Equine Assisted Activities Spina Bifida Health And Social Care Essay

Equine Assisted Activities Spina Bifida Health And Social Care Essay Spina Bifida is a neurological disorder whose main attribute is a failure of the spine to close properly before birth. As the fetus develops in the first month of pregnancy, the brain and spinal cord form from a small piece of tissue called the neural tube.   For one in approximately every one thousand babies, this neural tube does not close properly after the spinal cord has developed, resulting in a portion of the spinal cord being exposed at birth. It is not known what exactly causes this malformation, but it has been hypothesized that there may be a genetic link. Another explanation is that Spina Bifida may be caused by this genetic link in combination with a deficiency of folic acid in the mother during pregnancy. Folic acid is a B vitamin that is important for fetal development in the first three months of pregnancy, thus an insufficient amount could lead the spinal cord not forming properly. The brain and spinal cord are some of the first organs to develop in the fetus, and thus a lack of folic acid could interrupt their development (Watson 4-8). In the most severe cases of Spina Bifida, classified as forms of Spina Bifida Cystica, a sac is exposed on the childs back that contains fluid, nerves, protective nerve coverings, and sometimes a portion of the spinal cord (Resources for Working with Youth with Special Needs). This sac is surgically removed within the first few days after birth, while trying to save and replace in the body as many of the viable nerves as possible. The extent of the damage to the spinal cord depends on how far down the spine the opening occurs. This in turn determines the level of paralysis or disability of the individual. The spinal cord and nerves are not always exposed in a sac outside of the body, but can also be just slightly damaged in a form of the condition known as hidden Spina Bifida. Whether or not there is a sac present outside of the body, the deformity of the spinal cord can occur in varying degrees, resulting in three main types of Spina Bifida (National Institutes of Health; Watson, 6). The most common type of Spina Bifida, which results in the most severe disabilities, is called Myelomeningocele Spina Bifida. The characterizing exposed sac protrudes out of an opening in the babys back, and contains a portion of the spinal cord. Because many of the nerves contained in this sac are damaged, this form of Spina Bifida can cause severe disabilities including weakness, loss of feeling in or paralysis of the feet, legs and sometimes waist (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Meningocele Spina Bifida is less severe than Myelomeningocele, but has similar effects on the individual. The neural sac is still exposed and exists outside of the body, however it does not contain any part of the spinal cord itself, and thus causes less nerve damage. Individuals with this form of Spina Bifida may have some loss of feeling, weakness or paralysis in the feet and lower legs (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). The mildest form is called Spina Bifida Occulta. It is often referred to as hidden Spina Bifida, because it is not apparent at birth and usually does not affect the individual at all. The spinal cord is not damaged in this form of the disease, but there is a small opening between vertebrae in the spine. Because it is so subtle, Spina Bifida Occulta is usually not diagnosed unless the individual has an X-ray or test done for another condition, and it generally is not severe enough to even require treatment (Watson, 6).   Many individuals with Spina Bifida also have a condition known as Hydrocephalus, or water on the brain, which is essentially a build-up of cerebro-spinal fluid around the brain. A widening of the spinal canal called hydromyelia, which creates a cavity where fluid can build up, can cause hydrocephalus. It is a common co-occurrence with Spina Bifida because the deformity of the spinal cord can prevent the fluid from draining as it normally would (Watson, 7). This condition is usually treated with a shunt placed in the individuals skull, which helps to properly drain the excess fluid. In many cases, the hydrocephalus itself is caused by another common co-occurring condition with Spina Bifida, called Chiari II Malformation. This is a malformation of the skull that results in the bottom portion of the skull being smaller than normal. When this happens, part of the cerebellum and brain stem are pushed downward into the neck, blocking the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and causing hydrocephalu s (National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke). Since the cerebellum is the portion of the brain that controls balance, this can affect the individuals vestibular sense. Many of the problems associated with the two more severe forms of Spina Bifida can be improved with equine assisted activities. Due to the fact that all forms of Spina Bifida affect the spinal cord and nerves of the individual, the most common problems associated with the disease relate to motor coordination as a result of lack of feeling, weakness or paralysis in the lower limbs. Sometimes, difficulties with bilateral integration can also occur depending on the specific individuals disability. Often, individuals with Spina Bifida have increased muscle tone and some spasticity in their legs. Usually they are able to walk with the use of equipment such as leg braces, body braces, crutches and walkers, but have abnormal gaits and have difficulty standing without movement (Bartonek, et. al). They can also have difficulty with trunk control and holding them selves in a sitting position if the nerve damage affected their ability to feel and control their hips and waist. Due to the lack of feeling in some parts of the body, some individuals with Spina Bifida may have problems with sensory integration to some extent. This would be present mainly in terms of the vestibular and proprioceptive senses. Some additional problems such as tendonitis and skin breakdown can co-occur with Spina Bifida, mainly due to the loss of feeling in the lower extremities. In some cases, mental along with physical function is affected and the individual may have some degree of mental retardation, but this is often not the case. Equine Assisted Activities Individuals with Spina Bifida could participate in and benefit from two main Equine Assisted Activities: Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Riding. Because Spina Bifida primarily causes physical problems, hippotherapy would probably be the best option, as it is a true therapy that would provide more medical benefits than a therapeutic riding lesson alone could provide. However, hippotherapy could be used in conjunction with therapeutic riding. Hippotherapy and Therapeutic riding would provide very different benefits, however, they both have the potential to improve an individuals physical motor skills along with their mental and social skills if those areas were affected. Hippotherapy would most likely be the best option for an individual with Spina Bifida, as the conditions primary manifestations affect the physical abilities of the individual, requiring more assistance from a physical therapist to improve motor function. Hippotherapy Hippotherapy would most likely be the main equine assisted activity for riders with Spina Bifida. It would provide the required physical therapy to improve muscle tone and motor function, more so than therapeutic riding alone. The activities and exercises in hippotherapy target neuromuscular function, movement disorders and sensory integration disorders, which are all areas that can be affected in a person with Spina Bifida. Overall, as with other equine assisted activities, the horse would provide perfect three-dimensional motion and warmth, allowing the rider to relax their muscles and let the horse move their legs and hips. This movement would be key, as many individuals with Spina Bifida focus on learning how to walk so they are not confined to a wheelchair. Though many will not be able to walk without crutches or braces, the movement of the horse can teach them both mentally and physically what the patterns of walking look and feel like so that someday they may be able to implem ent the motions off the horse. Since the purposes of hippotherapy revolve around goals related to physical and sensory abilities, the rider would be focused on improving in some of the following areas. Most importantly, the stretches and balancing exercises in hippotherapy could help improve muscle tone and movement, allowing the rider to work on further developing their balance, posture and mobility. Some examples of these exercises could include the rider standing in the stirrups, with assistance if needed, trying to maintain balance, or the rider laying on their back on the horse, using their leg muscles to hold themselves up on the horses neck.   Ultimately, all of the skills and improvements gained from hippotherapy sessions could lead to a final goal of improved gross motor skills such as walking, sitting and standing which are the simple daily tasks that most Spina Bifida patients struggle with throughout their lives. Therapeutic Riding Therapeutic Riding could benefit riders with Spina Bifida, but would most likely be in addition to hippotherapy. Therapeutic riding could provide the added benefit of social interaction and learning riding skills on top of the more intense physical therapy gained from hippotherapy. Therapeutic riding could provide a setting in which the rider could refine the stretches and activities learned in hippotherapy and apply them on a more simplistic level while riding in a therapeutic lesson. Whether in Hippotherapy or Therapeutic Riding, the same fundamental benefits of simply being on the horse would exist. The three-dimensional motion and patterns of the horses gait would encourage walking, and in this setting would be more relaxed than in an intense physical therapy-type lesson. Though hippotherapy would provide most of the necessary therapy components to a rider with Spina Bifida, therapeutic riding does have several aspects that are not present in hippotherapy that could greatly benefit the riders. They would be required to use their bodies a little bit differently in a riding lesson-that is, rather than the horse simply being a prop that moves underneath them while the lay down or stretch, they would have to integrate their movements with those of the horse. The riders would need to use their legs to signal the horse to walk on, and they would need to maintain balance and posture throughout the lesson, requiring them to use their leg, hip, and trunk muscles. In certain activities, such as trotting and two-pointing, they would be required to use their leg muscles even more to keep balanced and remain steady on the horse. This may be very challenging for some individuals, depending on their level of weakness or paralysis in the legs. On top of these benefits, therapeutic riding would provide a setting in which individuals could interact with other riders and their volunteers in a fun and relaxed setting. Hippotherapy, as it is a true therapy, would most likely be very challenging and tiring, and therapeutic riding could provide a setting in which riders could enjoy the company of other people and horses in a less intense session. Contraindications for Spina Bifida and Equine Assisted Activities Though a rider with Spina Bifida can benefit greatly from equine assisted activities, there are several contraindications that should be considered before beginning with either hippotherapy or therapeutic riding. Many of the common contraindications of riding horses are present in individuals with Spina Bifida. However, some can be present but mild enough so as not to limit the rider. Either way, it is important to consider all of the possible contraindications and risks before he rider begins either a hippotherapy or therapeutic riding session. One of the most important things to consider when looking into contraindication for a rider with Spina Bifida is the ability to maintain a sitting position on the horse. If a rider is unable to maintain this position without causing kyphosis or lordosis (inward curving or bowing of the spine), then the Spina Bifida itself could be considered a contraindication (Medline Plus). In most cases, it is only a precaution if a correctly fitted, deep-seated saddle (most likely a western saddle) is available. Another prevalent contraindications for riders with Spina Bifida is hydrocephalus, a common co-occurrence of Spina Bifida. Generally it is a contraindication due to the fact that it is treated with the placement of a shunt. If a properly fitting helmet cannot be placed on the rider without putting pressure on the shunt, it may only be a precaution (North Okanagan Therapeutic Riding Association). Another common contraindication associated with Spina Bifida is the possibility of developing a condition known as Tethered Cord Syndrome-when the base of the spinal cord is held down and unable to move freely in the spinal column. This condition normally occurs as a result of scar tissue forming from the original surgery to remove the myelomeningocele or meningocele. This scar tissue is what ties the spinal cord down. In some cases, the motion of the horse can increase the chances of this condition forming, or aggravate it if the condition has already begin to develop, making it an important contraindication to consider. Tethered cord syndrome can worsen the already existent problems associated with Spina Bifida. It can cause worsening of gait associated with increased pain and spasticity in the legs, and rapid development of scoliosis (Spina Bifida Association). Conclusions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Spina Bifida is a common neurological disorder that can cause lack of feeling, weakness and paralysis of the lower extremities. In some cases, other conditions such as hydrocephalus, Chiari II malformation, Tethered Cord Syndrome, tendonitis and mental retardation can co-occur with Spina Bifida, ultimately resulting in struggles with physical and sometimes mental function. The problems associated with Spina Bifida and its co-occurrences primarily affect motor function and the tactile, proprioceptive and vestibular senses. For this reason, equine assisted activities such as Hippotherapy and Therapeutic riding can have a very positive impact on riders with Spina Bifida. One or both of these activities can be implemented in the individuals routine to improve their motor function, specifically in terms of their abilities to use the muscles in their feet, legs, hips and trunk. Gross motor skills such as standing and walking are the main challen ges that individuals with Spina Bifida face, and the natural movements of the horse, along with therapy exercises and activities can be very effective in improving these skills in order for individuals to achieve more independence and in turn, better quality of life.

Domestic Violence Essay

Domestic Violence is one of the many social issues that society is faced with. Research has it that the female group is the one that becomes victimized the most and there are several strategies that have been put into place to culminate this issue of violence at home, more especially against women. One of the strategies that have been introduced in fighting domestic violence in South Africa is the Domestic Violence Act of 1998. Although this Act is one of the good moves by the government, it has many shortcomings. This essay will therefore discuss critically domestic violence and how the Domestic Violence Act is not sufficient to protect women in South Africa from violence at the hands of their abusers To begin with, South African government refers domestic violence to any incident of threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional) between adults who are or have been intimate partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexual ity; and in the (South Africa) constitution enacted is an Act which aims â€Å"to provide for the issuing of protection orders with regard to domestic violence; and for matters connected therewith† which is the Domestic Violence Act, 1998 (Act No. 116 of 1998). There are several good points about this Act, and primary to those is that people (especially women and children) to some extent are protected from the deliberate abuse at home. However, many are the shortcomings of this Act. For instance, the exact statistics concerning domestic violence are extremely difficult to obtain hence it becomes difficult to know how much the Act is working. Domestic violence is not a crime as such, and police statistics reflect only reported crimes, such as assault, rape or malicious damage to property, and so forth. In some instances, domestic violence is not reported by the victims because of several reasons. There are many actions that constitute domestic violence that are not defined as crimes, such as forced isolation, verbal abuse, stalking and economic abuse. Domestic violence is often not just a one-off event, but a series of events, or a continuous pattern of abuse. Domestic violence may also exist as a continuum with one serious violent incident at one end, to ongoing and multiple abuses at the other. This pattern of abuse is not recognized in South African criminal law, which tends to isolate individual incidents. In addition, as outlined by Bollen et.al (1999).most crimes of domestic  violence are not reported to the police for fear of intimation, shame, and fear of not being believed, self-blame, or fear of retaliation. Furthermore, it appears from studies and work by organizations offering support to victims that the incidence of domestic violence is very high in South Africa. Community based studies have revealed that in some areas almost a quarter of women report having being abused in their life times by a current or ex-partner, and that up to a half are affected by emotional or financial (Jewkes et.al, 1999). A survey of 269 women who had contacted helping agencies in three major cities found emotional or physical abuse to be the most prevalent form of domestic violence experienced by women, with 90 percent of the sample having experienced this abuse (Bollen et al, 1999). The Domestic Violence Act (Act 116) was introduced in 1998 with the aim of affording women protection from domestic violence by creating obligations on law enforcement bodies to protect women (victims) as far as is possible. The Act sets out a broad range of behaviours that constitute domestic violence; including physical, sexual, verbal, emotional and psychological abuse, stalking, intimidation, harassment, malicious damage to property, unauthorized access to the complainant’s property, as well as other forms of controlling behaviour which may cause harm to the safety, health or wellbeing of the complainant. The Act also extends the notion of ‘domestic relationship’, affording to protection to married couples; same-sex relationships; couples who are (or were) in a dating, engagement or customary relationship, including an actual or perceived relationship; any person in an intimate relationship; parents of a child; and people who do or have recently shared a residence. The Domestic Violence Act allows a complainant to apply to court for a protection order asking for relief or protection. An interim order may be granted, and after an enquiry, a final order may be granted against a respondent. The protection order may prohibit the respondent from committing any act of domestic violence; from entering a specified place; or from committing an act set out in the order. A warrant of arrest is issued simultaneously with the order, and brought into effect if the complainant reports that the respondent has breached any provision of the order. If he or she is found guilty of a contravention, then the court may convict the respondent and sentence him or her to a fine or a term of imprisonment. In terms of the Act, no prosecutor is permitted to refuse to  institute an action, or to withdraw a charge unless authorized by the Director of public prosecution (Dissel & Ngubeni, 2003). Another of the other very serious shortcoming of this Act is that, while the Act criminalizes the breach of an order, it does not create an offence of domestic violence (Dissel & Ngubeni). Where the offender commits an act that is recognized by the criminal law as a criminal offence, a woman can report the case to the police, and it may proceed to a criminal trial but if it is not recognized, then there is nothing to be done. In conclusion, the Act is an indication of the seriousness with which domestic violence is now viewed in South Africa. It offers one form of protection to women who are the victims of domestic violence, but it does not necessarily offer remedies to the problem. The essay has outlined that sometimes the reason why domestic violence is so prevalent is due to the fear of shame and not being believed. The recommendation therefore is that there should be trained personnel who understand clearly the domestic violence issue, persons who understand of such related issue s and that will enable the victims to talk freely so as to reveal everything. References Bollen, S., Artz, L., Vetten, L., Louw, A. (1999). Violence Against Women in Metropolitan South Africa: A study on impact and service delivery. Institute for Security StudiesMonograph Series No 41, September 1999. http://www.iss.co.za/Pubs/Monographs/No41/Contents.html. Retrieved 8 October 2013 Dissel, A & Ngubeni, K. (2003).Giving Women their voice: Domestic Violence and Restorative Justice in South Africa. CSR: Paper presented at the XIth International Symposium on Victimology, Stellenbosch, July 2003. Jewkes, R., Penn-Kekana, L., Levin, J., Ratsaka, M., Schreiber, M. (1999). â€Å"He must giveme money, he mustn’t beat me†: Violence against women in three South African provinces. Pretoria: CERSA (Women’s Health) Medical Research Council

Vital Pieces of Essay Samples for Gmat

Vital Pieces of Essay Samples for Gmat The Essay Samples for Gmat Game Practicing will assist you in quite a few ways. First, it will help you master your timing. When you haven't exercised your writing muscles for some time, it's recommended to put in some practice. Among the greatest GMAT essay advice is to practice, practice, practice before you finish the GMAT AWA section on test day. If you currently have an earlier GMAT OG, trust the one that you have. Practicing can help you get accustomed to the structure of GMAT AWA prompts and help you become accustomed to the forms of questions that you'll see on test day. Another one of the important GMAT writing suggestions is to select the opportunity to establish your essay in a transparent way. Want to Know More About Essay Samples for Gmat? Most books on essay writing will provide you with quite a few model essayscollect a few of these as they are fantastic teachers! PaperCoach will be able to help you with all your pap ers, so take a look at the moment! Essays are the center of fellowship applications. Writing quality essays is the principal purpose of our services. International differences are going to be taken into consideration more strongly. Students lead busy lives and frequently forget about an approaching deadline. Students which are undertaking such courses should never need to be concerned about having the ability to find the help they need for the papers since there is so much at their disposal, so much they can look forward to. The Fight Against Essay Samples for Gmat The test taker must select the very best method of rendering the underlined part. Creating an AWA template is a fantastic method. Order a top-notch custom GMAT essay and become ready for the test! You may also become different discounts on our site which will help you to save some more money for future orders or anything you want to spend them on. In general, being the sole store in the region that offers such a selection of services may not give them a competitive advantage over other neighborhood stores whatsoever, and certainly may not lead to increased profi ts. Download the internet Casino software today and you may play our totally free casino online, and be on your way to the fun and excitement of Vegas style internet casino gaming! 30 minutes isn't lots of time. The End of Essay Samples for Gmat Test Tutor involves a superb section in which high. Additionally, with so many to select from, it's unlikely you will run out of prompts to practice with. Outlining can help you ensure you've covered all of the principal points you want to completely answer the question. Raise your GRE Essay Scale score utilizing these absolutely free on-line GRE Issue. The Pain of Essay Samples for Gmat It's unable to detect subtleties like a brilliant fashion of presenting arguments or humor. Inside this introduction, every thing that should be said has been said. Start by stating your position and make propositions that you're going to be presenting on the subject available. Do not present your own perspectives on the argument accessible. The D eath of Essay Samples for Gmat You don't need to speak about the argument generally. To begin with, you should underline the flaw itself. Without regard to the prompt, you need to always produce the case that the given argument is flawednot whether you agree with this. No matter the prompt, you always need to produce the case that the given argument is flawednot whether you agree. Getting the Best Essay Samples for Gmat You may elect for 4-6 paragraphs, yet this template described. Although there are a few basic measures to writing an assignment, essay writing isn't a linear procedure. You should attack the essay with a particular template which you've already perfected beforehand. The most important essay immediate is frequently the difficulty query. Locate your own sentence and utilize it each time you compose an essay. The very first answer choice is precisely the same as the underlined part of the sentence. Locate a sentence you want and memorize it. Don't repeat the very same idea, but you ought to repeat phrases and perhaps even entire sentences each time you compose a new essay. As the essay is going to be reviewed by readers that are reviewing tons of essays, the format needs to be kept basic. Your introduction shouldn't be long. Great essay topics provides you a wide selection of topics for numerous kinds of essays persuasive writing, also called the argument essay, utilizes logic and reason to demonstrate that one henry wadsworth longfellow said, music is the universal. It's difficult to appraise the six-point scale in abstraction, so make sure you have a look at this official sample AWA prompt and top-scoring essay to determine what type of an essay gets a 6. Don't forget that uncorrected writing may end up being very detrimental to your final GMAT essay scores. Writing the ideal essay may be difficult initially, but with some discipline and practice, you can definitely improve. Writing both essays in a short period of 30 minutes each can be an intimidating exercise, more so in case you've not written anything similar since. Assessment of the essay score will be contingent upon the writer's capacity to formulate an important argument and clearly articulate it.

How to Pronounce Thank You in Chinese

Being able to thank someone is one of the first things we learn to say in another language, and the word è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† therefore appears in the first chapter of almost all beginner textbooks in Chinese. This word is very versatile and can be used in most situations where you want to thank someone, so treating it as a direct equivalent of the English †thank you† works well most of the time. But how do you pronounce it? How to Pronounce è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† Even if the word è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† often appears in the first chapter of most textbooks, it certainly isnt easy to pronounce, especially if you havent had time to internalize Hanyu Pinyin yet, which is the most common way of writing the sounds of Mandarin with the Latin alphabet. Using Pinyin to learn is good, but you should be aware of some of the problems involved. There are two things you need to pay attention to: the initial †x† and the tones. How to Pronounce the †x† Sound in è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† The †x† sound in Pinyin can be tricky to pronounce for beginners, and together with †q† and †j† they are probably the hardest initials to get right for native speakers of English. These sounds might sound similar to the English †sh† and in †sheep† (in the case of †x†) or to the English †ch† in †cheap† (in the case of †q†), but that will not give you the right pronunciation. To pronounce †x† correctly, do like this: Lightly press the tip of your tongue against the teeth ridge just behind your lower teeth. This is a very natural position and this is probably what you do when you breathe normally through your mouth.Now try to say †s† while still keeping your tongue tip in the same position. To produce the sound, the tongue needs to be raised, but since you cant raise the tip (it shouldnt move), you have to raise the body of the tongue (i.e. farther back than when you say s).If you can produce a hissing sound with this tongue position, congratulations, youre now pronouncing †x† correctly! Try playing around a bit and listen to the sounds you produce. You should be able to hear a difference between this †x† sound and the †sh† in †sheep† as well as a normal s. The next part of the syllable, â€Å"ie†, usually doesnt cause much trouble for beginners and simply trying to mimic a native speaker as well as you can is likely to be enough. The tones, however, are a different matter, so lets look at how to say â€Å"thank you† without sounding like a tourist. How to Pronounce the Tones in è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† Tones are tricky because they arent used to create different words in English. Of course, we do vary the tone height when we speak English too, but it doesnt change the basic meaning of a word like it does in Chinese. Therefore, its common for beginners to not be able to hear tones properly, but this is just a matter of practice. The more you expose yourself to tones and the more you practice, the better you will become. Practice makes perfect! Tones are normally indicated by a mark above the main vowel, but as you can see in the case of è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie†, there is no mark above the second syllable, which means that its a neutral tone. The downward mark on the first syllable indicates a fourth tone. Just like the tone mark indicates, the pitch should fall when you pronounce this. The neutral tone should be pronounced more lightly and should also be shorter. You can treat the word è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ ( è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† as a word in English with stress on the first syllable, like â€Å"sissy† (I mean for stress purposes, the other sounds are different). There is an obvious emphasis on the first syllable and the second one is quite reduced. Practice Makes Perfect Simply knowing how è ° ¢Ã¨ ° ¢ (è ¬ Ã¨ ¬ ) †xià ¨xie† is supposed to be pronounced doesnt mean that you can pronounce it, so you need to practice yourself as well. Good luck!