Chocolate 'as good for you as exercise'

Chocolate is as good for you as exercise, research suggests.
Scientists found that small amounts of dark chocolate may improve health in a similar way to exercise.

Symptoms of Down Syndrome

Although the signs and symptoms of Down syndrome are very distinct, there are still others that might confuse both doctors and patients. Knowing the characteristics, nature and triggers can be very valuable for finding immediate alleviation measures. You can also avoid complications by checking for the early signs. Here are the complete details.

Incidence and Age

About 1 out of every 1,000 births in the United States results in Down syndrome. There is no link between the condition and ethnic group, socioeconomic status, geographic location and culture. It is a genetic condition primarily, and can display characteristics like cognitive disability, developmental delays and mental retardation. The chances of a person getting Down syndrome is greatly related to the age of his or her mother. Below the age of 25, the incidence is around 1 in every 1,400. At 40 years old, the odds are an estimated 1 in every 100 and about 1 in every 350 at age 35.

Down Syndrome Types

There are 3 types of the condition namely Trisomy 21, Mosaicism and Translocation. Trisomy 21 is the first type which occurs in about 95 percent of individuals with Down syndrome. The patient 3 number 21 chromosomes, instead of 2. There are normally 23 pairs of chromosomes, with each comprised of genes. During conception, the man or woman's pair of chromosomes usually split so that there is only one chromosome found in each sperm or egg. In Trisomy 21, the 21st pair of chromosomes does not split. A double-does then goes to the sperm or egg. About 95% to 97% of the extra chromosome comes from the mother.
Mosaicism is described as a Down syndrome patient having an extra 21st chromosome in only a number of cells, but not in every single one. Other cells usually have the regular pair of 21st chromosomes. The Mosaicism type is the rarest, with only 1% to 2% of patients having it. Translocation happens in about 3% to 4% of Down syndrome patients. The extra part of the 21st chromosome usually attaches to another chromosome. One parent has the extra 21st chromosome material in hidden or balanced form.

The 24 Symptoms
The list of signs and symptoms of Down syndrome includes physical anomalies such as a protruding tongue, abnormally shaped ears, flattened face, snub nose, upward slanting eyes, short neck, flattened nasal bridge, deep palm crease, hypotonia, deep transverse crease of the palm, iris white spots or Brushfield spots, the baby not crying a lot, short stubby hands, short stubby feet and slow physical growth. Thyroid symptoms include autonomic disturbances, congenital hypothyroidism and an enlarged thyroid. The patient may also have mental retardation and developmental delay.

Other Conditions
Children may also develop other medical conditions associated to Down syndrome like cognitive disability or mental retardation. Several kids with Down syndrome have either moderate or mild cognitive disability. Heart defects may also arise in about half of kids with Down syndrome. The defects are found at birth or shortly after.
Other diseases can also be present like Celiac disease, eye conditions and hypothyroidism. Parents should be especially careful, since other health problems can also occur like hearing problems, eye infections, dental problems and respiratory infections. Tissue buildup in parts of the eye can happen. Crooked teeth may also be present later on in life, with an irregularly shaped mouth.

Long-Term Abstinence From Alcohol Allows Damaged Gait And Balance To Recover

Chronic alcoholism is often associated with a disturbed gait and balance, likely caused by alcohol damage to neural systems. While some studies have suggested that abstinence can lead to partial recovery of gait and balance functions, questions remain about duration of abstinence and sample size. This study of both short- and long-term abstinence has found that alcoholics' gait and balance can continue to recover with long-term abstinence from alcohol but that deficits can persist, especially eyes-closed standing balance.

Alcohol Metabolism Causes DNA Damage And Triggers A Breast Cancer-Related DNA Damage Response

Alcohol is known to be carcinogenic to humans in the upper aerodigestive tract, liver, colorectum, and the female breast. Evidence suggests that acetaldehyde, the primary metabolite of alcohol, plays a major role in alcohol-related esophageal cancer. A new study using human cells has established linkages between alcohol metabolism and acetaldehyde-DNA damage that may have implications for breast and liver cancers.

Some Causes of Down Syndrome

Although the main causative aspect for Down syndrome is genetic, a number of findings suggest that some other factors may also be contributory to the development of the abnormality. It is vital to know about these to stay safe. Early detection and consistency in the prevention and treatment approaches can help a lot in alleviating the problem.

The Known Complications of Down Syndrome

Down syndrome is a condition that may be bound to stay for life. Patients and health care providers need to understand the risks, as well as detect the early signs to provide the right methods. Complications of Down syndrome can also be life threatening, depending on the response of the patients and the treatment techniques used. Here are more tips.

Down Syndrome! What is it ?

Nowadays, it is no longer uncommon to find someone who has Down Syndrome. It is a condition with no definite cure, which is why individuals need to know more about the nature, risks and symptoms to alleviate very well. Learning about the features and the syndrome itself can help you stay ahead and prevent complications. Here are the characteristics.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome in conjunction with autism is still being researched; a number of studies and research are under way to better understand how the syndrome starts, why it can be prevalent in autistic children, and how to treat it. Simply, leaky guy syndrome is the inability of the intestinal wall to keep out large, unwanted molecules. This symptom of autism most often signifies that the intestinal wall has been altered to become permeable. Leaky gut syndrome in autistic children may occur because of increased sensitivity or allergies.

Struggling Teens - Dealing with Autistic Teenagers

For most parents, one of the most trying times in their lives is during their child’s teenage years. When puberty hits, young adults go through serious changes in their bodies and minds, and parents have little or no control over many situations. In an autistic child, puberty is no different. Although your autistic child is not experiencing puberty in quite the same ways as others his or her age, major hormonal changes still occur in the body. This can lead to extreme results, and this can be either good or bad depending on how your child reacts to the new hormone levels.

The Power of Music - Musical Therapy to Treat Autism

Musical therapy is a relatively new treatment method for autism patients, but one that should not be overlooking when discussing options. Patients who receive musical therapy often should great improvement in temperament and learning skills. Music connects to the non-verbal part of our brains, making it a perfect therapy for disorders in which the patient has trouble communicating, such as autism. Research this innovative treatment method if you are looking for some help with autism and haven’t had much luck in the past.

Bottles of Pills: Medication Options for Autistic Patients

As with any illness, disease, or disorder, there are a number of medicine options available to help control these symptoms. It is important to remember that none of these medications will “cure” autism; they simply help control some of the effects of the disorder. There are advantages and disadvantages to each drug, as they all have side effects as well as benefits. When choosing medicines to effectively treat autism, your doctor can make recommendations, but since autism is a disorder which varies from person to person, you should use drugs very carefully, watching to see how the body reacts to the treatments.

Autistic Children and the Strain on Marriage

Unfortunately, in modern times, many marriages end in divorce or separation. This statistic rises even higher when you mix in an autistic child. No matter how loving and understanding you both may be towards your child, the truth is that autism is a very difficult matter, and strain on the marriage is not uncommon. By trying to stay positive about your situation, and by working to keep your marriage healthy, you and your spouse can avoid marital problems and hopefully survive the trying times of raising an autistic child.

Stress in your marriage

Have you been married more than five years? Do you find that the tension between you and your spouse has been on the rise? Stress in the marriage is more common than most will think, or want to believe, but you can put an end, or at least ease up on the stress in marriage by following a few common things. You want to work on how you think about things, how you come across in the marriage, and in what you say, and you want to change the time that the two of your spend together.

Stress Management for Teenagers

Every teenager is going to face some amount of stress in their lives, from the family, for their grades, in getting a job, in getting their drivers license, stress with friends, stress and drugs, and so much more. Helping your child through stressful times in their life is going to be important. As you teach your teen to handle stress, and not to handle stress for them, but on their own, you are going to be teaching them life skills.

Stress and being in debt

Money is a source of stress, no matter how much you have, or don’t have. Stress is brought about by worrying what you are going to do with your money, where you are going to get money, and how you are going to pay the bills next. To lessen the stress in your life, you are going to have to make your money work for you, and your budget. Being on a budget, and sticking to that budget is going to lessen the stress in your

Learning to Cope with Stress and Children

Children can be a major change in your life. If you are suddenly finding it difficult to handle your children or that you are now in charge of raising children, you need to learn to handle stress, and to remain calm through out the many problems that children can ‘throw’ at your family and into your life.

Sleeping Pills can make One Clumsy

Popular sleep drugs such as Ambien can leave even the healthiest older people groggy and prone to stumbling, falling and confusion when they wake up, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Hearing Loss in Kids Linked to Virus in Pregnancy, Experts Say!

 Increase Decrease Hearing loss in a child may have links to a virus that Mom got while she was pregnant, according to a new study.

In kids that had some degree of hearing loss, about 9 percent also had cytomegalovirus (CMV) at birth, says a new study in the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.