Health and Wellness Blog

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

June is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada!

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is one among many common neurological conditions.  ALS attacks the nerve cells (neurons) in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement.  These motor neurons degenerate and die, eventually leading to a loss of the ability to start and control any voluntary movements including swallowing.  There is no known cure or cause for ALS; however the disease has been linked to a genetic defect in 1 out of 10 cases. 

Symptoms include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty swallowing
• Head drop due to weakness of the neck muscles
• Muscle cramps
• Muscle contractions called fasciculations
• Muscle weakness that slowly gets worse
• Paralysis
• Speech problems, such as a slow or abnormal speech pattern (slurring of words)
• Voice changes, hoarseness
• Weight loss

Famous people with ALS: Lou Gehrig, Stephen Hawking, David Niven, Mao Zedong

For more information on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis check out the following titles available at the Toronto Public Library:

           

Do you know the five signs of stroke?

Each year 50,000 strokes occur in Canada... that is one stroke every 10 minutes. While stroke can be fatal, most people survive, however many are left with a range of disabilities. A lot depends on how soon treatment is commenced. According to the Heart & Stroke Foundation, treatment within the first 3 1/2 hours can make all the difference. So don't delay, learn to recognize the five warning signs of stroke and call immediately  9-1-1 or your local emergency number. It can significantly improve survival and recovery.

What are the five signs of stroke?

If any of these signs occur, call 9-1-1 immediately. There is life after stroke... but you have to act fast! 

For more information on stroke and stroke prevention check out one of these titles from your local Toronto Public Library branch:

 

                    

                     

 

World AIDS Day... the clock is still ticking

                  

December 1st is World AIDS Day. According to UN reports, there has been a significant drop in new HIV infections across 25 countries... there has also been a steady decline in HIV infections among newsborns... and overall fewer AIDS-related deaths were reported due to improved antiretroviral therapies. While this is welcome news, the AIDS clock is still ticking signaling that every 6 and a half seconds someone contracts HIV while every 10 seconds another person dies of AIDS.

There is renewed optimism that a safe and effective HIV vaccine is within reach to stop the virus that has killed more than 30 million people worldwide. Canada is playing an important role in this research but global collaboration is needed for the successful development of the HIV vaccine.

To read more about HIV and AIDS check out the following blog or put a hold on one of TPL's books on the subject.

       

       

Where to find reliable health information in other languages?

Living in an information explosion age like today, our challenge is not having limited access to information, but "separating the wheat from the chaff". For example, googling "diabetes", yields up 333 millions hits (as of May 3rd, 2012). So which ones can you trust?  If you are looking for a recipe for banana cake, it is ok to just take a look at the first couple of them. But if it's your health, you can't take it so lightly. Fortunately, there is help! Sites like MedlinePlus, and the Medical Library Association's website_ tell you how to find and evaluate health information on the web.

As for reliable free online health information in other languages than English, here are some useful sites:

• Canadian Cancer Society: Cancer information in other languages
• Heart and Stroke Foundation: Multilingual resources
• Hospital for Sick Children: Multilingual Health A-Z
• MedlinePlus: Health Information in Multiple Languages
• nnlm.gov: Consumer Health Information in Many Lanugages Resources
• NSW Multicultural Communication Services: Resources by language
• Stanford Health Library: Multilingual Health Information
• Tufts University: Selected Patient Information Resources in Asian Languages (SPIRAL)
• University Health Network: Resources in Other Languages - Multilingual

Moreover, don't forget your Toronto Public Library! To find out which branches have your language collection, click here.

Or you can search our catalogue and order the materials you want before you go. Here is how to search the Toronto Public Library website for multilingual materials.

There are two different ways to search.

The easiest way is to search in your own language. For example, to find some Chinese diabetes materials, _ simply type Hanyu Pinyin Tang Niao Bing in the search box from our library home page, and click Search. 20 results turn up (as of May 3rd, 2012).

Another way is to search in English for materials in your language, here is how to:

1. click Advanced search (it's on top of our home page, right next to the Search button)
2. type keywords/subject in the search box (leave All fields unchanged),
3. select Type of material that you prefer (books, movies & video, audiobooks, etc.)
4. select Language 
5. select appropriate branch from At library branch (we have 98 branches) You can select any one from the list but since we have limited multilingual materials, it's better not to limit this at all. If an item is not available in your branch, _ it can be transferred to your local branch for pick-up. So it's best to select any branch
6. select Age level (children/Teen/Adult)
7. select Include [Reference Materials (in-library only)/Circulating Materials (take-home)/Fiction-Books/ Non-Fiction Books]
8. click Search

Here is an example: a customer wants to find some Chinese materials on diabetes in the Toronto Public Library that she/ he can borrow.

Go to Advanced search, type "diabetes" (leave All fields unchanged), choose "any type" from Type, choose "Chinese" from Language, choose "any branch" from At library branch,  choose "Adult+Teen+Children" from Age level, choose "Circulating Materials (take-home)+Non-Fiction Books", then click Search. Viola! 17 items (as of May 3rd, 2012) show up.

Look through the 17 items and choose the one you want to borrow. Then click the green button Place Hold under each item to reserve them (If you didn't log in to your account before the search, you will be asked for your library and PIN number), then choose the branch from which you want to pick up the materials, finally click Place Hold again.

Then just relax and wait for the Library's notification (phone/email). Normally it takes 4-5 business days for the material to be transferred from branch to branch (if the material is available in the branch). Upon the notification, you got 7 days to pick-up your items.

Thyroid Disease

Are you one of the many people with an undiagnosed thyroid disorder?  It is estimated that 1 in every 3 Canadians has a thyroid disease but as many as half don't know it.

Thyroid diseases include:

• Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
• Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
• Graves' Eye Disease
• Thyroiditis including Hashimoto's Disease
• Thyroid cancer

For more information, read About Thyroid Disease from the Thyroid Foundation of Canada. 

Also read about thyroid conditions at MyThyroid.com, a site maintained by Dr. Daniel Drucker, University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital.

Check out the Library's recent books about thyroid disease.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the title or cover link;

 

The Complete Thyroid Book	The Everything Guide to Thyroid Disease	Quickfacts Thyroid Cancer

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Thyroid Disease	Cooking Well. Thyroid Health	The Thyroid Diet Revolution

Rare Diseases

What is a rare disease?

• >Rare diseases are diseases that affect a small number of people, usually fewer than 1 in 2,000
• >A rare disease may be more common in some parts of the world, among certain populations and at different time periods
• >They are often genetic diseases, but could also be infectious or auto-immune diseases
• >They are often serious chronic or life-threatening diseases

 

 

Some rare diseases such as Legionnaires' disease, listeriosis (contaminated food), rabies, sickle cell disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Stephen Hawking's disease), Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ("mad cow disease")have a higher profile than others among the general population as they are often covered by the media.

To see a full list of rare diseases, go to the Encyclopaedia for Patients alphabetical list from Orphanet.  Click on a disease to get the information sheet.  Limited information including abstract, synonyms, general discussion and organizations can also be accessed for free through the Rare Disease Database compiled by NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders).

If you know someone who has been diagnosed with a rare disease, a good first place to go is For Patients and Families by NORD.  Read patient stories, connect with others who have the same rare disease, get news about clinical trials, or ask a nurse or a genetic counselor in the Patient Information Center.

For news, events and current issues in Canada, go to the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders.

Check out the Library's recent books about specific rare diseases.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the title or cover link;  

100 Questions & Answers About Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis	Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: a Guide for Patients and Families	Cystic Fibrosis: the Facts

Guillain-Barré Syndrome: From Diagnosis to Recovery	Huntington's Disease	Thalassaemia: the Biography

Let's Talk About Speech Disorders

 

For many, trying to say words and be understood is difficult and frustrating.  In Canada, up to 10% of children and up to 6% of adults have a speech disorder.  For more information read the Speech, Language and Hearing Fact Sheet from the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists.

 

Speech disorders are common to both children and adults and are characterized by an inability to produce speech sounds correctly or fluently.  Examples of speech disorders are stuttering and apraxia.

For information about speech disorders in children and teens, go to MedLinePlus or KidsHealth.  Find links to specific speech disorders in adults at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association site.

Stuttering is a disfluency disorder where a person repeats words or parts of words or has trouble getting the word out altogether.  Famous people who have had problems with stuttering or stammering include King George VI who was depicted in the film, The King's Speech, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Tiger Woods, Marilyn Monroe and Nicole Kidman.  For a more complete list, read Famous People Who Stutter from The Stuttering Foundation.

Read a fact sheet about stuttering from the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists or from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.  Watch Stuttering and Your Child: Help for Parents a streaming video on YouTube from The Stuttering Foundation. 

Find a self-help group to join from the Canadian Stuttering Association

Early detection is important for overcoming a speech disorder.  To find a professional speech-language pathologist in your area, go to Find a Professional at the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists web site.

Check out the Library's recent books about speech disorders for more information.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover or title link;

Childhood Speech, Language and Listening Problems	The Child and Adolescent Stuttering Treatment and Activity Resource Guide	Yoga for Stuttering

Be Aware of the Insects!: Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus

Lyme disease in humans is caused by the bite of a tick infected by a bacterium normally carried by small animals such as mice, squirrels and birds.  Generally ticks attach themselves to humans who brush against tall grasses and bushes.  Several parks in Ontario as well as the north shores of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River are places where blacklegged ticks are commonly found. If you are bitten by an infected tick you may experience the following symptoms:

• -Fever
• -Headache
• -Muscle and joint pains
• -Fatigue
• -Skin rash

For more information read the Lyme Disease Fact Sheet from the Public Health Agency of Canada or Lyme Disease from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

 

Mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus spread the virus to humans through bites. West Nile season is from May to October, the traditional mosquito season.  The virus first appeared in Ontario in 2001.  Most people bitten by infected mosquitoes do not have any symptoms.  Mild symptoms include:

• fever
• headache
• body aches
• mild rash

Some people suffer more severe symptoms such as:

• severe headache
• high fever
• stiff neck
• nausea
• vomiting
• drowsiness
• confusion
• muscle weakness and paralysis

If you experience any of these symptoms you should seek medical attention.

For more information read Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment from the Public Health Agency of Canada.  For information about how to protect yourself, read West Nile virus from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Check out the Library's recent books about Lyme disease for more information.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover or title link;

 

The Lyme Disease Survival Guide	Ending Denial: the Lyme Disease Epidemic	Insights into Lyme Disease Treatment

Asperger's in Adults

 

Many adults with Asperger's Syndrome have never been diagnosed with AS since the syndrome was only diagnosed after it was included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1994.  It is a lifelong disorder that can affect relationships, your education and your job.

To read an excerpt from the DSM, go to PsychiatryOnline.

                                                                            

Reference copies of the DSM are available to read at the Toronto Reference Library and North York Central Library.

 

 

 

There are several common traits of individuals with Asperger's Syndrome including:

• Impaired social interaction evident in poor or intense eye-to eye contact or inappropriate facial expressions or body postures
• Rigid or repetitive behaviors including persistant preoccupation with favorite activities or interests or rigidity about rules, routines or rituals    

For more information read What is Asperger Syndrome from the Aspergers Society of Ontario.  Also read Top Ten Reasons for Adults to Seek an Asperger Syndrome Diagnosis.

Check out the Library's recent books about Asperger's Syndrome in adults for more information.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover or title link; 

Getting to Grips with Asperger Syndrome	Connecting with Your Asperger Partner	Asperger's on the Job

Could It Be Autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a developmental disability that affects approximately 70,000 people in Ontario.  Typically it appears in the first three years of life and it is four times more likely to occur in boys than in girls.

        Some early signs that your child may be autistic include:

•         -Delayed speech or no words by 16 months
•         -Doesn't make eye contact
•         -Doesn't seem to hear you -- appears deaf
•         -Indifferent to people including parents -- resists cuddling
•         -Prefers to play alone -- not interested in playing with children
•         -Develops repetitive movements such as rocking or spinning
•         -Requires specific routines or rituals

For a more complete list of symptoms, go to the Mayo Clinic article about autism, Autism Speaks Canada or Autism Canada.

The Geneva Centre for Autism in Toronto provides a list of services for children and their parents and caregivers including skill building groups, support groups and circles, respite, and much more.

Subscribe to the Autism Speaks Official Blog or register for E-speaks Newsletter.

Check out the Library's recent books about autism for more information.  To see which branch has a copy of the book and to place a hold, click on the cover or title link; 

The First Year: Autism Spectrum Disorders	Making Sense of Autistic Spectrum Disorders	Children with High-Functioning Autism

Empowered Autism Parenting	Healing Our Autistic Children	Motivate to Communicate!