurones don't fire at all or they just misfire. That is why you cannot give an autistic child complex commands - everything has to be kept well and truly simple Autistic children need visual timetables - everything has to be explained to them. Parents around the world in their desperation go to other countries to follow a whole range of therapies. There are many therapies - some parents send their children to the Boston Higashi School to follow the Daily Life Therapy Program, there is the Sonrise program, Lovaas, TEACCH, ABA, and PECS. But they all cost a great deal of money - running into thousands of pounds. Many parents are unable to afford these bills. We had to come to terms with Autism when our son was diagnosed with PDD. It was baffling - he was given the MMR at 11 months. At 18 months he was babbling, about to talk by 24 months our son had gone into a world of his own - there was no eye contact, he would line up his toys, there would be temper tantrums. We went through a process of denial and grieving, then we decided we had to help him. We were convinced that it is through early intervention that Charin could be helped - it is through education, education and education that we could reach out to Charin. It is a fundamental human right for an autistic child to receive an education and speech therapy. We were convinced that it is through inclusion - in a mainstream school with the support of a specialised teacher, trained in dealing with autistic children, that Charin could be helped. He also needs a specialised speech therapy program to help him communicate. When a structured program - in terms of education - was finally put into place at his local nursery school - Charin improved so much. There have been recent moves to help families with such children - the National Autistic Society in London have launched the Farly Bird Program to support parents. Cherie Blair, wife of the British Prime Minister, launched an advocacy scheme in the UK - to help parents of autistic children - on the legal side. The British Institute of Brain Injured Children in Somerset have launched a series of initiatives aimed at helping autistic children. At the moment there is a huge debate on disabilities going on in Sri Lanka. Finally Sri Lankan society is coming to terms with the fact that there are so many people with disabilities - including autism and if society is to be inclusive something has to be done to help and support them. The ball is in the court of the Government. Autistic people badly need public services. It's a tragedy that you find autistic people of 20, 30, 40 years of age in Sri Lanka who have been kept at home and they have been deprived of the fundamental human right to an education. Others have been wrongly assigned to mental homes. Autism is not mental illness. There are so many misconceptions. In the ultimate analysis the Government has a duty to provide equality of opportunity to every single citizen and that includes people with disabilities. We have also appealed to the Heads of State in the SAARC region to discuss this, as a matter of urgency. Without structured help and support people with autism will sink - now is the time for action on Autism and Asperger's syndrome. Note: Please see the website: http://autism srilanka.tipod.com/autismcampaignsrilanka for news of the Autism Awareness Campaign in Sri Lanka. ############### Understanding Glaucoma The following article answers frequently asked questions relating to a common cause for blindness, which is also one of the most difficult diseases to detect early.
How does it happen? The inside of the eye contains fluid that is constantly flowing into and being drained out of the eye. This fluid is not the same as tears which are found on the outside. When the drainage mechanism in the eye gets blocked, it results in the fluid accumulating in the eye. As the fluid builds up, it begins to exert pressure inside the eye. This pressure is referred to as intraocular pressure or IOP. Over a period of time, this high pressure (IOP) can damage delicate visual structures like the optic nerve head. Left untreated, it can lead to blindness. Occasionally, glaucoma can result from other eye conditions such as inflammation or injury. How is it spotted? Glaucoma is a disease which cannot be seen or felt by the patient in the early stages. It is usually spotted during the course of a routine eye check-up, when high IOP is suspected and more detailed tests are conducted. The damage to the eye appears as a gradual visual change and then loss of vision. Initially the visual changes are very slight and do not affect central vision - which is the center portion of what is seen when looking straight ahead or reading. Parts of the peripheral vision - that is the top, sides and bottom areas of vision are affected and may not even be noticed by the patient at first. Glaucoma usually occurs in both eyes, but extra fluid pressure often begins to build up first only in one eye. Are there different types? There are basically two different types of glaucoma: (a) Chronic or Open-angle glaucoma: This is the most common type. It occurs as a result of aging. Over 90 per cent of adult patients have this type of glaucoma. Acute or Angle-closure glaucoma: It is not as common as Open-angle glaucoma. Angle-closure or acute glaucoma is not gradual but occurs suddenly and progresses rapidly. Other forms of glaucoma: Most other forms of glaucoma are variations of open angle and angle closure glaucoma, and can occur in one or both eyes. Treatment Once diagnosed as a glaucoma patient, you require constant and lifelong care. When detected early it can be controlled immediately and thereby prevent any vision loss. Although glaucoma can be controlled, any damage that has already occurred cannot be reversed. Glaucoma can be successfully controlled with eye drops, pills, laser and surgical operations to prevent further damage and thus preserve vision. Often, people tend to think that once their IOP has been brought down to safe levels they have been cured of glaucoma. What most of them don't realise, is that glaucoma is only being effectively controlled by keeping IOP at normal levels. Therefore, even when medication has successfully controlled glaucoma it is important to constantly monitor the condition by checking IOP levels regularly. Periodic eye examinations are vital in controlling glaucoma, for glaucoma can worsen without you being aware of it and your treatment may need to be changed over time. It is particularly important for those in the high risk categories listed earlier, to have their intraocular pressure (IOP) and optic nerve, checked every year or two after, the age off 35. Early detection and treatment can make all the difference. It is recommended that everyone has an especially thorough glaucoma check around the age of 35, another check-up at age 40 and then one every two or three years after age 40. (from: 'Allergan', Hemas Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd. ############### Vegetarian diet and cancer prevention by Dr. D.P. Atukorale People who eat vegetarian or near vegetarian diets have the lowest rates of cancer in the world. A vegetarian diet comes closest to the dietary guidelines for reduction of cancer set forth by the National Cancer Institute of USA which estimates that one third of all cancer deaths in U.S.A. and eight out of ten of all cancers are related to diet. According to some estimates about 30 percent - 40 percent of cancers in men and up to 60 percent of cancers in women are due to dietary factors. There is evidence to show that vegetarian diets protect against breast cancer because: i. Vegetarians have lower levels of blood oestrogens hormones that raise the risk of breast cancer ii. Vegetarians begin menstruation somewhat later than average and there is a longer time between periods. Dietary fat shortens the menstrual cycle while fibre increases it iii. Soyafood consumption can block the activity of oestrogens and soyabeans contain chemicals called isoflavones which act against cancer. Colon cancer Diet is more strongly linked to colon cancer than to any other type of cancer and vegetarians are less liable to get this disease. In vegetarians unlike in meat eaters colon cells are much less active (The more the colon cells divide the greater the risk of cancer). Secondary bile acids which are carcinogenic are more in omnivores compared to vegetarians. Vegetarians have fewer of the bacteria that convert the harmless bile acids into ones that are carcinogenic compared to non vegetarians. Vegetarians have lower levels of faecal enzymes that enhance the absorption of carcinogens. Oesophagus and stomach Although tobacco and alcohol intake are major risk factors for oesophageal cancer, low intake of vitamin A and C are also associated with increased risk of this cancer. Lack of consumption of fruits and vegetables has been linked to cancer of oral cavity. Vegetarians have higher blood levels of betacarotene which is thought to protect against cancer. Polyphenols prevent cancer of oesophagens and stomach and non vegetarian diets contain powerful carcinogens such as nitrosamines. Vitamin C found in fruit juices inhibit these carcinogens. Cancer of prostrate High fibre intake decreases the risk of prostrate cancer and high fat intake raises the risk. Low fat diets have been shown to reduce the occurrence on non-melanoma skin cancer. Cancer of testes and ovaries have been found to be more common among people who consume large quantities of fat. High consumption of soya-based products, dried fruit, beans, lentils (dhal) and peas has been associated with lower risk of cancer of the pancreas. Risk of bladder cancer is associated with high meat intake. Cancer protection diet includes less fat and more fruit especially citrous fruits, increased intake of vegetables especially those rich in carotene, and dark green vegetables such as cabbage, spinach and cauliflower, increased intake of whole grain cereals, and less of salt, cured, smoked and pickled food. Consumption of fibre should be increased. Animal protein should be substituted by vegetable proteins. ############### Food-borne illness Food poisoning is widespread in Sri Lanka due to the large number of unauthorised food outlets mushrooming in the island. Raising awareness and being conscious of good food hygiene can help you to prevent it. "Food-borne illnesses" are defined by WHO, as diseases, usually either infectious or toxic in nature, caused by agents that enter the body through the food consumption. Food-borne illness maybe caused by physical, chemical or biological food hazards. Of these, three types of food safety hazard, microbiological contamination is by far the most common cause of food-borne illness. In spite of the advances in food variety, convenience and safety, the World Health Organisation says cases of disease caused by microbiologically contaminated food are on the increase both in developed and developing countries. Food-borne illness severely impacts health, particularly society's most vulnerable groups (for example, the elderly, pregnant women, those with diminished immunity and the very young). Food-borne illness also markedly reduces economic productivity. More choices exist now than ever before and increased choice brings with it greater complexity. Choices . Consumers place increased emphasis on convenience and speed in preparing meals but, convenience foods need to be correctly stored and prepared in the home. . The use of a greater variety of cooking methods such as micro waving, barbecuing and slow cooking enhance food variety, but knowledge is required to ensure these methods are used correctly, and without undermining health and safety of the end-consumer. . Many traditional "food wisdom's" historically passed down from one generation to the next are being forgotten or becoming obsolete, but some sectors of the general population have been unable to replace that traditional knowledge with modern scientific understanding of food safety and nutrition. . As more meals are consumed from street vendors, in restaurants, and other public places it can be difficult for individual consumers to determine if food in public places is safe to eat. Prevention Food-borne illness is almost always preventable. The key is better knowledge and understanding throughout the whole food supply chain from farm to the consumer's plate. Food facts ############### Cancer update : Airline supports Breast Cancer Awareness month During October, Emirates' cabin crew will be wearing pink ribbons in support of the worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an international campaign to raise awareness of the disease and funding for research into its cure. "Breast cancer is sadly the commonest cause of untimely death in women," said Dr. Alasdair Beatton, Emirates' Senior Vice President Medical Services. "The simplest, most effective means of countering the disease is by regular self-examination, which is so simple and easy. "I hope all women will use this initiative in October to be more aware of breast cancer and the advantages of early detection." Evelyn Lauder, Founder of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, inspired the campaign. |
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| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is not an infection and it is not
contagious. Glaucoma is a disease of the optic nerve head, caused by too
much fluid pressure in the eye.
