💉National American Diabetes Association Alert Day

On March 28th, American Diabetes Association Alert Day is a day to actively alarm people about the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in American adults by asking America to take the American Diabetes Association Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test.

The free, anonymous risk test is available online or via a one-sided handout, and only takes a minute to complete. With questions such as "Do you have a family history of diabetes" and "Are you physically active," participants can learn if they’re at risk for type 2 diabetes in 60 seconds. 

👍 Go ahead and take the take the Type 2 Diabetes Risk Test!!!~ 9 out of 10 Americans most at risk for type 2 diabetes don’t know it. Take 60 seconds to find out if you’re one of them. Knowing your risk is the first step toward a healthier life. The Test 

👍 How to lower your risk ~ If you're at risk for type 2 diabetes, speak with your health care team and use these tips to lower your risk.

🎂 Being overweight ~  Maintaining a healthy weight can help you prevent and manage problems like prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol. I know it's not as easy as it sounds but in the end it is worth it. Just sometimes substitute that piece of cake for a fruit or healthy snack.

🥗Healthy Eating ~ Eating healthy is one of the most important things you can do to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes. Get them salads in, eat the good stuff not a whole bunch of take out. Take the chance and make it yourself. You will thank me for it later.

🚴‍♀️ Physical Activity ~Physical activity can do a lot for your health, even if you haven’t been very active lately. You can walk, bike, run, jog, play with your kids, everything works.

Small Steps for Your Health

Making just a few small changes can have make a big impact on your weight and health.

Usually doctors or "experts" shall we say tell us things to do to get and stay at a healthy weight in order to prevent type 2 diabetes. These are choose healthy foods, make healthy meals, be active for at least 30 minutes a day. What we do usually know is how to start this. If you are not a person that normally eat healthy then this is complicated at best. It's not easy to do all of this every day living in today's fast-paced and fast-food world. And it can be even harder if you have a lot of changes you want to make.

Try to make the change one step at a time.... Over months and years. 

The good news is that making just a few small changes can have make a big impact on your weight and health. 

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High Blood Glucose

Managing your blood glucose (sugar) can help you prevent and manage type 2 diabetes.

When you eat, your body breaks food down into glucose (sugar) and sends it into the bloodstream. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps move the glucose from the blood into the cells to be used for energy. Your body usually makes just the right amount of insulin to match the food you eat.

When your body does not use insulin properly, it is called insulin resistance. At first, the beta cells make extra insulin to make up for it. But, over time your pancreas isn't able to keep up and can't make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels.

When blood glucose levels are higher than normal it is called high blood glucose (hyperglycemia). If your blood glucose gets too high, you will be diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes.-

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High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure raises your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other problems. Managing blood pressure can help prevent these problems.

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All About Cholesterol
Unhealthy cholesterol levels can raise your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

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Age, Race, Gender & Family History
There are some things that affect your risk that you can't change. Being aware of them can help you take smart steps to lower your risk.

Many things affect your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Some of these things, like your weight and how much you exercise, you can change. Other things, like your age or your family history, you can't change. But being aware of them can help you take smart steps to lower your risk.

Things you can't change:
Age
Race
Gender
Family history

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Gestational Diabetes
If you've had gestational diabetes, you’re at higher risk of it in future pregnancies and of type 2 diabetes later in life.

Gestational diabetes (GDM), or diabetes during pregnancy, is when women have diabetes during pregnancy. They've never had diabetes before, and it goes away after pregnancy. But, unfortunately, that's not the end of the story.

Once you've had GDM your chances are 2 in 3 that it will return in future pregnancies. And women who have had GDM are more than 7 times as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as women who didn't have diabetes in pregnancy.

There are many other health conditions that raise your risk, including:
Overweight
High blood glucose
Unhealthy cholesterol
High blood pressure
Smoking
Not getting enough physical activity
Unhealthy eating

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Smoking
Smoking causes a lot of problems in your body and can raise your risk of heart attack or stroke.
Diabetes and Cancer

Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers share many risk factors. Lower your risk for both.

Signing out

Dr. Destiny Basset aka

       Big Sister On Point

☀🌞🌤 National Cheerleading Safety Month 📣

March Is Cheerleading Safety Month

📣Being a cheerleader once myself, and having daughters as cheerleaders, I know first hand about the safety of the sport, yes cheerleading is a sport, a sport that causes bruises, concussions, broken limbs, sprains, and falls... many many falls... But with knowing all of this, girls love the sport, and the competitiveness. There's no other feeling as flying high, and trusting your teammates for a safe landing... ( whew ).

Take Time to Evaluate the Safety of your Cheerleading Program

📣Of course, cheerleading safety should be practiced any time cheerleading is being performed, but March – Cheerleading Safety Month – provides the perfect opportunity to shine the spotlight on cheerleading safety.
March often marks the winding down of basketball season and with it most school cheerleading will also come to an end. Soon, tryouts for the next season will take place, giving coaches the opportunity to implement their safety programs for a new team.

There are four groups directly responsible for the safety of the cheerleader – the administration, the coaches, the cheerleaders themselves, and the cheerleaders’ parents. Each can use this month to focus on cheerleading safety and enhance safety in their programs.

📣Administrators, are you involved in your cheer program? Make sure you have selected a qualified coach to supervise the team and give them sufficient support. At a minimum, the coach should complete the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators safety course. Coaches should also take advantage of any other training available, such as training provided by the National Federation of State High School Associations or the US All Star Federation. They should be encouraged to attend camps, clinics and coaching conferences in order to further their knowledge of skill techniques. As an administrator, you should make sure your program has adequate practice facilities and matting and that the coach is following the safety rules.

📣Coaches, are you fully aware of your responsibilities with regard to safety? You should make sure your cheerleaders are using proper skill progressions. Don’t pressure your cheerleaders to try skills they are not ready to attempt. You or someone at practice, such as a coach’s assistant, should be CPR certified and trained in basic first aid. Make sure that you are following recognized safety rules and practices (AACCA, NFHS or USASF) outlined for your program. Develop and practice an emergency plan in the event a serious injury occurs.

📣Cheerleaders, you too have a responsibility for your own safety. If you feel scared about a particular stunt or tumbling skill, voice your concerns to your coach or parent. Take stunting very seriously, and stay focused on the skill and your part in it until it is safely completed. Practice good health and fitness habits so you can perform to the best of your ability. Remember, others are relying on you to be at your best during every performance.

📣Parents, use your voice! Know the safety rules, and If you find that standard practices aren’t being employed, bring it to the attention of the coach. If that doesn’t resolve the matter, do not hesitate to take your concerns to the administration. Ultimately, if you feel that your child’s safety is being compromised, take the difficult step of removing them from the program.
Cheerleading can be a safe and healthy activity when it is properly supervised. Let’s use this month of awareness to make sure we are all doing our part!

Make this month, and every month safe for our children the best way possible. Have fun, follow rules, and watch out for one another. Be the best at what you do... remember that you are all champions....

☀🌞🌤 Signing off ~~~~ Egypt A. Stefanos {aka} Big Sister Southern Heat 💋

~ Epilepsy Awareness Day - Purple Day ~

"It is estimated that 1 in 100 people worldwide have epilepsy.  In 50% of cases, the cause is unknown."

I remember the first time it happened.

Well, not the first time it HAPPENED, but the first time I saw it.  Adorable little nerdy kid, super shy.  He sat across from me in AP Psychology.  His name was Paul.  Face full of acne like the rest of us, socially awkward like the rest of us, and incredibly intelligent like the rest of us.

But I heard that... noise... come from him.  Almost like an "Uh..." like he didn't remember what he was in the middle of saying to me.  But then his eyes went strange and his body started to twitch and shake, and before any of us knew it he was on the ground, shaking violently.  Half of the class knew what was going on, and half had no idea... including my teacher.  Bless his heart, he knew generally... I mean, most people know GENERALLY.

But the moment he tried to stabilize Paul's head while he was seizing, I had to tell him - and by tell him I mean yell at him, "Don't touch him.  Just move the table and chairs away... and someone give me a sweatshirt."

I folded it and laid it under Paul's head so he wouldn't beat himself to death on the concrete masked by the thinnest layer of carpeting I had ever seen.  Then again, schools aren't made epilepsy-proof.

It felt like the seizure lasted for years, with several in the class in tears, others ghostly pale and watching in horror, and others just backed away and silent. 

It was like a train wreck that no one could stop watching.  And then it was over.  Then we could touch him.

I put Paul on his side in some sloppy version of the recovery position that I wouldn't be formally taught until several years later when I was in my 20's, mostly just to make sure he didn't aspirate if he got sick.  Admidst our teacher shouting, trying to get Paul to wake up, I stayed there, quietly, and waited.

There's nothing you can really do but wait.  

Well, wait, and call his dad, who happened to be a teacher on the other end of the building.

By the time his dad came in, Paul was coming to.  He had no idea what had happened.  Only that he was on the floor.  "You had a sesizure, Paul..." myself and his father tried to explain to him.  According to his dad, it wasn't his first, so Paul would likely come to understand what happened after some rest, when he was fully back to himself.

With his dad on one side and our poor Psychology teacher on the other, they got him down to the nurse's office and our teacher came back and just kind of stared at me.

"It's in my family... sort of.  I hear about it almost every day."  I told him.

Epilepsy is a serious condition.  And as mentioned before, 50% of the time you DON'T KNOW your trigger.  Can you imagine that?

Like... "Oh, p.s. You have a serious neurological condition which can cause you to have violent seizures that can potentially cause other serious bodily injury... or perhaps even lead to sudden death... but we have no idea what causes that in you yet, so we can't tell you what to avoid."

I would wrap myself in bubble wrap and refuse to leave the house.

And even THEN, I still wouldn't be completely safe from a potential trigger.  I... cannot imagine.  I, at least, know most of my triggers.  Granted, I can't avoid them all the time, but at least I know them!

My family has a rare, neuro-degenerative disease.  By its longest form, they call it Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy With Early Dementia.  Lately, they've given it a shorter name of 'FENIB', but for the life of me, I cannot tell you what FENIB is supposed to stand for.  That's for the researchers to explain, not for me.

Basically what this disease is... is some strange combination of Epilepsy, Alzheimer's, and Dementia.  Onset around age 25... and death by early to mid 40's.  It's... not a fun situation to be around.

I mean... can you imagine that when my cousins were in their mid-20's and had their first seizures... almost 20 years ago now... knowing what was in store for them that far in advance?  And what's worse... THEY knew what was in store for them.  And they had about 10-15 years that they still had the presence of mind to be able to dread it.  To be able to dread losing their identity, their memory, their communication.

Like... I don't even like waiting a week in anticipation of something, good or bad.  Let alone 10-15 years to dread the end of my quality of life.

This disease has begun to manifest itself in several forms within our family now.  In the beginning, with the minimal information that we had, it was either you have it or your don't.  Now... one of my cousins has a 'lesser form' of the disease in that she has epileptic seizures and some slight cognitive issues, but is not degenerating like her brothers and cousin.  I, myself, am only epileptic.  Any cognitive issues have been chalked up to my being on the autism spectrum... but who knows.  Maybe mild forms of autism are part of the disease too?

That's the biggest problem with something like this... at least 50% of the time, if not moreso, there is no definite right or wrong.

The thing of it is, we don't TALK about this stuff as much as we should.  And that's what Purple Day for Epilepsy, March 26th of every year, is meant to do.

Speak up... get people talking... educate yourself about Epilepsy and Epileptic people. And most importantly...

Learn how to act in case someone around you has a seizure!

• Stay calm. You freaking out isn't going to do anyone any good.
• Time the Seizure. This is to determine its severity.  Usually there is no need for a trip to the hospital unless the seizure lasts longer than five minutes, if there is more than one seizure in a row, if the person gets injured as a result of the seizure, if the person is pregnant, or if the person is diabetic.
• Remove any objects that may cause harm to the seizing person. They have zero control of their body or their mind in that moment, which means they don't have the presence of mind to see something dangerous and avoid it. If there are sharp or dangerous objects within their space, particularly things they can hit their head on or other flailing limbs, the objects need to be removed.
• Do not hold the person down or restrain their movement. It might be an instinct, to keep them from hurting themselves... but DON'T do it.  Simply keep the area safe for them until they stop seizing.
• Do not put anything in the person's mouth. One of the most common misconceptions about seizures is that you must put something in their mouth, otherwise they might swallow their tongue.  DO NOT PUT ANYTHING IN THE PERSON'S MOUTH. It is not possible for someone to swallow their tongue.
• Turn the person on his/her side after the seizure is done, to allow saliva and fluids to run out and keep the airway clear. If someone has too much fluid or saliva in their mouth and are laying on their back, there is a chance they could choke or aspirate, causing a whole other set of issues.
• Do not offer food or drink until the person is fully alert.
• Stay with the person until they are fully alert and thinking clearly.
• Reassure the person when consciousness returns.  They are likely afraid.  Most will not have memory of the actual seizure itself.  So imagine one moment you're having a conversation with a friend and the next moment you're on the floor with everyone staring at you.  Reassure them and be gentle with them as they begin to regain consciousness.

If any of you have any questions about my personal experiences with epilepsy, my experiences with my family, my experience with Paul I described earlier... feel free to comment your questions, or message me.  I don't mind talking about it.

For general information on seizures, Epilepsy, and Epilepsy Awareness, you can visit PurpleDay.Org's page on epilepsy information HERE.

❤ Samineh (Tiviyah Resident) aka: Big Sister Enigmatic

National Professional Social Work Month

March is the month chosen to celebrate social workers and the work we do. I have been a social worker for a few years now. I love what I do. I love to advocate and stand up for the rights of others. I love assisting an individual in making changes to better themselves. It is a very rewarding experience to be able to help those in need. As a social worker I wear many hats, which include but not limited to : enabler, activist, educator, advocate, mediator, and speaker.

Celebrated each March, National Professional Social Work Month is an opportunity for social workers across the country to turn the spotlight on the profession and highlight the important contributions they make to society. Our nation’s more than 600,000 social workers have amazing tenacity and talent.

They confront some of the most challenging issues facing individuals, families, communities and society and forge solutions that help people reach their full potential and make our nation a better place to live.We celebrate the contributions of social workers during National Social Work Month in March.

Social workers stand up for millions of people every day. These include people who are experiencing devastating illnesses and mental health crises, our veterans, children, families and communities. Yet many people still misunderstand who social workers are and the invaluable contributions they bring to society.

This year we will commemorate Social Work Month with a “Social Workers Stand Up!” campaign. This campaign will educate the public about the contributions of social workers and give social workers and their allies tools they can use to elevate the profession. Activities will be updated so be sure to check back regularly for the latest Social Work Month activities

☀🌞🌤 National Single Parents Day ☀🌞🌤

☀🌞🌤 I can't began to imagine how I would make it as a single parent.. Single parenting is not easy. Sometimes, after a tiring and stressful time, all you need is some motivation to keep going. As I look at life as it is played out, I see and hear the joy and the pains of a parent that has to work so hard to play the role as the mother and the father 24/7, 365 days of the year. Cheers to all the single parents out there, men and women, I applaud you, take a bow and sit on your throne, you work harder than anyone I know for the well being of the most precious gift God has given you...

                                                       

                                Single Parent

                                         

                             ➤  The bond that a child develops with his mother can never be severed. You grew as an organism inside her for nine months. She carried you and sustained you, sharing her sustenance with you through your umbilical cord. When you are born the cord is severed. It is never severed in her heart. That bond lasts forever. As we grow up we become our own people and may come to forget that woman who nurtured and loved us. But remember this, she will never forget you and never stop loving you.

                             

                         

                        The Single Father 

I was a single father raising my child
It had been hard for quite a while.
Having my parents watch him during the day
And no other child with which to play.

I would walk in the door and he
would jump with joy, this was my little boy.
I would give him horsy back rides
And he would laugh until he cried.
We would play “ hide n seek”
And thru his fingers he would peek.

Then we’d run around playing tag
He’d laugh so hard that he would gag.
He had such a shrilling laugh
That the gasses I would pass.
Then he’d laugh even harder
This is my son, and I his father.

Now he is in school learning to read and write
And his grades are dynamite.
I come home from work and still
Make time to play.
And I thank GOD for him every day.

A father and son playing together
In this life what can be better?
It can be better when you have
a boy and girl to share your life.
The boy will go thru cuts and scrapes
And she will go thru satin and lace.

She will pick out her own dress to wear
And certain secrets with you she’ll share.
She will play with her dolls and toys
And capture the hearts of all the boys

She will become the soft side of you
For this is what little girls do.
So to all the single fathers still out there
This is my poem with you I’ll share.

Not many fathers will accept responsibilities
But there are some out there like you and me.

                                                         You're Amazing!!!!

                          

 ➤ To all of you, this gives me much pleasure to contribute this blog for the people I admire the most. You walk the walk and talk the talk, You are the maid, the chauffeur, the cook, the teacher, the doctor, the tailor, the counselor, the heart and soul of your child's life. You are everything to them, never forget this, especially when it seems like the load is too heavy... Hold your head up high, you have a lot to be proud of... Single Parents Rule!!!!!

                                       

                          A child is a unique and rare gem that can never be replaced, they are one of a kind.

                                         ☀🌞🌤    LOVE THEM UNCONDITIONALLY   ☀🌞🌤 

➤ Over and Out ~~~~  ☀🌞🌤  Egypt A. Stefanos aka Big Sister Southern Heat 💋

~ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination ~

"Every person is entitled to human rights without discrimination. The rights to equality and non-discrimination are cornerstones of human rights law. Yet in many parts of the world, discriminatory practices are still widespread, including racial, ethnic, religious and nationality based profiling, and incitement to hatred."

Let me start by saying this... I know this isn't my fight.  

And you don't have to tell me twice how strange it might seem for a white woman in both SL and RL to be writing the blog post for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  I get it.

It's kinda like when all those white folks got up in arms about Beyonce's Formation video, yeah?  Like... it wasn't meant to speak to you... so no one really cares if you're offended.

And this post is not going to be trying to convince you that I understand the fight of a particular minority group, or ANY minority group, for that matter.  I'm not going to try to equate my idiosyncrasies to your struggles and try to tell you that "I've been there" and that "I understand".

I haven't.  And I don't.  And I know that.

When I originally volunteered to write this post, I acknowledged it might be kind of awkward, and offered to step back if any of my sisters wanted to take on this challenge... because I feel like this is DEFINITELY something that needs covered...

I mean... my first post on this blog was about "Celebrate Your Name Week".  If I'm going to talk about names as something that's important, I think Discrimination, Profiling, Hatred, and all of these other things that are currently heavily present in our world today need talked about as important.  You can't really gloss over the issue and say, "Meh.  Yeah, it's there... moving on..."

Despite the fact that that's what we as a country and as a people have been doing for years...

Like, ok.  I'm gonna be honest... when I first started pledging Eta Sigma Delta... I felt suuuuuper awkward.  None of my sisters ever made me feel that way, no... but coming in as one of two white women (at least in SL) into a primarily black organization... a primarily black community?  I admittedly tried to move around on eggshells trying to make sure not to offend someone, or the community as a whole.  I wanted to fit in with this family, with my sisters, but I also acknowledged that there were some things that were just always going to be different between us. Things I wouldn't understand.

My awkwardness was apparently so obvious to the people around me, that when my ex and I were speaking about pledging and about "Big Sister Names", he suggested "Big Sister Token".  

It took me all of about 3 seconds to figure out he was suggesting I was the "token white girl".

And in a place like Second Life where you can change your appearance at the drop of a hat, I'd be lying to you if I said I'd never pulled out a blogger pack from Glam Affair and found a Jamaica tone I liked... because I didn't always like being the palest girl in the room.  (Even though, in Jamaica, I still usually was.)  Even in the pictures today, I opted for a darker skin tone than I would normally wear.  (Despite the skin being SUPER cute.)

The thing of it is, though... that even as awkward as I felt, and still feel sometimes... that doesn't even BEGIN to compare to what other people go through.  Like... I'm LUCKY that I only have to feel awkward... and that most of that awkwardness is completely created in my own mind.  I know my sisters love me.  I know they value the work that I do.  And I know they see me as more than some pale-skinned avatar trying to penetrate their inner-circle.  I know these things, so my awkwardness really isn't from the community around me.  It's inside my own head.

Whereas there are people every day who have to deal with ACTUAL oppression from the community at large.  There are people who are actually denied service for the color of their skin, whether folks want to admit that's the reason or not.  There are people trying to find a job who's applications are immediately set aside for names that don't sound as 'normal' or 'wholesome' as Mary... Jane... Susan.  There are people who genuinely fear for their lives and their safety because of who our president is and what kinds of people have proven to be his supporters.

This is REAL shit... and I'm sitting here in my pajamas at a computer talking about how I felt awkward cause my pale pixels are in a group of loving sisters that just happen to have darker pixels.  

I'm incredibly fortunate that I have the ability to be 'awkward' for those kinds of petty reasons.  That I don't have to worry about my life as a whole simply because of the color of skin I was born with.

But keep in mind... there are people who DO have to live with that fear.

I constantly try to keep my privilege in check... because yes, ladies and gents, white privilege is a thing... have you checked yours lately?

❤ Samineh (Tiviyah Resident) aka: Big Sister Enigmatic

❦ Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month ❦

  ❧ ☙

♣ ❧ ☙     What is cerebral palsy?

ce•re•bral / of the brain                      pal•sy / lack of muscle control

1. The entire month of March has now been designated as National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. During the month of March, everyone across the United States and around the world is encouraged to become more informed and better-aware of cerebral palsy. About 1 in every 300 children is affected by cerebral palsy.

❧ Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term that refers to a group of disorders affecting a person’s ability to move. It is due to damage to the developing brain either during pregnancy or shortly after birth.

Cerebral palsy affects people in different ways and can affect body movement, muscle control, muscle coordination, muscle tone, reflex, posture and balance. Although cerebral palsy is a permanent life-long condition, some of these signs of cerebral palsy can improve or worsen over time.

People who have cerebral palsy may also have visual, learning, hearing, speech, epilepsy and intellectual impairments.

❧ 

❧ 

• In most cases, brain injury leading to cerebral palsy occurs during pregnancy.
• Cerebral palsy, except in its mildest forms, can be evident in the first 12-18 months.
• Motor disability can range from minimal to profound, depending on the individual.
• It can range from weakness in one hand, to an almost complete lack of voluntary movement. People with significant physical disability may require 24 hour a day care.
• People with cerebral palsy are likely to also have other impairments in addition to their motor disability.
• Spastic hemiplegia, where one half of the body has difficulty with voluntary movement, is the most common presentation of cerebral palsy. Approximately 40% of people with cerebral palsy have hemiplegia.
• There is no known cure.

⤳⤳ Often babies with cerebral palsy do not roll over, sit, crawl, or walk as early as other children of their age. Difficulty with the ability to think or reason and seizures each occurs in about one third of people with CP. While the symptoms may get more noticeable over the first few years of life, the underlying problems do not worsen over time.

Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal development or damage to the parts of the brain that control movement, balance, and posture. Most often the problems occur during pregnancy; however, they may also occur during childbirth, or shortly after birth. Often the cause is unknown. Risk factors include preterm birth, being a twin, certain infections during pregnancy such as toxoplasmosis or rubella, exposure to methylmercury during pregnancy, a difficult delivery, and head trauma during the first few years of life, among others. About 2% of cases are believed to be due to an inherited genetic cause. A number of sub-types are classified based on the specific problems present. For example, those with stiff muscles have spastic cerebral palsy, those with poor coordination have ataxic cerebral palsy, and those with writhing movements have athetoid cerebral palsy. Diagnosis is based on the child's development over time. Blood tests and medical imaging may be used to rule out other possible causes.

Cerebral palsy is defined as "a group of permanent disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation, that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain." While the central feature of CP is a disorder with movement, difficulties with thinking, learning, feeling, communication and behavior often occur along with cerebral palsy. Of those with CP, 28% have epilepsy, 58% have difficulties with communication, at least 42% have problems with their vision, and 23–56% have learning disabilities.
Cerebral palsy is characterized by abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, or motor development and coordination. There can be joint and bone deformities and contractures (permanently fixed, tight muscles and joints). The classical symptoms are spasticity, spasms, other involuntary movements (e.g., facial gestures), unsteady gait, problems with balance, and/or soft tissue findings consisting largely of decreased muscle mass. Scissor walking (where the knees come in and cross) and toe walking (which can contribute to a gait reminiscent of a marionette) are common among people with CP who are able to walk, but taken on the whole, CP symptomatology is very diverse. The effects of cerebral palsy fall on a continuum of motor dysfunction, which may range from slight clumsiness at the mild end of the spectrum to impairments so severe that they render coordinated movement virtually impossible at the other end of the spectrum.
Babies born with severe CP often have an irregular posture; their bodies may be either very floppy or very stiff. Birth defects, such as spinal curvature, a small jawbone, or a small head sometimes occur along with CP. Symptoms may appear or change as a child gets older. Some babies born with CP do not show obvious signs right away.^{[citation needed]} Classically, CP becomes evident when the baby reaches the developmental stage at 6 to 9 months and is starting to mobilise, where preferential use of limbs, asymmetry, or gross motor developmental delay is seen.
Drooling is common among children with cerebral palsy, which can have a variety of impacts including social rejection, impaired speaking, damage to clothing and books, and mouth infections.
An average of 55.5% of people with cerebral palsy experience lower urinary tract symptoms, more commonly excessive storage issues than voiding issues. Those with voiding issues and pelvic floor overactivity can deteriorate as adults and experience upper urinary tract dysfunction.
Children with CP may also have sensory processing issues.

CP is partly preventable through immunization of the mother and efforts to prevent head injuries in children such as through improved safety. There is no cure for CP; however, supportive treatments, medications, and surgery may help many individuals. This may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. Medications such as diazepam, baclofen, and botulinum toxin may help relax stiff muscles. Surgery may include lengthening muscles and cutting overly active nerves. Often external braces and other assistive technology are helpful. Some affected children can achieve near normal adult lives with appropriate treatment. While alternative medicines are frequently used there is no evidence to support their use.

                                      Signs and symptoms

Cerebral palsy is defined as "a group of permanent disorders of the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation, that are attributed to non-progressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetal or infant brain." While the central feature of CP is a disorder with movement, difficulties with thinking, learning, feeling, communication and behavior often occur along with cerebral palsy. Of those with CP, 28% have epilepsy, 58% have difficulties with communication, at least 42% have problems with their vision, and 23–56% have learning disabilities.

Cerebral palsy is characterized by abnormal muscle tone, reflexes, or motor development and coordination. There can be joint and bone deformities and contractures (permanently fixed, tight muscles and joints). The classical symptoms are spasticity, spasms, other involuntary movements (e.g., facial gestures), unsteady gait, problems with balance, and/or soft tissue findings consisting largely of decreased muscle mass. Scissor walking (where the knees come in and cross) and toe walking (which can contribute to a gait reminiscent of a marionette) are common among people with CP who are able to walk, but taken on the whole, CP symptomatology is very diverse. The effects of cerebral palsy fall on a continuum of motor dysfunction, which may range from slight clumsiness at the mild end of the spectrum to impairments so severe that they render coordinated movement virtually impossible at the other end of the spectrum.
Babies born with severe CP often have an irregular posture; their bodies may be either very floppy or very stiff. Birth defects, such as spinal curvature, a small jawbone, or a small head sometimes occur along with CP. Symptoms may appear or change as a child gets older. Some babies born with CP do not show obvious signs right away.^{[citation needed]} Classically, CP becomes evident when the baby reaches the developmental stage at 6 to 9 months and is starting to mobilise, where preferential use of limbs, asymmetry, or gross motor developmental delay is seen.
Drooling is common among children with cerebral palsy, which can have a variety of impacts including social rejection, impaired speaking, damage to clothing and books, and mouth infections.

An average of 55.5% of people with cerebral palsy experience lower urinary tract symptoms, more commonly excessive storage issues than voiding issues. Those with voiding issues and pelvic floor overactivity can deteriorate as adults and experience upper urinary tract dysfunction.
Children with CP may also have sensory processing issues.

Language

Speech and language disorders are common in people with cerebral palsy. The incidence of dysarthria is estimated to range from 31% to 88%, and around a quarter of people with CP are non-verbal.
Speech problems are associated with poor respiratory control, laryngeal and velopharyngeal dysfunction, and oral articulation disorders that are due to restricted movement in the oral-facial muscles. There are three major types of dysarthria in cerebral palsy: spastic, dyskinetic (athetosis), and ataxic.

Skeleton

In order for bones to attain their normal shape and size, they require the stresses from normal musculature. Osseous findings will, therefore, mirror the specific muscular deficits in a given person with CP. The shafts of the bones are often thin (gracile) and become thinner during growth. When compared to these thin shafts (diaphyses), the centres (metaphyses) often appear quite enlarged (ballooning). With a lack of use, articular cartilage may atrophy, leading to narrowed joint spaces. Depending on the degree of spasticity, a person with CP may exhibit a variety of angular joint deformities. Because vertebral bodies need vertical gravitational loading forces to develop properly, spasticity and an abnormal gait can hinder proper and/or full bone and skeletal development. People with CP tend to be shorter in height than the average person because their bones are not allowed to grow to their full potential. Sometimes bones grow to different lengths, so the person may have one leg longer than the other.

Pain and sleep

Pain is common and may result from the inherent deficits associated with the condition, along with the numerous procedures children typically face. Pain is associated with tight or shortened muscles, abnormal posture, stiff joints, unsuitable orthosis, etc. There is also a high likelihood of chronic sleep disorders secondary to both physical and environmental factors. Babies with cerebral palsy who have stiffness issues might cry more and be harder to put to sleep than non-disabled babies, or "floppy" babies might be lethargic.Chronic pain is under-recognized in children with cerebral palsy, even though 3 out of 4 children with cerebral palsy experience pain.

Eating

Those with CP may have difficulty preparing food, holding utensils, or chewing and swallowing due to sensory and motor impairments. An infant with CP may not be able to suck, swallow or chew. Children with CP may have too little or too much sensitivity around and in the mouth. Fine finger dexterity, like that needed for picking up a utensil, is more frequently impaired than gross manual dexterity, like that needed for spooning food onto a plate.  Grip strength impairments are less common.
Children with severe cerebral palsy, particularly with oropharyngeal issues are at risk of undernutrition.

Associated disorders

Associated disorders include "intellectual disabilities, seizures, muscle contractures, abnormal gait, osteoporosis, communication disorders, malnutrition, sleep disorders, and mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety". In addition to these, "functional gastrointestinal abnormalities contributing to bowel obstruction, vomiting, and constipation" may also arise. Adults with cerebral palsy may suffer from "ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, and trauma" more so than a non-affected population. Obesity in people with cerebral palsy or a more severe Gross Motor Function Classification System assessment in particular are considered to be risk factors for multimorbidity. Other medical issues can be mistaken for being symptoms of cerebral palsy, and so may not be treated correctly.
Related conditions can include seizures, apraxia, dysarthria or other communication disorders, eating problems, sensory impairments, intellectual disability, learning disabilities, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and/or behavioural disorders.^{[citation needed]}
Seizure management is more difficult in people with CP as seizures often last longer.

Prevention

Because the causes of CP are varied, a broad range of preventative interventions have been investigated.
Electronic fetal monitoring has not helped to prevent CP, and in 2014 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada have acknowledged that there are no long-term benefits of electronic fetal monitoring. Prior to this, electronic fetal monitoring was widely used to prop up obstetric litigation.
In those at risk of an early delivery, magnesium sulphate appears to decrease the risk of cerebral palsy. It is unclear if it helps those who are born at term. In those at high risk of preterm labor a review found that moderate to severe CP was reduced by the administration of magnesium sulphate, and that adverse effects on the babies from the magnesium sulphate were not significant. Mothers who received magnesium sulphate could experience side effects such as respiratory depression and nausea. Caffeine is used to treat apnea of prematurity and reduces the risk of cerebral palsy in premature babies, but there are also concerns of long term negative effects.
Cooling high-risk full-term babies shortly after birth may reduce disability, but this may only be useful for some forms of the brain damage that causes CP.

For more Q & A, Follow link for much more information and resources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy

Thank you for taking the time and interest in reading our blogs, and collecting very important information on subjects and facts that effect many around the world... Each and ever blog is dear to our hearts, thats why the Sisters of  Eta Sigma Delta will touch as many awarenesses as possible throughout  the years...

{ Signing off } Egypt Angelic Stefanos aka Big Sister Southern Heat 💋💋

~Girl Scout Week 2017~

Girl Scout Week is celebrated each March, starting with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes Girl Scouts’ birthday, March 12.

Who are Girl Scouts and when was it started?

They are 2.7 million strong—1.9 million girls and 800,000 adult volunteers who believe girls can change the world. Beyonce had a sound called, "Run The World - Girls", however girl scouts has been singing girls can change the world over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts’ founder Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, they have made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents.

They continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. They are the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing.

Their Mission

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Girl Scout Promise

On my honor, I will try:
    To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
 

Girl Scout Law

I will do my best to be    

honest and fair,
   friendly and helpful,
   considerate and caring,
   courageous and strong, and
   responsible for what I say and do,
and 

   to respect myself and others,
   respect authority,
   use resources wisely,
   make the world a better place, and
   be a sister to every Girl Scout.

You’re also going to get the chance to do big things. Their program centers on something called the Girl Scout Leadership Experience—a collection of activities and experiences you’ll have as you earn badges, sell cookies, go on exciting trips, explore the outdoors, do Take Action projects that make a difference, and more.

Any girl in grades K–12 can join the fun at Girl Scouts.

About Girl Scout Cookies

When you buy a box of delicious Girl Scout Cookies, you help power new, unique, and amazing experiences for the awesome girls in your community who sell these purpose-filled treats—SWEET!

Will she help the local animal shelter across town or plant a community garden for friends and neighbors? Cross the country to see the Grand Canyon, or cross an ocean to fly through the rainforest on a zip line? It’s up to her and her troop—they own their adventure!

That’s the thing. When girls participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, they get more than life-changing experiences and adventure. They also develop essential life skills—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics—all while soaring in confidence and practicing leadership the Girl Scout way to lift one another up and change the world, together.

What an experience! That’s why they always focus on the interaction between cookie boss and cookie fan, and not cookie parent and cookie fan—this is SO important! Enjoy your favorite cookies even more knowing you helped her do and learn amazing things.


Go out and find you some Girl Scout cookies or if you have a daughter, get her signed up and be ready to make history.

Signing out 👍💓

Dr. Destiny Basset aka Big Sister On Point

(Source)

~National Shoe The World Day ~

"Each day over 500 million children, teens and adults around the world do not have a pair of shoes to wear, and despite the terrain and the climate, they have to walk barefoot everywhere. It is a struggle each day that we cannot begin to imagine.  Having to live a daily life without protection on your feet can lead to a lifetime of problems including pain, injury, cuts, sores, infections, parasites, banning from schools and other places and the list goes on."

Anyone who knows me knows that it's incredibly ironic for me to be talking about shoes.  Me... the ever-loving advocate for a barefooted SL.  98% of the time, I'm just too lazy to put shoes on in SL.  And if I'm not going anywhere in RL?  I'm barefoot too.

But - as little as I admittedly think about it - I am entirely blessed to be able to have the CHOICE whether or not to wear shoes in my RL... and am even more blessed to be able to be in a virtual platform with an avatar that may or may not be wearing shoes at any given moment.  Not everyone has these choices, and I don't think about that as often as I should.

National Shoe The World Day is observed annually on March 15th.

It is a day created to bring awareness, to everyone across the nation, of the incredible need to help those people around the world that do not have shoes to wear, and then to TAKE ACTION in helping.

Over 900 million people live on less than $1.90 per day.  400 million of them are children.

So how do you help?  Many people don't have access to one of life's most basic necessities: a good pair of shoes.  You can visit Soles4Souls HERE to donate to the organization, or to donate shoes.

You can also use the hashtag #NationalShoeTheWorldDay on social media to spread awareness.

As you go through your day, and the days to come, perhaps become a little more aware of the world around you.  The choices that you take for granted.  Which shoes to wear... whether to wear shoes at all.  Some people... more that you might think... don't have the luxury of such choices.

❤ Samineh (Tiviyah Resident) aka: Big Sister Enigmatic

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Shape || Mine

Head || Barbara Bento Head | GA.EG | Skin Fair (until 03/26)

Skin || Misty (T4 Fawn; Bare) | Lumae | Skin Fair (until 03/26)

Hair || Patty Hair (Browns) | Wasabi Pills | Ultra | new!

Eyes || Tokyo Eyes | Izzie's | Skin Fair (until 03/26)

Body || Lara Body (v3.5) | Maitreya

Top&Shorts || Kenza (Black) | Kenny Rolands | Ultra | new!

Shoes || Dana Flats (Coal) | fri.day | Kustom9 | new!

Chair || Selah Rattan Chair (Dark + Lights) | Trompe Loeil