Down Syndrome is a genetic condition where someone has 3 copies of chromosome 21 rather than 2 and can also be called Trisomy 21. These kiddos can have changes in their facial features along with difficulties with heart defects, reduced strength, delayed communication, and short stature among other things. Down Syndrome is the most commonly […]
Epilepsy is an interruption in the electrical communication between neurons causing seizures. Most of the time the cause is unknown but can be due to brain injury, altered brain structure, metabolic conditions, genetics, or immune conditions. The CDC is reporting that epilepsy is at an all time high in the United States. The current predictions […]
This is also known as Speech Therapy Month, a time when we pay more attention to language and how our Speech Therapist friends support individuals in being able to communicate with each other. It is also important to spend some time thinking about noise and how it affects our hearing. For our kiddos, Speech Therapists, […]
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestion of around 35,000 people in the United States. It causes mucus production that blocks airways and causes lung damage. These individuals also have an increased risk of infection and are more likely to develop other diseases such as diabetes, cirrhosis, arthritis, reflux, […]
National Mobility Month brings awareness to the lives and challenges of those with disabilities. Not only can a disability cause an issue with access but there are often issues with discrimination and social isolation. Take a moment this month to reach out to those that you know have a disability and offer them your support […]
Prader Willi Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that affects nearly every body system but is most famously known for causing extreme, continuous hunger along with a slow metabolism and so is the leading genetic cause of life-threatening obesity in children. Along with digestion, PWS can impact hormones, strength, behavior, cognition, temperature regulation, pain, and […]
Asthma is a long-term lung condition where people find it hard to breathe due to the airways becoming inflamed and narrowed at times. Although asthma cannot be cured, it can generally be controlled in order to reduce attacks, also called exacerbations. According to the CDC, 1 in 13 people in the US have asthma and […]
Apraxia is a neurological conditions where people find it difficult to make certain movements without paralysis as a cause. It can affect any muscles such as the face or the arms/legs. During the month of May we bring awareness specifically to Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) which affects less than 1% of children. Damage to […]
Schizencephaly is an extremely rare condition that is found at birth and is characterized by slits in certain parts of the brain. Due to these changes, babies with schizencephaly often have developmental delays, cognitive delays, along with speech and language delays. They can struggle with seizures and may require medications in addition to a shunt. […]
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that can affect anyone and is the most common infectious cause of birth defects. One in three children in the US have CMV which can stay there for life and reactivate at any time. Most people with CMV have no symptoms and are unaware they have been infected. CMV causes […]
Aphasia is caused by a brain injury and causes a person to loose the ability to produce or understand words, this can affect speech, reading, and writing. Aphasia can affect someone in a wide variety of ways. Two million people in America have it but studies show about 84% of people have never heard of […]
DeafBlind Awareness Week was established in 1984 and is always celebrated the last week of June in honor of Helen Keller's birthday on June 27th. Deafblindness is a combination of sight and hearing loss that affects a person's ability to communicate with others, access their environment, or acquire information. It can also be called dual […]
