How to Make Money on Youtube, Your Website, or Your Blog with Google Adsense and Revenue Sharing

Man, you sound really young. How old are you? It amazes me how young people have so much knowledge with regard to making money online. This is a good start. I just can't wait to see how successful you'd become when you get a little older. I am pretty sure you'd become one of the online gurus of your generation.

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Special Education Tips in ASL

Rosa Lee Timm, a person who is deaf, speaks in ASL to offer 5 helpful tips to make you a more effective advocate for your child's special education needs. She discusses the importance of keeping your records organized, writing letters to express concerns or ask questions; reviewing documents before signing them, finding expert support, and understanding the legal standard that applies to special education services.

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A day in the life of a Special Education teacher

This is a profile of the SCB, or school community based special education program at James Hubert Blake high school in Montgomery County, Maryland. A team of teachers, administrators and specialists come together each day to support and teach these students.

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Teaching Special Needs Children : Tips on Teaching in a Special Education Classroom

When teaching in a special education classroom, you want to make sure you have your room set up to accommodate all the needs of the students. Set your special education classroom up with help from a special needs teacher in this free video on special education.

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Heart Health Awareness Month

Hearts fill our Februaries, and not just because Valentine’s Day is around the corner. February is also the month when the spotlight shines brightly on heart health as campaigns to raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases and promote heart-healthy living are featured around the globe.

Cardiovascular diseases are diseases that affect the heart and circulatory system and, according to the World Health Organization, they cause more deaths annually than any other disease worldwide.  While there are many diseases that affect heart health, three of them – coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, and cardiomyopathy – are described below.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease in the United States and is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries. The arteries supply the heart with oxygen-rich blood. As the plaque, which is comprised of cholesterol and other substances, accumulates over time, it restricts the passage of blood (and therefore oxygen) through the arteries. This is a problem because a person can suffer a heart attack if the heart is deprived of the oxygen it needs.

Even if a heart attack does not occur, coronary artery disease can damage the heart and lead to other health conditions, such as an irregular heartbeat (also known as arrhythmia), and even heart failure, which happens when the heart is unable to effectively pump blood through the body.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common cardiovascular condition, with more than 3 million new cases per year recorded in the United States. When a person has high blood pressure, it means that their heart is working overtime to supply the body with the oxygen-rich blood it needs. The heart may need to exert more energy for a variety of reasons, including plaque buildup, genetic factors, and certain prescription medications.

High blood pressure can go undetected for years, causing further damage to the heart and arteries over time. If it is uncontrolled, high blood pressure and the damaged arteries it creates can lead to a variety of other health problems, such as organ and tissue damage, heart attack, and stroke.

Cardiomyopathy

Less common than high blood pressure, but still garnering 200,000 new cases per year in the United States, cardiomyopathy refers to a disease of the heart muscle itself. Cardiomyopathy causes the heart muscle to become enlarged or rigid, or in rare cases, causes scar tissue to replace heart muscle tissue. This damage weakens the heart and makes it difficult to pump blood effectively and maintain a steady rhythm, which can lead to heart failure and arrhythmia.

Cardiomyopathy can either be genetically inherited or acquired, meaning a person can either be born with it or develop it over time for one reason or another. There are multiple types of cardiomyopathy and the severity of the disease differs widely from person to person.

Improving Heart Health & Reducing Your Risk

Fortunately, it is possible to protect heart health and reduce your risk of developing or worsening one of these heart diseases. Some key elements of reducing your risk of heart disease and/or managing conditions like those described above include:

• Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Avoiding food with added sugar and salt
• Enjoying lean meats, fish, beans, and nuts
• Being physically active
• Not smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke
• Getting regular health checks, even when you feel healthy

As always, speak with a trusted healthcare provider if you are concerned about your heart health, think you should be tested for a specific condition, or if you have any other health concern.

So, as we exchange heart-shaped tokens of affection with our loved ones this February, let’s remember our own hearts and show them some love as well.

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National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

February 21-27 is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week!

Awareness of eating disorders has gone up substantially in recent years. Even if health class in school doesn’t get the message across, pop culture has helped start the conversation about both the physical and emotional tolls eating disorders can have. When it comes to eating disorders, most of the focus is on women, but men are susceptible to eating disorders, too. Let’s look at two common eating disorders – anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa – and how they affect both men and women.

Anorexia nervosa, or simply anorexia, starts with a fear of gaining weight and an obsession about body weight that leads to self-starvation and excessive weight loss. For women, this is usually a dramatic decrease in food intake, or no eating at all. For men, this can be associated with compulsive exercise, frequently weighing himself, or a preoccupation with body building. No matter what gender, there is excessive dieting, denial of hunger, or thoughts of being “fat” despite continued weight loss.

Bulimia nervosa, or just bulimia, is characterized by self-induced vomiting to counteract binge eating. This eating disorder is similar for men and women, presenting as a feeling of being out of control while eating a large amount of food, then using laxatives or diuretics to purge the food out and control weight gain. For both genders, this behavior stems from an emotional insecurity about the body’s appearance. Those with bulimia can often fixate on a certain body part (abs, thighs, arms, etc.) and spend inordinate amounts of time working out.

Both of these eating disorders can have severe emotional and physical effects. But what if you start to recognize those symptoms in a friend or family member? How do you start that difficult conversation in hopes of getting them help? This is how the National Eating Disorders Association recommends approaching the subject:

• Set a time to talk – don’t rush the conversation, set aside a time away from distractions to discuss your concerns
• Communicate your concerns – share specific examples of when you were worried and why you think those instances may be indicating a problem
• Avoid conflicts – it’s common for a friend to refuse to acknowledge the problem. Stay calm and re-emphasize your feelings of concern, make sure they know you’re there as a support system rather than an accuser.
• Avoid placing blame – try not to use “you” statements like, “you are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, shift the focus onto yourself with statements like, “I’m concern about you because you haven’t been eating much.”
• Don’t give simple solutions – statements like, “If you would just start eating again, everything would be great,” don’t help and only exacerbate the situation
• Encourage talking to a professional – whether it’s a doctor, a counselor, a nutritionist, or another healthcare professional. If you feel comfortable, offer to go to their first appointment together. Dealing with eating disorders is difficult for both sides, so don’t be afraid to talk to someone about you, as well as your friend.

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Understanding Chiari Malformation

Chiari malformations, also known as Arnold-Chiari malformations, are a defect in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. Normally, this part of the brain is housed in a space at the bottom of the skull, above the funnel-like opening to the spinal canal, called the foramen magnum. In people with Chiari malformations, the cerebellum is located below the foramen magnum.

The resulting pressure on the cerebellum and brain stem may affect functions controlled by these areas, such as balance, and block the flow of spinal fluid.

Causes

• Primary or congenital (more common): Caused by structural defects during fetal development, such as genetic mutations or lack of proper vitamins or nutrients
• Acquired or secondary (less common): Spinal fluid is drained excessively from other areas of the spine either due to injury, exposure to harmful substances, or infection.

Classification

Chiari malformations are classified by the severity of the disorder and the parts of the brain that protrude into the spinal canal.

• Type I (acquired): the lower part of the cerebellum (cerebellar tonsils) drops down with no brain stem involvement. May have no symptoms and be noted accidentally when a patient is having tests for a separate issue.
• Type II (classic): involves the extension of both cerebellar and brain stem tissue. The nerve tissue that connects the two halves of the cerebellum (cerebellar vermis) may be partially or completely absent.
• Type III (most serious): Not only the cerebellum and brain stem, but part of one of the brain’s fluid-filled cavities (the fourth ventricle) protrude. This usually causes severe neurological defects.
• Type IV (cerebellar hypoplasia): involves an incomplete or underdeveloped cerebellum. In this rare form of Chiari malformation, the cerebellar tonsils are located in a normal position, but parts of the cerebellum are missing.

What are the symptoms of a Chiari malformation?

Many patients have no symptoms and a Chiari malformation is found by accident. But, the following symptoms may be present:

• Neck pain
• Balance problems
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness or other abnormal feelings in the arms or legs
• Dizziness
• Vision problems
• Difficulty swallowing
• Ringing or buzzing in the ears
• Hearing loss
• Insomnia
• Depression
• Headache (made worse by coughing or straining)
• Issues with hand coordination and fine motor skills

Symptoms in babies and children:

• Vomiting, irritability when being fed, excessive drooling, a weak cry, gagging or vomiting, arm weakness, a stiff neck, breathing problems, developmental delays, and an inability to gain weight

Diagnosis

In order to determine if a Chiari malformation is present, the doctor will first check the following to see if anything is out of the ordinary:

• Cerebellar functions: memory, cognition, balance
• Spinal cord functions: touch, reflexes, sensation, and motor skills

The doctor might want the patient to have an X-ray, CT scan or MRI to conclusively determine if a Chiari malformation is present.

How are Chiari malformations treated?

There are few ways to treat Chiari malformations, and some cases may require no treatment at all.

• People with no symptoms: need no treatment
• Mild symptoms (like pain): treated with analgesics
• More severe symptoms: surgery

Although rare, Chiari malformation is a neurological defect that can affect the daily routine of those afflicted by it. Timely diagnosis and treatment are sought to improve quality of life for these patients.

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