LEARNING DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH

Have you heard of Albert Einstein or Thomas Edison or Alexander Graham Bell? Of course yes, you know them! They are the great inventors whose inventions are still talked about, and their inventions have paved the way for several new innovations. But did you know what was common to all three of them? They all suffered from learning disability sometime in their lives.

 

The spread of awareness on issues like learning disability in India is very recent. There is still inadequacy in the rehabilitation services and special education programmes. Even if there are facilities, the lack of awareness prevents them from getting utilized. A better awareness of learning disorder and at the same time a better awareness of culturally acceptable means for treating the affected children can only decrease the burden on affected children, their families and society in India as a whole.

 

Learning Disability is a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intellectual and social functioning. Arrested or incomplete development of mind might be considered to mean whatever caused the disability occurred in childhood or before.

 

LD can create a crisis between children and parents, and often the quality of the attachment is affected in a negative way. Parents are special in their own way but parents of special children with disabilities are uniquely special. Always remember that parents are role models for their children, and children are quick to enact the behaviour of their parents. To develop a positive outlook in your child, it is first important to be optimistic yourself. A simple change in your attitude will transform the parenting of your child with a learning disability from challenging to easygoing.

 

Movies like Taare Zameen Pe have enlightened the subject of learning disability. The movie tells the story of an eight year old, Ishaan Awasthi, who suffers greatly until his teacher identifies him as a dyslexic. This movie was both commercially and critically acclaimed, and it bought a general awareness amongst parents and teachers as to why some children can’t perform up to the mark.

 

It is important to diagnose learning disability to decide the appropriate line of care. An early diagnosis will help in treating the manageable physical and psychiatric conditions. In some conditions genetic counselling is also required. Besides psychiatrists, even paediatrician, general practitioners and other hospital specialists may also help in diagnosing learning disability.

“The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995,” which came into force in the year 1996, is a significant step in the direction of ensuring equal opportunities for people with disabilities and their full participation in the nation building. This law is a landmark and grants provisions like education, employment and vocational training, job reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier-free environment, rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment allowance for the disabled, special insurance scheme for the disabled employees and establishment of homes for persons with severe disability etc.

Many well known personalities like George Washington, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, Agatha Christie, Bill Gates, Tom Cruise and many more, have also, at some point of their life, suffered from learning disability. It might have made it difficult for them to achieve what they have accomplished but it never was impossible. More than treatment, awareness is required to take care of a problem like learning disability, and hence, the month of October is the Learning Disabilities Awareness Month to create an awareness of learning disabilities and the challenges faced by these individuals and their families.

 

Your positive attitude and your efforts along with proper moral support can successfully help you or your child to overcome this disability. Always remember that even an ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ says ‘I-M-POSSIBLE.’ So, this year on the Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, get yourself abreast of the information on learning disability and measures to overcome it.

 

SMOKING – A Suicide & A Homicide

We all are aware of the fact that smoking is injurious to health. This statement is printed on the cigarette packs but still the packs are sold. The increase in the sales of these cigarette packs is because smoking is an addiction. Some common reasons for getting involved in smoking are peer pressure or following examples of siblings and parents, employment outside the house, stress, homesickness or just as a fashion. May it be any reason for smoking, the bottom line that ‘Smoking is injurious to health’ remains the same.

 

According to World Health Organization, about 4 million deaths occur in a year from tobacco, which is expected to rise about 10 million by 2030. Tobacco is responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths in developed countries. Other ill effects are diseases like stroke, myocardial infarction, aortic aneurysm and peptic ulcer.

 

There is evidence that the earlier a person begins to smoke, the greater is the risk of any life threatening disease to develop, and hence, the life expectancy reduces by almost 25 years as compared to a non-smoker. Smoking brings environmental pollution and the environmental tobacco smoke causes diseases even amongst the non-smokers. Smoking is extremely harmful during pregnancy. The babies of mothers who smoke weigh on an average 200 grams less at birth than those of non-smokers.

 

WHO has organized “Tobacco Free Initiative Programme” to galvanize global support for tobacco control, and to heighten the awareness of social, human and economic harm caused by tobacco consumption. But no program can be successful without mass participation.

 

Tobacco is a killer and it should not be advertised, subsidized or glamorized. Smoking is suicidal and homicidal. Suicidal because smoking will leave you vulnerable to several life threatening diseases, and homicidal as by polluting the environment, you are threatening the health of others around you. And no one wants to be criminal, right? 

 

So, dear readers, if you are a non smoker then never fall prey to this addiction anytime in your life. And if you are a smoker then quit smoking. Withdrawal sounds scary and difficult but it is not impossible. By doing so you are not just helping yourself, but also, the nation and the world. Always remember ‘Where there is a will, there is a way!’

 

 

India & e-Health – Friends Or Yet To Be Friends?

 

 

In today’s tech savvy world, everything is just a click away. All you have to do is switch on your computer and get connected to the World via Internet. You can make online reservations for a movie, for a tour or even for a meeting with your doctor. There are organizations which provide you with electronic personal health record management.  This provision helps you to take a control of your health care. This is a facility which is usually provided by your doctor or the place where you work or you can your self make an e-documentation of your health records through any organization which provides facilities.

 

In United States, the federal employees enjoy this opportunity where they can access their health information and solve health queries online. This health IT system was introduced from a presidential executive order issued in August 2006 to promote quality and efficient health care in government. This facility is provided by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) which made the health IT along with cost transparency, where information on health costs is also published online, accessible to its users. These are the key provisions of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.

 

The Office of Management and Budget also incorporated health care into the President’s Management Agenda and also those agencies that administer or sponsor health care to improve the quality and efficiency of their systems. OPM protects personally identifiable health information as required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Their members have access to more information that allows them to be better consumers of health care, and this gives them better control over their own health care management.

 

The electronic personal health record management helps in maintaining a complete health documentation of an individual and you can access these records anytime and from anywhere. The storage of data is private and secure and cannot be accessed by anyone unless permission is given by you. The records have all the information accurately documented, and you can even know who and when have accessed your records.

 

Hence, such a system empowers you to better manage and control your own health with secure tools and information. In India such a profitable system for documentation is adapted by the private sector. But such helpful and time saving framework should also be incorporated in the government sector. This will be very helpful to our government officials and to every government employee.

 

With the electronic personal health record management, you will be saved from many troubles like you will not be required to carry all the documents along with you for every appointment, and incase you forget any of the reports then you will not have to shift your appointment. In a densely populated and developing country like India such electronic personal health record management will benefit both the doctor and the patient as it will save time, money and the confusion a missing data creates.

 

India’s fast emerging economy may soon draw the government to make this friendly e-health system as one of its integral part. Till then, let’s keep our fingers crossed!