Blooming Souls: A Guide to Special Needs Disorders

Blooming Souls: A Guide to Special Needs Disorders UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIAL NEEDS COMMUNITY TO WORK TOWARDS ELIMINATING STIGMA Authors: Jenny Chin, Melody Lee, and the SNAP team

Letters from the SNAP Leadership Team Starting from February of 2018, Special Needs Advocacy Project has always strived to work towards a more unified community, one where those with special needs could feel accepted and loved by others. We wanted to create something that could bridge the gaps regarding the knowledge about special needs through the power of education and literature.

With months of hard work, Blooming Souls: A Guide to Special Needs Disorders, was born.

In this book, we explore the most common special needs disorders and disabilities present in order for you to better understand each and every special needs individual. At the end, we have a special interview with the mother of an autistic teen.

When you finish, we hope that you understand the importance of embracing the differences among us. Together, we can eliminate the stigma.

Love, Jenny (President) Melody (Vice President)

About special needs advocacy project (snap) Together, we can eliminate the stigma

As a community, we strive to be coherent and collaborative.

Often times, however, we overlook individuals with special needs in our community in order to adhere to our collective identity. The Special Needs Advocacy Project (SNAP) was created in order to bridge the gap existing in our communities, as stigma revolving around special needs tends to arise from misconceptions. We hope to inhibit the prejudice against the special needs community and concurrently raise awareness to the multitude of mental health issues. By bringing together youth who feel passionately about helping the special needs community, we hope to work towards an environment where our special needs peers and their families can feel comfortable in.

Table of Contents Letter from SNAP Team Why we wrote the book

About SNAP our mission

Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities Bipolar disorder, schizophrenia,Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), oppositional defiant disorder

Developmental Disabilities Down syndrome, autism, ADHD, dyslexia

Physical Disabilities Cerebral palsy, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis

Interview with Ansley Huynh Inside the mind of a student with autism

Resources aka works cited

BEHAVIORAL/ EMOTIONAL Bipolar Disorder Schizophrenia Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Oppositional Defiant Disorder Content Pages designed by Jenny Chin and melody lee

Bipolar Disorder

By: Jenny Chin

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar (definition: two extremes) disorder is a mental disorder that consists of drastic changes in mood, which ranges from depression to mania. During depression/depressive episodes, people with bipolar disorder feel hopeless and lose interest in many activities. When depression transitions to mania/manic episodes, they are full of energy and appear to be positive, though they may be irritable and pursue risky activities. Both stages of bipolar disorder have a great deal of influence on the person’s behavior, energy, and health.

Pop Culture Connection

In the gothic novella A Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, Dr.Jekyll turns into his evil persona, Hyde, when creates a serum in attempt to hide the evil part of his personality. Jekyll and Hyde are complete polar opposites, and in his Jekyll mode, Jekyll regrets the actions he took as Hyde.

Symptoms Bipolar I Disorder

-one manic episode that lasts at least a week in conjunction with a hypomanic or major depressive episodes -in some cases, mania may lead to psychosis, a disorder that makes a person severely disconnected from reality Bipolar II Disorder

- at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode (less severe version of manic episode) Cyclothymic Disorder

- depressive symptoms for at least two years (one year in children and teenagers) and multiple periods of hypomania symptoms

Treatment + Therapy

A combination of psychotherapy and medication is usually the most effective type of treatment method.

Medications

Mood stabilizers Antidepressants Atypical antipsychotics

Psychotherapy

When used with medications, psychotherapy provides support, guidance, and education for those with bipolar disorder and their families

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By jenny chin

What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia, the most chronically and disabling of all mental disorders, that affects how a person expresses emotions, perceives reality, relates to others, and behaves. People with schizophrenia may seem like they have lost touch with reality. The world may seem like a jumble of confusing thoughts, images, and sounds. The behavior of people with schizophrenia may be very strange and even shocking. A sudden change in personality and behavior, which occurs when schizophrenia sufferers lose touch with reality, is called a psychotic episode.

Symptoms:

Positive symptoms:

“Positive” symptoms are psychotic

behaviors not generally seen in healthy people. People with positive symptoms may “lose touch” with some aspects of reality. Symptoms include:

Hallucinations Delusions Thought disorders (unusual or dysfunctional ways of thinking) Movement disorders (agitated body movements)

Negative symptoms:

“Negative” symptoms are associated

with disruptions to normal emotions and behaviors. Symptoms include:

“Flat affect” (reduced expression of emotions via facial expression or voice tone) Reduced feelings of pleasure in everyday life Difficulty beginning and sustaining activities Reduced speaking

Treatments/Therapies:

There is no cure to Schizophrenia. However, there are various types of treatment that can help alleviate the symptoms.

Schizophrenia requires lifelong treatment, even when symptoms have subsided.

Treatment with medications and psychosocial therapy can help manage the condition. In some cases, hospitalization may be needed.

A psychiatrist experienced in treating schizophrenia usually guides treatment. The treatment team also may include a psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse and possibly a case manager to coordinate care. The full-team approach may be available in clinics with expertise in schizophrenia treatment.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

By Calvin Xia

What is OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a long-lasting emotional and behavioral disorder that consists of two aspects: obsessions, which are uncontrollable thoughts that constantly occur throughout the day, and compulsions, which are strong urges to perform a certain action. People with OCD may have one or the other or both. These thoughts and actions greatly affect all aspects of life and consumes at least 1 hour of the day.

In today’s society, many are unaware of the severity of this disorder and loosely use the acronym to describe anyone that enjoys being tidy and clean. Modern pop culture also use OCD as a punchline. For example, the germaphobic tendencies of Sheldon, a main character in the hit TV show "The Big Bang Theory", is often a recurring gag and a trait that the other characters label as “crazy” (in which Sheldon responds “No, my mother had me tested”). The stigma and misuse of the disorder emphasize the importance of educating the public about mental disorders.

Symptoms: May develop obsessions (recurring uncontrollable thoughts and mental images):

Fear of germs and contamination Aggressive thoughts towards Having things in order May develop compulsions (repeated actions in response to strong urges):

Excessive cleaning, organizing, and handwashing Checking to see if something is done a certain way Excessive counting May have a tic disorder May have a tic disorder Motor tics (repetitive movements) Motor tics (repetitive movements) Eye blinking Eye blinking Face grimace Face grimace Shoulder shuddering Shoulder shuddering Vocal tics (repetitive sounds) Vocal tics (repetitive sounds) Clearing throat Clearing throat Grunting sounds Grunting sounds

Treatments/Therapies: Medication can be used to reduce symptoms:

Clomipramine (antidepressant) Fluoxetine Fluvoxamine Sertraline Psychotherapy can aid cognitive functions and reduce compulsive behaviors

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) By ethan chen

What is ODD?

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a disorder that is commonly found in during childhood and adolescence. The disorder is most commonly found in boys, and are more likely to express this disorder if the child already has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ODD is a type of behavioral disorder that causes the child to be uncooperative towards authority figures such as teachers and parents. Studies have shown that children with ODD have trouble controlling their temper and recognising social cues. Oftentimes their behavior will interfere with the child's education and overall relationships with others.

Symptoms:

Having sudden outbursts of aggression, often due to very minute details that the child sees as important.

Arguing and defying authority figures, including questioning authority, refusing to do what is asked of them, and simply ignoring the request Doing things out of spite, with the sole purpose of annoying others (This is often out of revenge or simply being vindictive) Being easily annoyed or frustrated by others Chronic aggression towards peers and adults Treating normal situations as though there is hostile intent

How is ODD Prevented?

Different classes and different techniques have been used all with different degrees of effectiveness. Classes include, social skills training, anger management, and conflict resolution. Some schools have also been implementing programs to prevent students from developing ODD. Most of the time these classes are held in groups, as to help with antisocial behavior. However if the child already has signs of ODD, the group settings may only make things worse.

Will ODD Get Better Over Time?

In most cases children will grow out of ODD overtime. For the majority of children diagnosed with ODD it will take them around three years for signs and symptoms to fade away. There is also a possibility that overtime the child will develop other disorders stemming from ODD, this is three times as likely for children who develop the disorder at a young age for example preschool.

Treatments:

If the disorder is dealt with immediately, there will be a better chance at preventing the development of other disorders down the road. There are multiple ways of treating ODD depending on the patient. The child's symptoms, age, and health must all be taken into account when administering help.

Autism Down Syndrome ADHD Dyslexia

AUTISM

By Melody lee

What is Autism (ASD)?

Autism, also known as the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental disorder caused by a combination of genetic and environmental impacts. These factors change the synapses in a person’s brain and essentially causes the person’s brain to be wired differently. As a result, they may have altered senses and may perceive the surroundings differently. This disorder mainly affects a person’s social skills.

Clarification: Autism is sometimes associated with mental retardation, which is not true. autism does not cause mental retardation.

As indicated by the name, this disorder lies on a spectrum of different strengths. Some may have light symptoms of autism while others may show extreme symptoms.

Symptoms:

Tend to avoid eye contacts prefer to be alone Struggle with speech, especially figurative speech like sarcasm, and non-verbal signs Repetitive behaviors such as repeating words and phrases, and rocking, spinning, or flapping Sensitive and intense reactions to the surrounding environment like loud noises and bright light Many remain non-verbal Have unique strengths and differences Treatments/Therapies:

Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA): teaches children with ASD how to positively react to situations Occupational Therapy: training related to daily activities such as dressing and using utensils Speech Therapy: for improving communication skills and help children with ASD express themselves Physical Therapy: for improving motor skills such as walking and balancing Medicines When interacting with Autistic children

There is no cure for autism, but early intervention is extremely important for improving treatment outcomes. The most obvious signs tend to emerge at an age around two- to three-years old.

Only use simple and concrete phrases Do not avoid eye contact and be patient Avoid quick motions, loud noises, or any other actions that may trigger their senses Do not touch the person unless absolutely necessary

DOWN SYNDROME

By Melody lee

What is Down Syndrome?

Down Syndrome occurs when a person is born with a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. The alteration in genes lead to some common traits such as smaller stature, low muscle tone, and an upward slant to the eyes. However, keep in mind people with Down Syndrome possess different degrees of these traits. Keep in mind that Down Syndrome is a condition and not a disease. Children with this syndrome are just like a typical child.

Down Syndrome can occur to all people. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 691 babies in the US are born with Down Syndrome. However, older age women have higher chances of giving birth to a child with Down Syndrome.

While Down Syndrome is a genetic condition, only about 1% of all cases of Down Syndrome get passed to their children.

Different Types of Down Syndrome:

Trisomy (nondisjunction) is caused by random errors that occur in cell division that results in the baby having three #21 chromosomes instead of two. Around 95% of people with Down Syndrome have this type.

Translocation is when a part of chromosome #21 breaks off during cell division and attaches to another chromosome. This type may indicate that one of the parents is carrying chromosomal material arranged in an unusual manner. 3 to 4% of people with Down Syndrome have this type.

Mosaicism occurs when nondisjunction of chromosome #21 takes place in one of the initial cell divisions after fertilization. Occurs in only 1-2% of all cases of Down Syndrome.

Symptoms:

Low muscle tone A single deep crease in the palm A slightly flattened facial profile upward slant to the eyes

Smaller stature Cognitive delays (vary from mild to severe) Delayed ability to speak

Clarification: Just like typical human beings, people with Down Syndrome are not always happy..

Treatments/Therapies:

Physical treatment is especially important at an early age. This treatment train motor skills to compensate with physical challenges like low muscle tone.

Speech therapy helps children with Down Syndrome communicate with others.

Occupational therapy helps children with everyday tasks.

Because of the physical challenges associated with Down Syndrome, they may become frustrated with not being able to do something. Emotional and Behavioral therapies help children respond to different conditions.

Drugs and supplements for Down Syndrome are not extensively tested and are not preferred.

There are many assistive devices, or technologies, that can help people with Down Syndrome with both physical and mental challenges.

Things to Watch out for:

There is no single treatment for people with Down Syndrome.

Proper care can be found simply at the local community.

People with Down Syndrome are more susceptible to health problems that require lifelong treatments.

Early intervention improves outcomes.

When interacting with people with Down Syndrome, do not treat them differently.

Prevent terms like “Down Syndrome child” or “Down’s child.”

Do not use “retardation” as it is very offensive.

Children with Down Syndrome are integrated more and more into the general community, including in schools and sport teams, workforces, and the health care systems.

ATTENTIONDEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER By Calvin Xia

What is ADHD?

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a genetic brain disorder that restrict brain functions and brain related behaviors.

These functions include attention, concentration, motivation, organization, and social skills. Two of the most common symptoms are inattention and hyperactivity. These restrictions may interfere with functioning and development.

Pop Culture Appearances:

ADHD is often portrayed in TV shows and movies for humor but often exaggerate the symptoms of ADHD for better comedic effect.

One prime example is Willy Wonka from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," whose eccentric personality is fun and attractive to the audience to match the appeal of the chocolate factory. Most of these characters with ADHD are often support characters used to contrast or mirror the protagonist, who is more down to earth and relatable. Another prime example is Barney from "How I Met Your Mother," whose fun personality and mood to always party and hang out with women is used to bring Ted Mosby, the protagonist, out of his boring life as an architect.

Symptoms: People with inattention tend to:

Overlook details or make careless mistakes in school or at work Have trouble sustaining attention during activities such as conversations or lectures Not follow through with instructions Have trouble organizing Be forgetful of daily activities such as chores

Symptoms of ADHD include inattention and hyperactivity.

Some people either suffer from one or the other while other have symptoms of both.

People with hyperactivity tend to:

Fidget or squirm in their seat Be unable to play and engage in hobbies quietly Talk nonstop Have trouble waiting for his/ her turn

Treatments:

Although there is no cure for ADHD, treatment can reduce the effects of inattention and hyperactivity and improve ability to perform daily activities. Treatment includes medication and psychotherapy Medication:

Used to control impulsivity and hyperactivity and aid ability to do work Dosages vary from person to person Stimulants increases the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine which are chemicals in your brain that helps with thinking.

However, there are side effects, such as increase heart rate and blood pressure and increase anxiety Non-stimulant takes longer than stimulants but can help with focus and attention People with hyperactivity tend to:

Helps patients cope with everyday problems Behavioral therapy aims to change a person’s behavior, provides practical assistance with schoolwork or working through emotionally difficult events, and teaches how to monitor his or her own behavior Family and marital therapy help family members find better ways to handle disruptive behavior and encourage behavior changes

DYSLEXIA By Ethan chen

What is Dyslexia?

Children with dyslexia have trouble reading, but the problem can present itself in different forms. For example, some may have a hard time associating the sounds with the letters, while others cannot recognise the words altogether. These struggles have no correlation with the child's intelligence. In fact, children with dyslexia are often much more creative thinkers and can come to conclusions much faster. Around 20 percent of the population has some form of dyslexia. This is because there is no clear cure for dyslexia. Around 80 - 90 percent of learning disabilities are due to dyslexia. The disorder is caused by certain genes and environmental risk factors that alter how the brain processes reading and languages.

"Children without dyslexia use the left side of the brain for reading.

Children with dyslexia use the right side first and then the left side as well. But, the right side of the brain is not wired for language work." Brain Balance of Danvers

Symptoms:

Has trouble with reading Has trouble spelling words Has trouble with sounding out letter combinations Letter and/or number reversals Difficulty reading out loud Omitting sounds or letters when reading and writing Strong oral comprehension is contrasted with weak reading comprehension

Treatments/Therapies

There are professionals that can help people with dyslexia. A well known method of dealing with dyslexia is called Orton–Gillingham (OG). This method focuses on a sequential multisensory structure used to teach children with dyslexia how to read. The instructions are referred to as multisensory structured language education (MSLE), and experts consider it one of the most effective methods for teaching individuals with dyslexia. OG focuses on a specific skill in reading called phonological awareness. Speech-language pathologists work with the child to develop this key reading skill.

To help an individual with dyslexia, it is important to determine the different skills and struggles the individual has.

What are the ways YOU can help?

As stated before, dyslexia can take up many different forms. To help an individual with dyslexia, it is important to determine the different skills and struggles the individual has. Discovering the strengths of the individual is extremely important for determining what type of help they need. Another way to help is to connect the sounds of letters to the sounds of everyday activities, this will strengthen the individual's understanding of letters and the sounds that they are paired with. Lastly it is important to always encouraged them, whether this be with kind words or with a friendly smile. Having dyslexia can be extremely discouraging, and it is is important that they stay motivated to learn and improve their reading skills.

PHYSICAL Cerebral palsy Epilepsy Multiple Sclerosis Cystic Fibrosis content Pages designed by Michelle Liu

Cerebral palsy What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong physical disorder that affects movement.

Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal brain development before birth or shortly after birth. An event or sequence of events can combine to cause an injury to a fetus or infant's developing brain.

Some events could be mutations in genes, maternal or infant infections, fetal or infant stroke, or traumatic infant head injury.

‘Cerebral’ refers to the brain, while ‘palsy’ refers to a lack of muscle control. This means that cerebral palsy emcompasses a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move.

Symptoms

People with cerebral palsy suffer from impaired movement, which can affect muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture, balance, delayed development in motor skills, and more.

The most common symptom is spasticity, or muscle stiffness.

However, the parts of the body affected, the level of severity, and the symptoms differ for each person. In some cases, the brain abnormalities associated with cerebral palsy may also cause other neurological problems such as epilepsy and visual, hearing, speech, or intellectual impairment.

The main types of cerebral palsy are: Quadriplegia: Both arms and legs, and the muscle of the trunk and up are affected.

Diplegia: Both legs are affected, although the arms may be affected to a lesser extent.

Hemiplegia: One side of the body (one arm and one leg) is affected.

Cerebral Palsy Treatment + Therapy

Physical therapy: One of the most important methods of treatment. Muscle training can help the person's strength, flexibility, balance, motor development, and mobility.

Occupational therapy: Promotes independent everyday activity.

Speech and language therapy: Helps those with speech impairments communicate.

Recreational therapy: Improves motor skills, speech, and emotional well-being.

Orthotic devices: Braces, splints, casts, walkers, canes, and wheelchairs can be used to help with movement, balance, and posture.

Medication: To loosen specific areas with muscle tightness, botox injections can be used. For general muscle tightness, oral muscle relaxants can be used.

Surgery: Only if symptoms are severe, and other treatments do not work. Orthopedic surgery can help to lessen muscle tightness, correct bone abnormalities, or lengthen muscles and tendons to improve mobility. The last option considered would be to sever the nerves connected to the tight muscles to make it relax and reduce daily pain.

Epilepsy What is epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder where a person has recurrent unprovoked seizures. This means it is not caused by a known condition. A seizure is a change in a person’s behavior due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain. A person’s brain cells send out electrical signals that travel along the nerve cells in the body, controlling how the person functions. When the nerve cells in the brain misfire and generate a burst of electrical activity, the communication between the nerve cells are in disarray and the body reacts on its own. Epilepsy can be caused by structural abnormalities in the brain, but in most cases the cause is unknown.

Symptoms

Seizures can cause changes in a person’s behavior, movements, feelings, or levels of consciousness. They occur without warning as frequently as every day and can last for a few seconds or minutes.

Common seizures include: Convulsive seizures: Too many brain cells send signals at the same time. This causes an overload on the nerves, and the person may pass out or shake all over.

Absence seizures: Very short episodes where the person becomes absent or vacant for a few seconds. Subtle symptoms include eyelid fluttering, rapid blinking, or lip smacking.

Focal seizures: Abnormal electrical activity occurs in one part of the brain. The person becomes unaware of their surroundings and engages in random repetitive actions.

epilepsy Treatment + Therapy

The most successful treatment is taking anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).

Other treatments are only suggested when the medication fails. All are not guaranteed to work on all types of epilepsy.

Medication: Different combinations of AEDs are used to control the persons seizures. Most seizures can be prevented by taking the medication regularly for a few years to achieve complete seizure control.

Surgery: A possible treatment if a CAT or MRI scan shows that there is an area of abnormal brain tissue (an epilepsy focus) that can be removed without complications.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy: A small device is implanted under the skin in the left upper chest and sends small electrical pulses to the left side of the vagus nerve in the neck.The vagus nerve has connections to the area in the brain that produces seizures, so stimulating the nerve has the potential to reduce seizures.

Ketogenic Diet: a very strict restricted fluid, high fat and very low carbohydrate and protein diet that causes the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates and protein. This produces ketones which decrease seizure activity in some circumstances.

Multiple Sclerosis What is multiple sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is a disease in the central nervous system with unpredictable symptoms. It is a progressive disorder where the immune system attacks and damages the protective covers of nerve cells. This causes an interference with nerve impulses in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. The nerves may deteriorate or become permanently damaged, causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. There is no known cause, but some factors such as immunology, disease patterns, environment, and genetics are being researched. ‘Sclerosis’ means scars, so in this disease the ‘scars’ are in the central nervous system.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on which nerves are affected and the severity. Symptoms may include: numbness, fatigue, impaired bowel/bladder function, paralysis, vision loss, prolonged double vision, unsteady gait, slurred speech, and/or reduced brain function.

The types of disease courses include: Relapsing- remitting (70-75%): This course has a partial or total recovery after relapses (period of new symptoms or worsening) and is the most common course.

Secondary-progressive: 60-70% of people with the relapsingremitting course may develop a progression of symptoms with less or no periods of remission (temporary recovery). The rate of progression varies and usually involves problems with mobility and gait.

Primary-progressive (15%): A progression from onset where the symptoms do not remit.

Multiple Sclerosis Treatment + Therapy

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis but there are treatments to help with various aspects of it.

Treatments for the progression of the disease: Immunotherapies: Modifies immune system to slow the frequency and severity of attacks for people with the relapsingremitting course.

Immunosuppressants: Reduces immune system strength for people with the primary-progressive course.

Treatments for multiple sclerosis attacks: Steroid medication: Controls severity of attack, reducing the inflammation at the affected place.

Plasma exchange: Liquid around the blood cells is removed and replaced by a protein solution. Used if the symptoms are new, severe, and have not responded to steroids.

Treatments for signs and symptoms: Physical therapy: Helps with stretching/strengthening exercises and performance in daily tasks. Along with a mobility aid, it can help with leg weakness and other gait problems.

Muscle relaxants: Used if there are painful or uncontrollable muscle stiffness or spasms.

Medications: Various types to reduce fatigue, pain, and bladder/bowel control problems.

Cystic Fibrosis What is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic condition that causes severe damage to the lungs and digestive system. To have this condition, a child needs to inherit one copy of the gene from each parent.

The defective gene causes a mutation in the protein that regulates the movement of salt in and out of cells. It affects the cells in the exocrine system that are responsible for producing saliva, sweat, tears, digestive juices, and mucus. The malfunction causes the person to develop an abnormal amount of thick and sticky mucus within the lungs, airways, and digestive system. Fibrosis refers to scarring and cystic refers to cyst formation within the pancreas, one of the principal organs affected by the disease.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on severity. Symptoms may worsen or improve over time, or be delayed until adolescence or adulthood.

Adults with cystic fibrosis may have symptoms of infertility (for males) and recurring bouts of inflamed pancreas or pneumonia.

The most common symptoms are: Respiratory symptoms: Mucus clogs air passages in the lungs, which causes wheezing, persistent cough, breathlessness, exercise intolerance, repeated lung infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis, and inflamed nasal passages or a stuffy nose.

Digestive symptoms: Mucus blocks tubes that carry digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the small intestine, which causes impaired nutrient intake, foul greasy stools, poor weight gain and growth, intestinal blockage, and severe constipation.

cystic fibrosis Treatment + Therapy

There is no known cure and most people will undergo constant medical treatments and physiotherapy.

Physiotherapy: Helps loosen and get rid of the mucus that builds up in the lungs. May require help from family, friends, or therapists and is done for up to four hours each day.

Vest therapy: Helps loosen and thin mucus by vibrating the chest at a high frequency.

Chest physical therapy: Helps loosen mucus in the lungs by clapping with cupped hands on the front and back of the chest and is usually done one to four times a day.

Inhaled medicines: Helps open airways or thin mucus. Liquid medicines that include antibiotics are made into a mist or aerosol and then inhaled through a nebulizer.

Pancreatic enzyme supplement capsules: Improves the absorption of vital nutrients. A person may consume up to 60 capsules daily to help digest food.

Medications: Antibiotics to treat or prevent lung infections, antiinflammatory medications to lessen swelling in the airways, and mucus-thinning drugs to help cough up mucus.

Surgery: Procedures can help with obstructed breathing, nutrition intake, and bowel blockage or collapse. In severe cases, lung transplants are also done.

Interview with Ansley Huynh By jenny chin It’s difficult for others to imagine how a special needs student views the world.

For Ansley Huynh, it’s also difficult to grasp how our fast-paced world functions.

Ansley, a teen who was diagnosed with autism at age two, goes to FCSN every week for math and communication class. His mother, Christine Huynh, always follows him wherever he goes, silently protecting him. When Ansley is in class, his mother has to also be there.

“Ansley has a hard time paying attention to the task at hand...he is too busy talking to himself to pay attention to the question, and reciting the question does not result in comprehension,” Huynh said. “Furthermore, once he ‘understands’ the question, rather than true comprehension of the subject, he will try to pattern-match an answer based on how he previously solved a problem. This means that it may take a while for him to be able to answer a question, while obtaining no greater understanding of the concept behind the question.”

Like many of the others, Ansley has been bullied before in school. “Kids take advantage of Ansley’s autism,” Huynh said. “There were kids that would try to take Ansley’s lunch money, and since Ansley was kind, he just gave it to them.”

Since autistic teens like Ansley are usually unaware of their actions, they often don’t realize that they accidentally hurt someone else. Huynh says that “usually if I explain to them that Ansley is autistic, people tend to be understanding if just a little wary.”

Huynh believes that media does not paint a correct picture of autism, and neither do they like to mention the topic. “For the media, autism is boring…most autism is portrayed as high-functioning Asperger’s,” she said. This may be the reason as to why people freak out when dealing with a low-functioning autistic person.

When non-autistic people meet Ansley at first, Huynh says that they “jump to conclusions, and their overreacting makes him scared.” She maintains that “there are so many misconceptions about autism because it comes in so many forms.”

Although Ansley had been bullied multiple times in his childhood, Huynh says that “things are a lot better than before; we haven't been kicked out of stores as some families once were.” Huynh has received a lot of mental support from being at FCSN, because she says that it “gives me other parents to talk to and allows me to easily find solutions to problems I may encounter.”

Resources ADHD https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml Autism https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/from-first-concern-to-action/learn-signs https://autismsciencefoundation.org/what-is-autism/treatment-options/ Bipolar Disorder https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml Cerebral Palsy https://www.cerebralpalsy.org.au/about-conditions/cerebral-palsy/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cerebral-palsy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354005 https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/cerebral-palsy/conditioninfo/treatments Cystic Fibrosis https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.au/ https://www.cff.org/What-is-CF/About-Cystic-Fibrosis/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cystic-fibrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353700 Down Syndrome https://www.ndss.org/about-down-syndrome/down-syndrome/ https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/down/conditioninfo/treatments Dyslexia http://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/what-is-dyslexia/ https://www.understood.org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learningdisabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpfProPU3QIVF9lkCh1NGg4jEAAYASAAEgLcpvD_BwE#item4 Epilepsy http://www.epilepsyaustralia.net/epilepsy-explained/ https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/what-epilepsy https://www.healthychildren.org/english/health-issues/conditions/head-neck-nervoussystem/pages/seizures-convulsions-and-epilepsy.aspx Multiple Sclerosis https://www.msaustralia.org.au/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-sclerosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20350269 https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml Oppositional Defiant Disorder https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/mental_health_disorders/oppositional_defiant_dis order_90,P02573 https://www.aacap.org/aacap/Families_and_Youth/Resource_Centers/Oppositional_Defiant_Disorder_Resou rce_Center/FAQ.aspx Schizophrenia https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizophrenia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354449

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