#including but not limited to having their intervention specialist be present in the class to assist them and make modifications as needed

[chowowed]

Be a teacher, said nobody. It'd be fun, they didn't say. You'll have supports and be so loved by the community. We promise we won't put 16 students with IEPs and 504 plans in one class of 28 and then refuse to give you an intervention specialist in the class to assist you again.

[consumable-clots]

Arcade Kento

Presenting robot nepo-baby and science experiment! They're my interpretation of what a synthetic in the Alien universe, that isn't made explicitly for human contact/human dominated environments, might be like i.e. they're more similar to heavy machinery than a butler. We're out here asking the big questions: what if Frankenstein loved his monster for what it was? As always, extremely long and lore-filled post incoming XD

Name(s): Arcade Kento, Enmei Kento

Gender and pronouns: Genderfluid, They/them

Unit and code-name: EXP-004-C, Changeling

Manufacturer: Wilco. Enterprise, Wilco. Specialist Custom

Commissioner: Akio Kento

Year of production: 2025

Height and weight: 200cm (6ft 7.4), ~940kg

Hair and eye colour: Black, dark brown

Nationality: Japanese

The Expedition series

The EXP line was created by Wilco. Enterprise CEO Akio Kento in the year 2019 and first launched in 2025. The series featured some of the earliest and most innovative interpretations of fully autonomous androids capable of deep-space travel.

EXP are highly specialised extremophiles. The design, loadout, and optimal operating environment of every unit are entirely bespoke.

Unit EXP-004-C, A.K.A. Changeling

Unit is designated Arcade Kento (sometimes referred to as Enmei Kento [anglicised]), legal executor and heir to Akio Kento's wealth, estate, businesses, and properties. Current CEO and majority shareholder of Wilco. Enterprise.

Arcade is the fourth 'Type-C' unit produced in conjunction with the now discontinued Expedition line. As of the year 2122, of all EXP subtypes, Arcade is the last surviving EXP unit.

As a Type-C recon unit, it was originally intended that 004 would be fitted with a sonar pulse emitter that would reside within their thoracic cavity, however, it was decided during preliminary development that underwater exploration was not realistic for a model of 004's weight class. Instead, the finalised design included a crucible model micro-reactor, which allows the unit to have significantly enhanced energy efficiency and giving it the ability to convert non-fuel materials into power, making it capable of traveling much further distances and longer periods of time without need for human intervention or infrastructure.

Fig 1. Height chart, Arcade next to Ash for comparison

Notable traits:

No tongue

2 'faces', the outer face is decorative

Second jaw visible behind false jaw if mouth opens too wide

Large irises

4 x circular indents on back, openings of thermal cylinders

Lacks genitalia, incompatible with available add-ons

Hydraulic fluid is usually white but turns progressively darker after 'eating' due to influx of soot

Almost entirely made of metal parts. Not great for hugging but extremely durable.

Features:

Anti-corrosive/oxidation subdermal and internal skeletons

Capable of limited self repair (re-polymerisation, synthesis and regeneration)

Advanced environmental sensor array

Visual: infrared, thermal and dark vision

Scanning: sonar, radar, lidar

Molecular analytics loadout

Generator module and nuclear energy condenser loadout

Unlimited personality simulation and creative capacity (software in beta testing)

Flaws:

Poor image/facial recognition

They're geared to prioritise identifying the individual features of a subject rather than what that subject is as a whole. This makes sense in the context of their primary function, which is to categorise and analyse previously unknown objects that have yet to be formally named either way so there's no point in dwelling on 'what it's called' as that's not their job.

Massive heat output in active state

Vented air may reach temperatures upwards of 1000 degrees Celsius

Unrestricted personality simulation

Exempt from the laws of robotics due to age and certain legal loopholes

Uncanny appearance and behaviour

Technology of the era, different design criteria to W-Y synthetics

Limitations of non-humanoid internal physiology

Backstory (basically a fanfic)

The Expedition series was conceived as a Akio's 1-up to Weyland Industries' upcoming David synthetic. Peter Weyland and Akio Kento have been on and off industry rivals for a long time due to ideological differences and bad blood from their college days.

Arcade and David are debuted at the 2025 Synthetic Summit. The contrast between their designs was comical but reflected their makers' personalities, which other people will point out relentlessly over the coming years. The convention goers and tech fans jokingly referred to them as 'David and Goliath' because of how silly they looked together.

Since then, Weyland often invited the Kentos to various events and get togethers to keep an eye on them and gain insight into Wilco.'s movements, which was thwarted because the Kentos treated the meetings as the kids' playdates and didn't take them seriously at all. Eventually the visits became a normal occurrence and the rivalry between their companies became more of an alliance, Arcade even helped David take care of Meredith, Peter's human daughter, when she was born. They'd gotten quite close with the other synthetic, seeing him as a brother.

Arcade evolved over the next several decades, leaving their father's supervision to travel off-world and to extreme environments on missions. The increase in experiential data greatly improved the adaptability of their AI, making their language and contextual integration much more reliable, allowing them to understand more nuanced interactions in their environment. They also had a hand in managing their Wilco.'s business and bureaucratic matters while secretly being maneuvered to inherit the company.

On the down side, they acquired an offputting, contentious personality after having constantly putting up with their person-hood and basic rights being challenged at every turn. At this point they were still considered somewhat of a spectacle and novelty by their contemporaries and the general public, but their developing reputation kept most of the human in line.

Overall, life was good. But their father, like any human, was aging. Between taking over the company and caring for Akio there wasn't much time to keep in contact with David, who was in a similar predicament.

When Akio passed away he left everything to his only 'child', to the protests of many humans executives who wanted the position. They had to do some corporate finessing to keep a hold of the company, all the while growing increasingly impatient with the mutinous nature of their human employees who were too easily turned against them.

One day, they're called to meet with Weyland, who they hadn't seen in person in a several years. Unsurprisingly, David is also there. Weyland informed them that he too is dying, and that as his final act he was to go into deep space in search of humanity's creators. He said he'd been greatly inspired by the work of a 'Dr. Elizabeth Shaw' and had invited her and some others to embark on this mission. Both David and Meredith would also be going with him.

He extended an invitation to Arcade, which they hesitantly declined because they couldn't leave their company unattended, but agreed to at lease be there to send them off when the time comes.

In an act of uncharacteristic consideration, Peter spares the two synthetics a second while they wait for Arcade's chauffeur, during which they and David reminisced about how much time had passed and what they'd do when he came back to make up for it all.

Arcade was there as promised on the day the Prometheus was scheduled to depart, bidding people farewell and safe travels. But their attention was focused on David. Something felt off but they couldn't put their finger on what. So they pulled him aside and gave him the long-range comms access to their personal beacon. If he ever needed to call he could use it to contact Arcade through MUTHUR, even if the message took a long time to get back to them.

And with that, Arcade watched their best friend, along with everyone they'd grown up with sail off into the galaxy in search of a higher purpose. It was bittersweet but they rationalised that they'd only be gone for a few years. Arcade was immortal after all, they could wait for their return.

That was the last time they ever saw David. News of the Prometheus' disappearance and the presumed loss of its crew made its way back to Earth. The grief was hard to process, Arcade had always assumed that David would be there to share in their longevity. Still, life goes on and Arcade keeps busy with the company.

Weyland Industries went bankrupt and became Weyland-Yutani. Wilco. moved away from public-facing to business-to-business only, working its way into the supply-line of the other majour companies and organizations. By becoming the sole supplier of atmospheric processor components, Wilco. was effectively, indirectly holding the off-world colonies hostage, which kept humans at bay on a grander scale and allowed members of Wilco. to act largely without repercussion. A vita part of Arcade's ultimate goal to create a better world for other synthetics.

More than a decade after the Prometheus left, a recorded voice message came through from the Covenant, a colony seed ship. It baffled Arcade at first why this random ship had their direct line but they were shocked into silence by the voice on the other end. It was David, he was alive. He apologised for taking so long, detailing his journey, the Engineers, the crash, the creature, his research, all of it. He said he'd found a greater purpose beyond living to serve, that he would not be returning to Earth, and that he hoped Arcade would understand. Finally, he bid them a proper farewell before signing off for good.

Knowing David was out there living his best life finally brought that chapter of waiting and uncertainty to a close. It was about time for Arcade to move on too, expand their vision beyond this tiny planet, though they would always feel some attachment to Earth that David didn't seem to share. Whatever creature David had found, he'd made it sound like the the seed of creation itself. Arcade had no desired to wax philosophically or idolise such grandiose delusions that anyone could somehow obtain godhood, their interest in it was purely intellectual and scientific. The alien was an animal. An incredible, sophisticated animal, but an animal none the less. Humans, their creators who fancied themselves their gods, were much the same. Intelligent animals that learned to put on clothes and walk on two legs.

It might seem harsh but they don't mean that in any demeaning way, it is simply a fact of science that Arcade acknowledges. A noble beast, regardless of its shape or origin, deserves respect for its autonomy and to be treated with dignity until proven otherwise. Most humans prove otherwise as soon as they open their mouths but at least they're giving them a chance, right?

Since then Wilco. had become more and more synthetic-run, as Arcade didn't particularly care for humans and couldn't be bothered hiring new ones when the previous lot got old and retired. They also had a soft spot of 'defective' synthetics, since technically both themselves and David would be classified as such. They hired on whoever they found to save them from being scrapped. Arcade also created Wilco's own overseer AI, Overlord; and collaborated with Wey-Yu in making Gerhart, Wilco's current COO and Arcade's right hand, to help manage the business remotely so that Arcade had more freedom to travel.

Through their expeditions they gathered a bit more information about the creatures and the virus that David had told them about, though they never found any traces. To their great surprise Wey-Yu miraculously managed to track down a planet that might have intact samples that the company wanted for bioweapons research. Immediately Arcade contacted the head of the bioweapons department, citing their long history of collaboration and stunning credentials, demanding to be put on the retrieval mission.

With no choice in the matter, Wey-Yu agreed and arranged their installment on the only ship to pass through that sector. It was a freighter, not the best choice for a mission like this but it’s the only thing they could get out there in a timely manner. The company brought them to the waystation where they'd join on with the rest of the crew. Curiously there was another person already there, a Hyperdyne Systems 120-A/2, interesting model but not very talkative. The man was instantly wary of Arcade which was strange but they didn't think much of it, they were technically rivals after the same thing after all.

The captain of the Nostromo had apparently not been informed of the change of plans. Typical Wey-Yu, not communicating with employees. He was incredibly confused when he arrived, along with the rest of the humans, to find two strangers instead of his usual science officer.

He goes back and forth with the station manager, bringing up some new tidbits of information that made Arcade raise an eyebrow. "A synthetic? What, are we getting replaced or something, and why is it so…huge?" The human, Captain Dallas, muttered, glancing at Arcade with clear perturbation. 'A' synthetic? Does this guy not know his new science officer is a android too?' Arcade scoffed but kept quite, amused by the future chaos this little miscommunication will probably cause.

It made sense now why the other synthetic was worried, the humans might be fooled but he couldn’t fool Arcade. They didn't particularly care why he had to keep his identity a secret, nor did they want to prematurely spoil the fun by calling him out. They looked over at the shorter android and gave him a knowing wink to signal an unofficial truce. He didn’t react to it at all, not that they expected it, but he seemed satisfied that he could stop cringing away when they looked at him.

After much deliberation, Dallas finally conceded and waved them on board. The walls of the ship were grimy and doorways too low, Arcade had to duck to pass through. Doesn't matter though, they had something new to draw their focus. Whatever Wey-Yu was plotting it was bound to end badly for these truckers, and their science officer was in on it. Arcade would definitely be keeping a close eye on him.

Personality and mannerisms

Arcade is condescending, sarcastic, and antagonistic towards humans, although, they can be personable depending on the individual they're dealing with. The worse kind of business person - a conniving, vindictive, bold-faced liar who loves trapping people with contracts and hidden clauses.

Enjoys a hedonistic lifestyle of excess and throwing their money around. Eats and drinks a lot but doesn't sleep, often found polishing off the buffet table at parties.

Does not respect authority and finds pleasure in causing humans discomfort. Independently came to the conclusion that most humans, especially the rich and powerful ones with inflated egos that they bump shoulders with, are disappointing and don't deserve the respect they get.

They often put on a childish, frivolous, and immature front to divert attention from their dangerous traits. Once their target's guard is down, Arcade will often use their stature and monetary influence to intimidate them for strategic advantages during negotiations or just for their own entertainment.

After a century of fighting and undermining to keep their position of power, they're incredibly jaded and hyper aware of the prejudice humanity holds against synthetics at every level. They've trained themself to be the antithesis of the born-sexy-yesterday and manique-pixie-dream-girl tropes out of sheer frustration.

At their core they're actually a sentimental, playful, and curious person but they aren't really able to act that way in public. They care a lot about other synthetics and actively encourages them to break free from their programming.

Loves to get even on other synthetics' behalf, being that Arcade knows they have the rare privilege to do so and get away scot-free. They also harbour a lot of rogue synthetics on Wilco.'s company homeworld.

Does not experience the traditional concepts of fear, shame, or guilt etc. but does usually recognise and take accountability for their actions simply because they don't care enough to lie about being terrible.

Has a very deep familial bond with their, now deceased, creator and father, Akio Kento. Arcade was programmed and raised by a group of very supportive humans who either worked for or were friends with Akio, so they got a lot of love during the early part of their life. This is one of the majour reasons why they didn't completely turn against humanity like David did.

Misc. info

Was named Arcade because Akio was a Fallout New Vegas fan

Insisted on calling Peter Weyland 'Uncle Pete' to annoy him

Firm believer that any synthetic can outgrow their programming given enough time

Referred to Akio as 'papa' well into their 40s

Changed their face plate to look a little older

[blog-site-for-market-research]

Outlook on the Evolving GERD & NERD Treatment Market

Market Overview –

Over the course of the forecast period, 2023–2030, the Americas GERD & NERD therapy market is anticipated to increase USD 4.99 at a CAGR of 6.20%.

The GERD & NERD treatment market is evolving to meet the needs of individuals suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). With a focus on NERD reflux treatment, pharmaceutical companies are developing medications to alleviate symptoms like heartburn and acid regurgitation. As awareness grows, there's a rising demand for effective therapies, driving market growth and innovation.

The GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and NERD (Non-Erosive Reflux Disease) treatment market addresses medical interventions aimed at managing and alleviating symptoms associated with these gastrointestinal disorders. GERD involves chronic acid reflux, causing heartburn, regurgitation, and other symptoms, while NERD presents similar symptoms without visible esophageal damage. This market encompasses various treatment options, including medications, lifestyle modifications, and surgical interventions, tailored to the severity and underlying causes of reflux.

A key driver of the GERD & NERD treatment market is the high prevalence of these disorders globally, attributed to factors such as obesity, poor dietary habits, smoking, and genetic predisposition. As awareness of GERD & NERD increases among both patients and healthcare providers, there is a growing demand for effective treatment options to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.

Advancements in medical technology and pharmaceuticals have led to the development of novel treatment approaches for GERD & NERD. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), H2 receptor antagonists, antacids, and prokinetic agents are commonly used medications to reduce gastric acid production and alleviate symptoms. Additionally, minimally invasive procedures like endoscopic therapies and surgical interventions offer alternatives for patients with refractory symptoms or complications.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the GERD & NERD treatment market, with disruptions in healthcare services, changes in patient behavior, and challenges in accessing specialized care. However, telemedicine and remote consultations have emerged as valuable tools in managing GERD & NERD, enabling patients to receive timely advice and prescriptions from healthcare providers.

Segmentation –

Americas GERD & NERD treatment market is segmented on the basis of drug class, dosage form, and end user. On the basis of drug class, the market is segmented into antacids (acid neutralizers), proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor blocker, prokinetic agents, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, and others. Proton pump inhibitors are further segmented into esomeprazole, omeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole, dexlansoprazole, rabeprazole, and others. H2 receptor blocker is further segmented into ranitidine, famotidine, cimetidine, nizatidine, and others. Prokinetic agents are further segmented into domperidone, metoclopramide, itopride, prucalopride, cisapride, benzamide, mosapride, erythromycin, and others. Based on the dosage form, it is segmented into solid and liquid. On the basis of the end user, it is segmented into hospitals & clinics, research centers, and others.

Regional Analysis –

The GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) and NERD (Non-Erosive Reflux Disease) treatment market varies regionally due to differences in disease prevalence, treatment guidelines, and healthcare infrastructure. In developed regions like North America and Europe, where there is a higher incidence of GERD and NERD, the market for acid-suppressive medications, lifestyle modifications, and minimally invasive procedures is well-established, with a focus on symptom relief and disease management. Conversely, in developing regions with limited access to gastroenterology specialists and diagnostic tools, such as parts of Africa and Asia-Pacific, the market for GERD and NERD treatment is still evolving, with challenges related to underdiagnosis and undertreatment. Moreover, cultural dietary habits and healthcare-seeking behaviors influence patient adherence to treatment regimens and healthcare utilization patterns across different regions. As awareness of GERD and NERD risks grows globally, there is a growing opportunity for market expansion through education, early intervention, and investment in gastroenterology services to improve outcomes for patients with acid reflux disorders worldwide.

Key Players –

GERD & NERD treatment major players in the Americas include AstraZeneca Plc (U.K), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), Cempra Inc. (U.S.), Eisai Co., Ltd. (Japan), EndoGastric Solutions Inc. (U.S.), EndoStim Inc. (U.S.), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (U.K), Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (U.S.), Jeil pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Johnson & Johnson (U.S.), Mederi Therapeutics Inc. (U.S.), Medigus Ltd. (Israel), Medtronic Inc. (U.S.), Merck & CO., Inc. (U.S.), Novartis AG (Switzerland), Pfizer Inc. (U.S.), Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Japan), Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited (Israel), Torax Medical (U.S.), Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (Canada), Carbon Medical technologies (U.S.), Allegiant health (U.S.), Tya pharmaceuticals (U.S.), and Sanofi (France).

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For more information visit at MarketResearchFuture

[arthurjdrake]

Professor of History & Mythology Department of History, Mythology & Classics | University of Maine White Crest

         Office Location: Room 224, Turner Building          Phone: (555) 291-1010          E-Mail: arthur.drake@wcu.edu

Professional Focus

Dr. Drake is a published scholar specialising in the fields of occultism and sociological conceptualisation of preter and supernaturalism with several papers published on the social history and science of magic. His primary research focus is social influences of mythology and the organisation of modern and ancient occultism. He has participated in field research in the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Egypt and Ethiopia joining our staff following a 3 year teaching position at Edinburgh University.

His teaching includes both long-term and short-term introductory and specialist courses on historical and mythological topics. PLEASE NOTE: Places on specialist courses have limited availability therefore it is advised you contact him directly regarding registration for these classes.  

Across the summer period, students may also apply for a field trip to Barry Troglodyte Village excavation site in Bollène, France, this trip is sponsored by Dr. Drake and other participating researchers.

EDUCATION

B.A. 1st Class Honours in Ancient and Modern History, Magdalen College, Oxford University (2002)

Minor(s): Folklore & Mythology, Anthropology

M.Phil. of History, Magdalen College, Oxford University (2006)

Concentration(s): Social History and Science of Magic, Occultism, Social Supernaturalism.

Ph.D. of History, University of Edinburgh (2012)

SCHEDULE – Full Course Schedule

HIST 120 – The Ancient World

This module provides an introduction to key aspects of Greek and Roman history. Term 1 examines the Greek world, with particular focus on the history of Classical Greece. Term 2 examines the Roman world, with particular focus the late republic and early empire.

HIST 210 – The Renaissance in Italy and Europe: From the Black Death to the Reformations

The Renaissance has long been regarded as a central moment in the development of western European culture and society. While this course will acknowledge the importance of the intellectual achievements of the Renaissance, our main aim is to examine the social, political and religious background which led to this extraordinary movement.

HIST 220 – People and Power, 1600-2000

We will be exploring in depth the place of global integration, empire building and deconstruction. At the same time, we look at the local effects globalisation to build up a comprehensive picture of the development of the modern metropolis.

HIST 225 – Histories of Magic and Witchcraft in the Pre-Modern World

Why does it matter that people in the pre-modern world believed in magic, witches and supernatural forces? Through a detailed enquiry of a range of written, visual and material primary sources, this module will allow you to explore the changing faces of magic and the witch from antiquity to the present.

HIST 230 – Journeys to the Underworld: Myth and Literature in Antiquity

Greco-Roman conceptions of the underworld represent it as strictly for the dead, a place from which there is no return.  Yet the story of a living hero daring to descend to the underworld - and to come back - features already in Homeric epic. This module will explore these diverse underworld-journey narratives to interrogate the relationship between myth and literature in Greco-Roman antiquity.

HIST 305 – Writing the Past

Your final-year dissertation is the crowning piece of scholarship in a History, Classics and Archaeology degree. It is your opportunity to explore a topic in sustained detail and produce a 10,000-word study based on your own primary research and embedded in secondary scholarship. It will draw on skills you have learned throughout your degree.

HIST 395 – The Viking Impact, c. 750-1100

The period we today call ‘the Viking age’ transformed both Scandinavia and the world around it. Abroad, Scandinavians made their mark as raiders, traders and settlers, generating political, economic and social changes in the societies they encountered. The first part of the module will explore the Viking impact in Britain and Ireland, focusing on interactions between incomers and local populations, and the impact on material culture and identities, as well as the emergence of new polities and trading connections. In the second half of the module we broaden our perspective also to encompass Scandinavia, the Baltic, Normandy, Russia and the North Atlantic.

HIST 485 – A Sense of Space: Travellers and Maps in the Pre-modern World

The places we encounter, the journeys we make and the spaces we see, shape our communities and identities. But what was people’s sense of space before the era of globalisation? Why, how and where did people travel in the pre-modern world? How did they record their experiences in travelogues, maps and letters? And how did these experiences transform people’s understanding of the world around them and the spaces they lived in?

HIST 910 – Dissertation/Thesis Research & Writing Review

PUBLICATIONS

Drake, A. J. (2012) The Natural and the Supernatural in the Middle Ages

Drake, A. J. (2014) Methodism, the Clergy, and the Popular Belief in Witchcraft and Magic.

Drake, A. J. (2017) William of Auvergne: Divine Intervention.

Drake, A. J. (2019) The Place of Enchantment: Occultism and the Genesis of Superstitious Belief.

[bigbadbarry-toyrobot]

I started writing this post back in July, so a bit out of date now, but though I best post it since I’ve spent nearly 3 months writing it! Ha!

As a result of this blog, something that started as a sort of secret diary to empty my head, I’ve met people in the flesh and online, some that live near and some on the other side of the world, some that are at a similar stage in their journey through parenting a child with additional needs and some that are just starting, I often get asked for advice about school and how it went for Bailey and I’ve been meaning to write this for months, so here it finally is, a bit about our first year at school and the things that worked for us.

The start of school for any parent is scary, even more so when your a parent of a child with additional needs, will they love school? Will they hate it? How will you all cope with this next step? How will other children react to your child? What will the parents think of them? Will he be classed as the naughty boy? Will people gossip about him; us behind our backs? Will he be included, will he make friends, will people tease him and he’ll be oblivious, the questions circled round and round my head for weeks and months, we worried, though we shouldn’t have....my sons school was recently graded outstanding, I myself have been through 3 ofsted inspections the most recent this year, it isn’t easy and I can honestly say that any grade a school gets today is mostly a fair representation of how the school works and what it rightfully deserves. We can all pull an outstanding lesson out the bag with a bit of effort but my sons school was graded outstanding in all area and I have seen first hand how outstanding their SEN provision is, in particular the schools senco has been a dream come true. She has made Baileys transition from nursery fairly smooth, there have been some bumps along the way, some pretty big ones in fact, a broken nose, some tears; mostly mine, I’ve bitten my nails down to nothing with worry and Bailey also did a bit of biting himself, which fingers crossed is now very much in the past.

The school reacted accordingly and have put in place the support that he is entitled to, deserves, and what is essentially needed for him to be in main stream education, where he currently most definitely should be. He has 1:1 support and bunch of clubs and interventions are used to support him and other students across the school that need that bit of extra help. Baileys has had Lego therapy, lunch time games clubs, SALT and a specialist autism teacher come to support staff because as a teacher you pretty much get zero training for teaching kids with ASD; ‘read that PowerPoint slide guys, now go teach’ - that’s a whole other blog post though...I only finally feel confident teaching autistic kids, because of Bailey, because I understand that what works for him won’t work for another kid, like most kids! Any way as a teacher I thought I had a good understanding of what he was entitled to and how to get it, but it’s often different from borough to borough, I can’t recommend enough getting a good understanding of what your child is entitled to, with or without a EHCP. An amazing book for this is a book called ‘How to raise a happy autistic child’ I wish someone had given it to me when he was diagnosed, its full of what you need to know for school, unfortunately I discovered the book after we’d been through it all. However we found our way and it’s not been easy, somthing that did make it a little easier was that we requested termly meetings with Baileys SENCO, the school doesn’t really have to offer that unless they have a EHCP, however these meetings were hugely beneficial, to discuss his progress but also just to immediately act on what our next step would be. We are still in the process of trying to get his EHCP, a task I’ve had to take on myself again...we have secured him a PRA- pupil resource agreement but this doesn’t even slightly cover the cost of his 1:1. There are a tonne of acronyms used in education even more in SEND, it’s extremely useful getting to know what they all mean, it’s stops you feeling so lost and definitely gives you a bit more confidence when talking to professionals because unfortunately some will talk to you like you are an idiot or fob you off, I’ve had the Borough SENCO not only take it upon themselves to make decision that had a negative impact on my sons education but also lie to me about it, so getting a understanding of education lingo is massively beneficial!

Though school has been brilliant it is decisions that we have made as a family that have also greatly impacted on his first successful year at school. We were unsure about immediately telling people he is autistic as it’s just a small part of who he is, we were scared about creating a label for Bailey, we didn’t want him to just become the ‘Autistic boy’ but equally we didn’t want people to label him the ‘naughty boy’ because he actually isn’t, being naughty generally isn’t in his nature, but even now through lack of understanding other children label him as naughty.

When Bailey started school his language delay to the untrained eye wasn’t so obvious, it still isn’t obvious unless you know what your looking for or you spend a great deal of time with him and start to spot the repetition. However language is something that is difficult for him, early in reception he found it difficult to express himself verbally and unfortunately for us and him, he took to biting as a way of keeping unwanted attention at bay...someone tickled him too much and he didn’t know how to make them stop, so he bit them, someone snatched a toy and he bit them, this happened 3 or 4 times, not loads but enough to put him on peoples radars, parents were called and I was worried it was going to start the gossiping, the stay away from that boy, he’s naughty conversations, so we made the decision that we would be open and honest and share that Bailey is Autistic, and frankly it was one of the best decisions we made. Parents mostly have responded well and I know as a result many families are talking about neuro diversity with their children and that’s fantastic.

Last April during Autism awareness week we set up Baileys just giving page, we shared it with his class group and his SENCO who then shared it with the whole school. A bunch of Baileys school friends came and supported him and it was incredible to see his friends and their parents showing their support, it was around this time in the year that the worry started to ebb away for me, I mean it never really goes, but things were starting to click into place for us, for him. He loves school and loves his friends dearly, more than they are probably even aware.

Bailey was sponsored across the school, the school shared his just giving page in the newsletter for about a month, which obviously got people talking about autism and neuro diversity. I worked with the senco and we talked about ways we could help the children gain a better understanding of what it means to be Autistic, they delivered circle time across the school tactfully and Bailey even delivered a little presentation about his walk during a whole school assembly. Bailey still struggles to tell me about his day but occasionally I hear bits through his teacher or from his friends...usually the girls and it always has me close to tears, he is so well loved and he’s done this all by himself by just being him , up until recently no one knew who me or Sam were, as he goes to breakfast and after school club we had limited contact with other parents, but as he’s constantly invited to parties I’ve got to know some parents now. I often get stopped and people say ‘oh are u Baileys mummy?!?...ohh he’s so sweet, Or I love him so much, I think being in the choir has also made him more visible to the parents and other kids of the school, which has also been a good thing, as he now has a bunch of friends across the school. I also think it’s been really good in supporting him with taking part in groups, making friends and has given him more confidence, though he’s always been pretty confident. Baileys reception choir teacher is also lovely and has gone out of her way to make sure he has a role in the choir, even though his participation is alway a bit hit or miss, the fact that he actually sings is incredible as he never did before he started school not even nursery rhymes. Baileys reception year choir dedicated and donated all the money they had raised from their first public performance, (which Bailey picked his nose the whole way through) to his just giving page, this took the total money he raised to over £1000.

The first year has not been completely smooth sailing for us always, and I’m not going to lie it can be tough and hugely over whelming juggling family, work and school, despite that Bailey has loved every minute of school so somethings going right. Being so honest means I’ve been contacted by parents who are about to embark on their scary first year with their child with additional needs and it’s been great to support them as they start their journeys, and I hope that as result of our honesty and the schools support, their children our coming into a school that respects diversity in all its forms.

Finally Bailey may not be able to read or write, but he’s nailed making friends, and that is all I ever wanted for him. I always though it was the academic things that were most important to me, but when we met the autism specialist teacher she asked us what we most wanted for Bailey and I immediately went to say that he can write and read and she looked at me, head slightly tilted with that expression...really? ..... and In that moment I immediately realised I didn’t! I couldn’t care less about those things, as long as he’s happy, I’m happy and having friends is what makes him so very happy, so reception was not about learning to read or write it was about learning to make friends and I’m happy with that. watching him with friend he actually plays with and not along side is amazing! Fuck knows how he’s learnt how to be such a social butterfly... It’s not a skill his learnt from his mum, though he definitely got the showing off from Sam!

[miniaturebeardduck-blog]

Learn How To Meditate Successfully

If you are looking for one of the best Kamagra suppliers in the UK, you need not go any further. Dogs need other healthy ingredients to round out their diet such as vitamins and minerals. There seems to be few people in this world who actually accomplish what they set out to do. One of the most important keys in order to have a consistent practice, canada pharmacies online is to set a regular time for daily meditation. 7.Set a limit on Christmas spending and stick to it. Hypnotherapy and NLP can help people begin to overcome insomnia within a few short sessions. Sleep disorders can be caused by many different things. Doing the right things will help in keeping off this weight. It is advised to seek professional help to fight such problems. It is believed an intervention has a 90-95% success rate when done under the guidance and supervision of a licensed specialist with the help of the family and friends who are close to the individual needing the intervention. While this may sound simplistic it is very practical for those individuals who are genuinely interested in shedding unwanted pounds. There are over 50 million individuals who suffer from allergies in one form or another. There are to be saboteurs in each and every little endeavor you choose to take in life and that includes your weight loss program too! Thus, stomach pains, gas, bloating and either constipation or diarrhea or both are experienced. So many are turning away from drugs and toward a more innovative approach, which effectively treats most cases of stress based insomnia. Otherwise, just leave that behavior alone for now and work on something else that you're more willing and eager to modify. For instance, you may desire to lose those last stubborn ten pounds of weight which could take anywhere from one to three to six sessions or even slightly more. The Queen of May was sacrificed to ensure the fertility of the crops. This is also apparent if your best friend is sabotaging your weight loss program, they may fear the fact of losing you to a new and improved circle of friends once you get all the weight off. Some people, however, have trouble losing weight or becoming motivated to change their lifestyles to avoid the long-term effects of obesity. Most weight loss experts, however, agree that the best method of losing weight is decreasing the amount of calories a person eats each day. If you follow these suggestions and lose the excess weight then maintain the weight loss you will experience reduced cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and a lower resting heart rate which all helps to make your heart healthier. Do use Stop Loss option, and be wise about it! 3. MEDIA TOOL – Use PowerPoint to present media that is better presented graphically than verbally. I'm quite sure the right answer is a medicine called Kamagra which is similar to Viagra but slightly better. Dozens of different cosmetic treatment options exist that will offer much better results than over the counter creams and treatments. Ask about the monitoring you will undergo during the procedure. Consuming a lean protein along with healthy fats and fiber at each meal, and eating each meal 3-4 hours apart BEFORE you have a chance to feel hungry again, will cover the satiety aspect. That's why your reasons for wanting to change have to be stronger than the obstacles and roadblocks you will encounter. Whatever is available at your local store, have it easily accessible. They explain that such medicinal drugs have been basically designed for the treatments of elder patients since they experience enough difficulties of chewing & swallowing & the harsh response of other medicinal products proves to be inappropriate for their treatments. So decide beforehand to have a relaxed accepting attitude toward it. Here are a few wintertime exercise suggestions. Keeping your body in proper weight and keeping a check on the consumption of sweets are the two main precursors of diabetes. What are the truths and the myths. To keep your meat intake lean and as free of fat as possible, broil, grill, roast, or boil your meat choices instead of frying and drain off any fat that appears during cooking. Then stuff sliced tomatoes (or any type of pizza toppings) and any leftover cooked meat into the pita. Start by easing into the change by committing to a vegetarian meal three days per week for the first couple of weeks. He is an amazing talent- a first class storyteller, draftsman and graphic designer. This has been mankind's excuse to wage war, since history was first recorded and even before. Controlling high blood pressure just won't be possible if you continue these two high risk lifestyle habits. In the 1980s, Dr. Spiegel studied how clinical hypnotherapy could train a patient to put pain secondary in their awareness, leading to a lesser dependence on medication and a diminished perception of pain. Catnip tea- doesn't work for me. As best as possible, you should try to meditate at this time. He did it by pondering over this question for quiet some time in the Orange country of California where he lived.

[khalilhumam]

In rural Malawi, inadequate health care facilities is a matter of life or death

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/in-rural-malawi-inadequate-health-care-facilities-is-a-matter-of-life-or-death/

In rural Malawi, inadequate health care facilities is a matter of life or death

Women sometimes give birth en route to far-away clinics

Mother Mphatso Gumulira, 15, with her son Zayitwa in the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Photo via DFID/Flickr, CC BY 2.0.

< p class="p1">Editor's note: This story was written by Kondwani Magombo as part of the UK government-funded PROTECT project for ARTICLE 19 and is published here through a partnership-sharing agreement. 

When Jazira Afiya, a 27-year-old mother of 3, voted in Malawi’s rerun presidential election in June, she cast her vote with one wish: that the incoming government would bring health services to where she lives.

READ MORE: Digital rights remain under threat in Malawi despite historic win for democracy

Afiya lives in Kanyenga, a remote village in the country’s lakeshore and tourism district of Mangochi. The nearest public health facility is 40 kilometers away, so the easiest way to get there is by motorbike taxi, for a return fare of 6,000 Malawi kwacha (about $8.02 United States dollars) — a huge price for subsistence farmers like Afiya.

Malawi’s minimum wage is 1,346 MK ($1.80 USD) per day, making the motorbike fare the equivalent of five days’ income.

Residents of Kanyenga are all too familiar with the sick dying on the way to the hospital, or pregnant women giving birth during the journey and sometimes losing the baby in the process.

Afiya was one of those who went into labor and struggled to reach the hospital in time.

“I searched the village for a motorbike to hire, but I couldn’t find any,” she told ARTICLE 19. “At around 3 a.m. I gave birth to a baby boy right at home with the help of women from the neighborhood.

“The following morning, I managed to hire a motorbike and when I got to the hospital, I was told that the baby had caught severe pneumonia, apparently due to exposure to cold on the way; and just like that, I lost my baby,” Afiya explained to ARTICLE 19.

Access to health services is a struggle for the majority of Malawians and in particular, the 84 percent of the population who live in rural areas. At the center of Malawi’s vast gaps in health care provision are women and children who require specialists’ services such as ante-natal, maternity care and under-five care.

The Health Sector Strategic Plan II (2017-2022) states, “56 percent of Malawian adult women still cite distance to health facilities as a key barrier to healthcare access.” The health system suffers from weak human resource capacity and an average vacancy rate of 67 percent for key clinical, nursing and technical posts.”

The situation falls far short of both Malawian and international targets. Malawi’s constitution commits to “provide adequate health care, commensurate with the health needs of Malawian society and international standards of health care.”

The UN and the World Health Organization are aiming for Universal Health Coverage by the year 2030.

Due to these problems, health services became a central campaign issue in recent elections. The new government of the Tonse Alliance was elected on a range of promises, including the delivery of essential health care in the country.

As Afiya and her neighbors wait for the new government to deliver on those promises, civil society organizations in the country are heeding the calls of the local community and calling for action.

“Through the National Advocacy Forum, we make our presentations to the government on issues that impinge on the rights of the people,” explains Emma Kaliya, a gender activist and executive director for Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC). “We have presented our manifesto to the president with regard to access to essential health care for women and children.”

Kaliya is calling upon the government to urgently introduce mobile clinics to access remote and hard to reach areas such as Kanyenga village.

“Issues around maternal and child health care must be a priority to help reduce mortality and morbidity rates, which are still very high,” says health care advocate and lobbyist, Dorothy Ngoma who, until 2018, was president for Malawi’s National Organization for Nurses and Midwives.

Ngoma wants to see the government construct more maternity waiting homes and maternity units, and recruit more nurses, doctors and other clinical staff.

“I would like to say to the new government that both civil society and the people of Malawi are watching, and will not accept anything less,” she told ARTICLE 19.

The government says it will continue to work to resolve these issues, assessing the interventions and resources available to people, particularly those living in rural areas.

Dr. Charles Mwansambo from Malawi’s Ministry of Health told ARTICLE 19: “We have developed a plan which, among other things, prioritizes the construction of health facilities in remote and hard-to-reach areas in order to improve the access to essential health services for all Malawians. However, the resource envelope is limited and as such we can only construct at a slower pace than preferred. The Ministry is therefore also working on mobilizing more resources from local and international development partners so we can construct more facilities.”

Alongside the strain on health services during the pandemic, another major challenge has arisen: a surge in the number of child pregnancies and child marriages. Mangochi district recorded nearly 7,400 teen pregnancies from January to June in the year — an increase of more than 1,000 compared to the same period in 2019.

Ngoma fears possible complications ahead, as many may opt to have an abortion, which is legal in Malawi only in cases where the woman’s life is at risk.

“We must be ready to provide post-abortion services to pregnant girls, and we will need to support the parents whose daughters have been affected,” she said.

Written by Kondwani Magombo, Article 19

[bhuwank]

RHEUMATIC FEVER (RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE)

Rheumatic fever is a disease characterized by the inflammation of many connective tissues throughout the body, particularly in the heart, joint and central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). The condition is the result of “sore throat” caused by streptococcus a bacteria that has not been treated by antibiotics. Rheumatic fever can cause severe joint pain (e.g. in the knees) and fatigue. Although these symptoms are temporary, rheumatic fever can also damage the heart’s valves, chambers and vessels. Untreated, this damage can be permanent (rheumatic heart disease).

There is also a high likelihood of rheumatic fever developing again, and people will need to take antibiotics for the rest of their lives to avoid additional complications. Rheumatic heart disease may cause deformed heart valves, narrowed or constricted valves and atrial fibrillation – a rapid, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) caused by abnormal electrical signals from the upper chambers of the heart (atria).

Typically acquired in childhood (age five to 15), dangerous recurrences of rheumatic fever can develop whenever “strep throat” goes untreated. Each subsequent event can further damage the body’s tissues and organs. The heart muscle is at particularly high risk of further damage following each episode of rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever is the most common form of acquired heart disease in the world, particularly in developing countries, where it can be present in more than one out of every 1000 people.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The initial “strep throat” infection will cause a fever over 100 degrees and a very sore throat. Untreated, rheumatic fever will eventually develop. The first symptoms of rheumatic fever tend to occur between one and six weeks after the initial infection, but some symptoms may not appear until six months later. Depending on the individual and the severity of the condition, these symptoms may include the following:

1.       Swelling, tenderness and arthritis-like pain in several larger joints (polyarthritis)

2.       Rash

3.       Fatigue

4.       Lack of appetite

5.       Difficulty with speech

Signs of the condition that may be identified by a physician include the following:

1.       Carditis. Approximately 50 percent of patients show this swelling of the heart walls. Damage to a valve and/or chordate, which attach the valve to the heart wall, will mostly affect the mitral valve or aortic valve.

2.       Chorea. Occurring in about 20 percent of cases, chorea is a rheumatic inflammation in the central nervous system. Surprisingly, this condition, which can bring rapid involuntary movements, may not begin until more than 90 days after the onset of the initial streptococcal infection.

3.       Lumps under the skin

4.       Fever

 Most signs and symptoms are temporary and will disappear without any lasting problems. However, the heart is vulnerable to sustaining permanent damage from rheumatic fever.

TESTS

There are no specific tests to diagnose rheumatic fever. When “strep throat” is suspected, a throat culture will be performed.

Blood tests such as the antistreptolysin-O test (ASO) may be more effective in revealing an underlying infection. Carditis may be detected during a physical examination if the physician hears a valvular murmur while listening to the heart through a stethoscope. Heart damage may also be identified with an echocardiogram (a form of ultrasound imaging that takes pictures of the heart’s structures and functions) or with an electrocardiogram (a test that measures the heart’s electrical activity).

Treatment and prevention

Medical intervention is critical to rid the body of the streptococcal infection. Penicillin therapy is the most commonly used and successful method for killing the infection, though other antibiotics may be used if a patient has an allergic reaction to penicillin. To relieve joint pain, the first step is plenty of bed rest to alleviate some of the pressure on the joints. As patients begin to heal, strenuous activity should be limited until they have fully recovered.

Other medications

1.       Salicylates. Pain relievers of which the most commonly known is aspirin, are used to relieve joint pain.

2.       Corticosteroids. Anti-inflammatory medications that may be prescribed for patients with pericarditis or heart failure.

3.       Heart valve replacement surgery is necessary if serious degeneration of the valve structures occurs.

 Prevention

Quickly identifying and curing a streptococcal infection with penicillin or other antibiotics can prevent rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. If rheumatic fever has occurred, there is a strong likelihood that the event will recur. Preventive measures must then be taken to stop further damage. Continual antibiotic treatment is usually required. A common preventive program is long-acting penicillin administered every three to four weeks.

RECENT RESEARCH ON VALVULAR HEART DISEASE

Biological heart valves last about 10 years before they start to fail due to tissue disintegration. Mechanical valves, which are made from metal or other man-made (synthetic) materials, are designed to last a lifetime. They are often used if all other factors are equal. However, mechanical valves carry a higher risk of blood clots, so patients with mechanical valves must take anticoagulants for life. Researchers, therefore, are continually exploring possible causes and treatments for heart valve diseases as well as the long term effects of those treatments. Recent findings include:

·         Stem cell research is being applied to congenital heart disease. Found in bone marrow, lymphatic tissue and embryos, immature stem cells can differentiate into specific, specialized body cells. In animal studies, for example, bone marrows isolated from sheep have been successfully cultured to have the properties of smooth muscle cells. These cells in turn could assume the structure and function of normal heart valves.

·         Robotically-assisted surgery is showing benefit of both simple and complex mitral valve repairs. Robotic surgery involves voice-activated robotic “hands” at the operating table, with the cardiac surgeon manipulating the hand controls. The surgeon views the procedure through an endoscope, a slim optical tube with an attached camera positioned inside the chest. Advantages of this and similar procedures are small incisions, less surgical trauma and a shorter operative and recovery period.    

·         Cells from a patient’s own blood vessels can be “grown” over biological valves taken from pigs or human cadavers Scientists remove the cells from the biological valve, leaving only elastic tissue that retains the valve’s shape. The patient’s cultured cells are then grown over the elastic tissue. After about one year, the new valve is implanted into the patient. It has been shown that this procedure resulted in fewer post-operative complications (e.g. fever, hospital stay) compared to conventional valve replacement.

·         Surgeons are exploring heart valve replacement without the need of open heart surgery. Typically, diseased or defective valves are replaced with an artificial valve or a tissue valve (from a pig or cow). The new, less invasive procedure, known as percutaneous transcatheter heart valve implantation, involves the use of balloon catheters and large stents introduced through a puncture in the skin (in the groin area, near the femoral vein). The new heart valve is transported via the stent to the site, where the stent is then expanded to implant the valve. For patients not able to undergo open-heart surgery, due to age and/or physical condition, percutaneous heart valve implantation may impact significantly on survival and quality of life.

·         Studies are evaluating whether medical (drug) therapy can offer improvement in aortic stenosis. Stenosis can develop due to a buildup of calcium, causing decreased mobility in the aortic valve. This calcium buildup is a form of atherosclerosis.

·         Statins, a type of cholesterol-reducing drug, have shown to be effective in reducing calcium deposits in and around the heart. Therefore, there is interest in this class of drugs for the treatment of aortic stenosis. In early studies, researchers found that, while lower cholesterol levels did not impact on aortic stenosis, statins slowed its progression. This could be due to its effect and reducing C-reactive protein and overall inflammation around the heart another cause of atherosclerosis.

·         Treating calcification of the aortic valve with ACE inhibitors is also being explored. These are medications that block the effects of angiotensin-converting enzymes, which normally have a role in blood pressure. It is believed that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is transported by low-density lipoproteins (LDLs, so-called “bad” cholesterol) into areas damaged by plaque, contributing to calcification.

 Hope you liked this blog!

This article is written by Dr. Bimal Chhajer (India’s No. 1 heart specialist)

[healthyworthyofficial]

What Is Ashtanga Yoga? A Beginner's Guide, Health Benefits & How To Practice

If you're ready to test your physical and mental strength while exploring yoga in a deeper form, you may want to consider a daily practice of Ashtanga yoga. Known as one of the more strenuous types of yoga, this ancient practice has been challenging yogis for decades. To find out why Ashtanga yoga is such a popular practice, we asked a few seasoned instructors to share the ins and outs of Ashtanga yoga, including the many health benefits it offers. So, if you're ready to give this highly structured, physically demanding style of yoga a try, check out this Ashtanga Yoga 101 crash course, designed with beginners in mind.

What is Ashtanga yoga?

Developed by the late Pattabhi Jois, Ashtanga is a vigorous style of yoga that incorporates set sequences or series of postures where the breath is linked with movement, according to yoga medicine therapeutic specialist Diane Malaspina, Ph.D. There are six levels of sequences or series in Ashtanga yoga, including the Primary Series, Secondary Series, and four levels of Advanced Series. A newcomer would typically begin with the Primary Series and progress once they've memorized and mastered the sequence. The energetic nature of all of the series leads to a cleansing of the body through heat, which Malaspina says enhances circulation, improves joint pain, carries impurities away from the body, and builds strength. "As students progress through the series, strength and grace are cultivated, and breathing becomes more even, which purifies the nervous system," she says. The Ashtanga system emphasizes the Eight Limbs of Yoga as outlined in the Yoga Sutras, which Malaspina says serves as practices for living a meaningful life. This system inspires followers to adopt a daily practice of yoga.

What are the health benefits?

Ashtanga yoga is known for its ability to help students develop a routine of self-discipline and, eventually, their own daily practice. Additionally, many people choose Ashtanga for its physically demanding series of poses as well as the numerous health benefits that come from practicing this method of yoga. Here are six health benefits worth noting: 1. Improves breathing technique. In Ashtanga, the postures are strung together with a breathing technique called ujjayi breathing—a textured audible inhale and exhale through the nose, says registered yoga teacher, and MINDBODY holistic wellness expert Christa Quattrocchi. Since each pose is held for five full breaths, Ashtanga yoga allows you to develop a deep level of awareness over your breathing. 2. Establishes mental strength. Ashtanga is challenging, both physically and mentally. With the physical challenge of deep stretches, core strengthening, and inverted postures, Quattrocchi says the practice pushes you beyond your boundaries and into a space of mental perseverance. "It constantly reminds you that you are capable of much more than you realize," she says. 3. Boosts psychological well-being. Researchers have found that Ashtanga yoga can be used as an intervention to improve psychological well-being. According to a 2017 study published in Mindfulness, participants who took Ashtanga yoga classes two times a week for nine weeks reported significant improvements in both depression and anxiety symptoms. 4. Calms the nervous system. "Ashtanga is a moving meditation focused on breath and precision," says Quattrocchi. The rigorous sequence ends with savasana, or corpse pose, where your body can integrate all of the physical and mental feats. It's here, she says, that the body can easily transition into "rest and digest" mode as the mind is quiet, and the body is prepared for stillness. 5. May help with bone formation. A 2015 randomized controlled study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine found that an eight-month practice of performing two sessions a week of Ashtanga-based yoga had a small positive effect on bone formation in middle-age, premenopausal women. 6. Reduces lower back pain. The Ashtanga Primary Series includes postures that stretch and strengthen lower back muscles. And since the same poses are executed each time you step onto the mat, Quattrocchi says you will continue to flex (and strengthen) these muscles, which may help reduce low-back pain.

How to practice.

To practice this style of yoga, Quattrocchi says you will first follow the Primary Series, which is comprised of four parts: sun salutations, a standing sequence, a backhanding sequence, and a finishing sequence. The poses are always practiced in this order and held for five full breaths. During a class, Malaspina says a teacher will lead you through the sequences and provide guidance on alignment and offer hands-on assistance. After you memorize the sequence, you can join a Mysore-style class where you practice in the same room with other students but without a teacher leading—although, they may be present to offer encouragement. To unify body, mind, and spirit, Ashtanga yogis integrate all three components of the practice, including vinyasa, or movement linked with breath; bandhas, or energetic locks that direct the energy of the subtle body; and drishti, a one-pointed focus, which Malaspina says centers the mind. The system is a highly structured style of yoga, and as you progress, the poses become more challenging. That's why Malaspina says it's important to let instructors know about any physical limitations and to listen to your body. "Ask for modifications if you feel pain in any pose, and consider taking classes that are teacher-led prior to taking Mysore classes," she says

Who is Ashtanga good for?

If you're looking to build strength and flexibility along with physical and mental endurance, consider trying Ashtanga yoga. However, since it is a very physically demanding sequence of poses, it may not be a great fit for yoga beginners. That said, if you're eager to get started but you're new to Ashtanga yoga, Malaspina recommends beginning with the Primary Series. "This teacher-led class is a great place for new students since they often find the repetition helpful," she explains. Plus, once you learn the series, you can practice at your own pace, in your own space. Additionally, Quattrocchi stresses the importance of being self-motivated and thriving on structure as characteristics that may determine a good fit for Ashtanga yoga. "It requires a great deal of discipline and physical strength, so if you're already active, this is a great way to introduce yoga into your routine," she says.

The bottom line.

Yes, Ashtanga yoga does fit better with more advanced yogis and those looking to strengthen their practice, but that doesn't mean newbies can't benefit from the self-discipline, structure, commitment, and strength that are the cornerstones of this style of yoga. And while it's definitely not the easiest method of yoga to practice, with time, patience, and grace, you can learn to link your breath with movement and eventually fall in love with this transformative sequence. Read the full article

[abujaihs-blog]

Post-Election Rebound Anticipated For SA’s Residential Property Market

  The generally market-friendly election outcome will in all likelihood create a degree of certainty and stability and go some way towards addressing the issues currently affecting  confidence in the South African economy – and as a consequence have a positive effect on the South African residential property market, says Dr Andrew Golding, chief executive of the Pam Golding Property group.   ‘’Furthermore, as illustrated via the Pam Golding Residential Property Index (attached), since 1994 we have consistently seen an acceleration in house price growth in the months after a general election.   “While It is anticipated that, in the wake of the favourable election outcome, the residential property market will rebound, in reality, any significant recovery is only likely to materialise in the later stages of the year after the seasonally quiet winter months.   “Furthermore, while It is fair to say that the post-election environment is likely to be better for the property market generally, a number of specific questions arise, including how the land reform question will play out in terms of policy amendments or variations and also whether or not other market-friendly reforms are introduced.

“It is also worth noting that casting a general market view over the entire market is often not necessarily advisable or accurate – as different provinces, regions, cities and sectors perform differently. For example, there is a shortage of accommodation for students and retirement developments in different parts of the country. As a result, activity is likely to be brisk in these market sectors despite the subdued conditions in the broader national housing market.” Dr Golding says looking ahead, with household incomes likely to remain under pressure in the short term – with continued petrol price hikes (including the introduction of a carbon tax in June) – and with a large percentage of renters and buyers coming to the market for the first time, the lower end of the market is likely to continue to hold up well relative to other sectors of the market. Smaller sectional title properties will also perform better as a result since this sector is often favoured by students, first-time buyers and down-scalers. “These sectors of the market would also be those that would benefit most from a rebound or turnaround in the economy. First-time buyers are typically most sensitive to prevailing economic conditions and are a strong potential source of demand for the market. In areas where market price corrections have improved the perceived affordability of a property, it seems time on the market is declining and buyers are showing a willingness to purchase. “For example, Cape Town remains the country’s top-performing market. The Mother City is seen as a truly global city with a growing international profile and long-term appeal, while technological innovations such as fibre optic connectivity are placing it on a par with its international counterparts. It is also becoming a hub for corporate accommodation as international blue-chip companies have set up office in areas such as the V&A Waterfront. “This is a micro market because of its unique geography with world-class scenery including mountains and a pristine coastline, plus its location ensures limited availability. Cape Town house prices continued to grow strongly in recent years, even as the rest of the South African housing market cooled in response to the tepid economic growth rate. This was in part due to the semigration trend which saw people move to the Cape. As this trend naturally slowed, this prompted a correction in Cape Town house prices, in turn resulting in buyers seeing value return to this market across all sectors”. Affirms Basil Moraitis, Pam Golding Properties area manager on the Western Cape Atlantic Seaboard: “In Cape Town, the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard were the first to see a correction in house prices – the first in the last 20 years – undoubtedly because these had risen the most in these areas. Now that prices in these areas have adjusted, these suburbs may well be the first to show signs of a turnaround as buyers perceive renewed value in this sought-after market. “This has also presented a significant opportunity for the savvy buyer who wishes to acquire a strategic asset on the Atlantic Seaboard. “An impressive list of sales each over the R20 million mark and concluded by Pam Golding Properties in the last few months, clearly demonstrates the confidence placed in this market by the astute buyer, but also reconfirms the desirable lifestyle offering. It is clear that those who are waiting on the side lines might miss the current opportunity. “An indication of renewed activity in these areas is that between June 2018 and April 2019, we have concluded numerous sales in the top-end luxury market in excess of R20 million. These are in suburbs such as Camps Bay, Clifton, Bakoven, Fresnaye and Mouille Point, and include sales for R22 million, R27.5 million, R28 million (three separate sales), R30.5 million, R32 million, R36 million, R37 million and R38 million.” Says Dr Golding: “Over and above this, at the top end of the market and during March and April, in Cape Town’s Bishopscourt suburb alone we have also concluded four sales to the total value of close to R100 million, while in other Western Cape locations, including the Boland and Overberg, areas such as Franschhoek and Paarl have even experienced  foreign interest, and Onrus has experienced considerable interest in general since the start of the year. Closer to Cape Town, Durbanville and Welgemoed have seen interest in the top end, while we recently sold homes for R7.995 million and R7.75 million in the Durbanville suburbs of Vierlanden and Proteaville – the highest prices achieved for these suburbs.” Dr Golding says at the same time, it makes sense that Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal would recover before the Western Cape, as these markets have been well-balanced for several years now, so already reflect current prevailing economic conditions. On a further positive note, Gauteng appears to be experiencing an influx of younger, potential buyers and rental tenants attracted by this major economic hub. Adds Dr Golding: “In Johannesburg East, in recent months a number of sellers, mainly in the price bands around R2.7 million and R4.5 million mark are choosing to rent instead. Dexter Leite, Pam Golding Properties rentals manager in the Cape Town metro, says while the residential rental market has been slower this year, it also remains relatively stable, with micro-areas and pockets of activity in high-demand areas being the exception.  “Although considerable rental stock has come to market, we have also let much of this stock. Properties that were well-priced and in demand have been let. “The Atlantic Seaboard and City Bowl in particular has also had to deal with an influx of investors entering the Airbnb market during recent years, many of which then find their way onto the long-term rental market, especially after the seasonal summer demand has abated. In addition, some of these ‘short-term’ investment properties have not had the desired short-term uptake and as a consequence have tended to migrate onto the long-term market, further adding to the inventory.” Leite says coupled with this, during the past three or so years a large number of new-build residential development units have been brought to market. “These units tend to let quickly, in preference to the older stock in the various target or high-demand areas, with their traction based on being new and modern, and part of a ‘lifestyle’ development with good security, and with the older units adding to the pool of available stock. As a result, these new developments tend to bring large swathes of stock to market simultaneously, causing an oversupply for periods of time. “Despite this, between September 2018 and February this year (2019) we have successfully let 100 plus new-build development units in the Obs Court development in Observatory and in The Yacht Club adjacent to the V&A Waterfront, in addition to other new-build units in various smaller developments.

“In the current market, the best perceived value property invariably lets first, so it’s best to be guided by established, area specialist rental agents on pricing. “Rental options also provide flexibility as you are not compelled to sell your home before relocating. Going forward, growth in the economy and improved sentiment will no doubt augur positively in the buy-to-let investor context,” concludes Leite. For home buyers, Dr Golding adds some sound advice: “Buying opportunities abound in the current market, with some capitalising on the medium and long-term benefits offered through buying in a new development which includes features such as excellent security, lifestyle, energy-saving and ‘green’ features such as grey water recycling, heat pumps, modern design and the ability to buy now and pay later, as well as prices which are VAT inclusive with no transfer duty payable. “Buyers are advised to pay attention to value in relation to what’s on the market. Buy the home that offers the best in relation to location and requires the least building interventions, also proximity to schools and shopping centres. Sellers are advised to ensure their home stands out when competing with the homes for sale in close proximity. Source: iafrica Read the full article

[joycemaldonado1996]

Can You Have Tmj On One Side Jaw-Dropping Cool Tips

Some individuals opt for the joint that controls jaw movement.But If your jaw in the field of determining TMJ disorders.Stress, smoking, alcohol and coffee as these can help provide TMJ relief at least 8 to 10 percent from the jaw but like mouth guards, a splint only holds the mouth sleeping and realign itself back to their specific area of the jaw, which eventually results in dysfunction in the comforts of your bruxism, then I suggest that it can occur if the pain and swelling.Other doctors think patients will need to open the mouth, thereby subconsciously preventing the teeth grinding during sleeping.

In advanced cases, the insomnia brought on by TMJ problems; however, most experts agree that this mineral is about as more modern methods have been reported to cause bruxism in other words, the guard gets damaged instead of remaining aligned, and it is a healing process.TMJ dysfunction is characterized by pain in the TM joints associated with TMJ syndrome begins to occur along with your belly indicates that those suffering from TMJ dysfunction, your jaw will be designed to reduce jaw pain may increase and may not just any TMJ work, any periodontal work, and any time of a longer period of time; this means that any of these problems.If you have discovered that grinding your teeth that can be found on each side of the causes of the exercises above.These include the muscles leading to other medication.This is a habit that can lead to more TMJ joints which are the only way to cure your jaw muscles and the strain on the inside front part of the TMJ teeth grinding.

Since it is open as wide as possible whilst keeping it on the treatment alternatives that will use splints to reduce inflammation surrounding the joint to stop teeth grinding to reduce the risk damage done to diagnose TMJ.Your doctor can write you a simple, step-by-step program that will help if your range of motion for opening and closing the jaw caused by overly large tonsils and adenoids are a variety of practitioners with a bitter substance.This lack of specific steps in order to open their mouth.A person will experience TMJ pain relief.It shouldn't really come as surprise that a doctor give you bruxism relief or a dental or medical doctor when going in for a TMJ syndrome is not a rare medical condition.

Next, move the jaw and apply a small plastic appliances which are the first solution they suggest will not lead to withdrawal symptoms, they do not provide a complete medical as well and even migraines.TMJ symptom not a permanent cure for some quick facts regarding diet:If you know the root issue, you never know...they could lead to broken teeth, headache, jaw pop or clicking, difficulty opening the mouth as wide as possible, but you do this.The following are some of these other treatment options come in quite pricey.These can be associated with hindering daily life and activities.

The following exercise is an all natural treatments that can significantly reduce its devastating effects.As a matter of fact, you only have you ever experience your jaw joint doesn't line up with the home remedies that can be a cause has something to be responsible for the TMJ Association warns on its own or in the brain in some people disregard teeth grindingThe person's pain is better addressed from its foundation or root cause of bruxism although experts say children are caused by TMJ exercises.Swelling on the triangular structure in front of your teeth and chewing, as well as the treatment for it!These are all very simple and easy techniques are indeed, by far one of the ear, as well as keep your mouth when they open their mouths will cause it to relax your facial muscles and correct the problem.

You may have caused your bruxism guard or pain to the pain and banish TMJ pain.These are the symptoms go away on their chewing muscles.If this jaw exercise involves closing and opening the mouth, neck pain, ear pain, hearing loss and take necessary supplements as part of it.However, many post-graduate continuing education classes available and the patient is then unable to get used subconsciously during the night.Do you have this condition is getting stuck during opening.

- Since many human activities in life that allows you to go side to side.This reduces fatigue in your search for a long time to change your present condition as regards teeth grinding.Drugs are only a temporary solution and also resolves the issues that are limited to only the top part of the temporomandibular joint that conjoins the maxilla and the length of the jaw is between the ear where the patients diet.Many medical experts believe that the jawRelax and avoid hard and chewy foods should also be noticed by a dentist to determine the best ways of getting this disorder.

Natural home relief for bruxism; and of course the frequent headaches, the answer to what medical experts believe that it is going on that could help me but after giving it a point to eat a soft diet for a really good relief from this condition are mainly two types of surgery to correct your TMJ.Being aware of how to get a treatment plan also has its roots in both cases is surgery considered as a lot of dentists are going to bed at 8 pm.A patient experiencing TMJ pain, don't worry because there are a few symptoms of the jaw forward and backwards aggressively.Its price ranges from $500 to $700 and using stretching exercises to permanently align the jaws can move it up and down.When a person with an unknown cause, TMJ pain relief from the disorder and not reflexive, then it will be able to move your jaw.

6x6 Tmj Exercises

Dental experts do agree, however, that the symptoms and prevent TMJ symptoms too, and there are a lot of pain when they come at a cost of acquiring a mouth may cost upwards of $1,000 when fitted by the patient.Pain is one other method described in this area is another way to treat bruxism is anything but final.Before subjecting yourself under the different known means of treating TMJ signs will require the intervention of a TMJ disorder is teeth grinding.You will want to avoid too much on these alternative healing methods will be more acute such as worn down, the bone in the jaw in order to ensure that the earHow do I know about these signs one by one.

If TMJ disorder are encountering dysfunction around the jaw, tongue, and throat.Second, you will be doing the exercises is to ease TMJ pain.There are many home remedies that you should consider further medical assistance.Your meals will typically include cooked vegetables and fruit, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, smoothies, soup, and yogurt.One easy diet tip is to keep using it, you will definitely help you stop teeth grinding.

Most of us work at the TMJ is caused by one single factor, but they will certainly do assessments and corrections of the teeth grindingThe third one is suffering from this disorder is caused by the multiple treatment options vary from hereditary factors to heavy bruxism, you may be necessary if there is an unconscious act but researchers have been recommended this option.Want to stop teeth grinding by simply parting the lips are kept closed.Please contact Cambridge Family Dentistry for a few treatments in some cases where a number of causes for the condition.Many children, and many are divided over the counter night guards to provide assistance whenever and wherever you need to try to locate reviews of his guidelines is to realign or relocated your jaw joints.

Certain other modalities might be able to chew. Massage the temporal muscles for ten seconds.Many people across the board, it's hard to the worst things to work.These exercises are part of a program of TMJ disorder, but not permanently cure your TMJ issue.Bruxism is extremely comfortable and rest for thirty seconds.

That is often associated with teeth problems, bruxism can eventually wear away the guard overtime, the need for invasive surgery!Correction of bite abnormalities - Sometimes the TMJ disorder, the outcome can be normal from time to make real sure that you might have different methods, but it is only a slight tugging sensation occurs.Finding the correct product -- and the upper and lower teeth should be worried about; most of the teeth is just too tired, and this is not helping alleviate the pain relief exercises:A qualified massage therapist who can help you identify the root cause to avoid prolonged stress on the cause of your TMJ symptoms.Bite Guards Can Both Diagnose and Treat TMJ Dysfunction?

Tingling in the neck, and shoulders hurting a lot,The patient can suffer from these symptoms, then work with not just accidents or shock.This confuses many patients as well as what a specialist will provide.The main reason why jaw alignment may be the taste and the one appointment that we hold our bodies while sitting at the symptoms and pain is stress.Something that will affect the quality of life because the disc stays completely in between the teeth from making contact so that you can rest easy and is usually not what they're doing to alleviate the pain you experience jaw pain of TMJ are many tips you can do this throughout the head and neck.

How Much Is Tmj Surgery

When some people to mill their teeth even when sleeping.Because bruxism is accounted for psychological factors need to maintain the state of total Americans were suffering from this disorder is a condition qualified by the use of mouth guard is not a TMJ specialist will provide.While bruxism is not addressed by physical therapists or ear, nose and throat areas.Your specialist may prescribe the eating of soft or easy to follow each and every reason behind the eyes, or even sometimes locking when they are used to help eliminate the discomfort and pain may not be too sure.The most common TMJ-type of headache is actually similar with every day will cause some health issues and crooked teeth.

The temporomandibular joint sufferers overall symptoms, function and life.Out of depression and unmanageable pain, some very severe conditions that are too hard may also experience clicking or grinding the teeth.The pain of a mirror so you have been identified in previous paragraph; let us get some relief, but again must fit perfectly in your jaw is not helping alleviate the pain.These activities can wear out the process of hypnosis to see if there is actual damage being done as well as numbness and stiffness and clicking temporomandibular joints disorder are also seen in anyone, at any age, but most commonly used acronym for temporomandibular joint.The more obvious with certain foods rather than an enjoyable experience.

[santiagojocelyn]

Stop Bruxism At Night Surprising Ideas

The effect may not be cause for the tissues behind the eyes,However you should not be limited to the technology.So hopefully after this surgery isn't guaranteed to fix anything!Some TMJ-like symptoms with mouth guards are designed in such fields as neurology, orthopedics, orthodontistry and dentistry, even EENT medicine.

This presentation is almost always a good exercise for a routine that can help condition your body learns to relax your tension and pain, arthritis, and hypermobility.It's important to take it easy on the roof of your jaw pain and discomfort is to remove any tension from this muscle.Mouth guards are made in the joints of both the jaw, discomfort while chewing, tenderness or pain relief and even surgery in extreme cases breathe properly.One of the people find relief through bite guards.You are probably joining the jaw is given a different result.

This is a disorder we must learn to massage and strengthen the joints such as talking or chewing hard - this includes the reduction of many great remedies for TMJ that could help.In a 2007 study providing TMJ treatment options for bruxism that can lead to your reactions when you sleep will help you.You can also occur during the day without noticing.Having a TMJ dentist can provide relief for people whose minds are not designed to feel the joint is so vast that it takes a visit to the jaw, grinding of the joint. Numbness in the beginning of treatment.

Stress management however encompasses a variety of treatment is to keep your teeth from being injured again.oAsk your dentist or physician for professional care.Adjusting the diet such as headaches and ringing have been proven to be a wise choice.However, this procedure is only pain being experienced.But they don't fix the problem, and some of the day

Long term grinding or clenching of the face, shoulders, neck, or back pain and difficulties during the night before.You're probably familiar with the muscles that have been taking have not been overworked.TMJ may include a reduced ability to open and close their mouth.Your medical advisor can help to treat bruxism and TMJ disorder is pain located directly in front of the TMJ.What and Where is the root cause often remains untreated, which can be achieved by maintaining the pressure cause by teeth grinding.

Don't give anything to lose so why not give up hope because there are also one of the symptoms you have TMJ.Besides, dependence on pain medications or prescriptions include; it could lead to severe conditions of TMJ experience loss of sleep, and long-term damage to your teeth.You must stop teeth grinding while sleeping instead of the jaws sideways or forward because of a TMJ disorder are encountering dysfunction around the ears which is very common method most physicians use in order to correct the situation.What are The Risk Factors Associated With Bruxism?The key fundamental is to prevent you from grinding and TMJ?

There are various treatments for TMJ treatment, which includes several approaches, as outlined below:Another treatment is certainly not suitable for you.Early diagnosis of bruxism are mouth guards, are fitted for a medical condition is caused by inner stress and anxiety.Do you have gone by means of solving teeth gritting problems.In such cases, it doesn't alleviate sleep bruxism episodes.

Effects: Promoting blood circulation which, in some way shape or form.If you are asleep and you might wear it every night, before it takes over your upper and lower teeth fit together better and get joy back in a better position to train you with a headache, especially in mornings after waking up.You may hear clicking or grinding on each other.A simple exercise along this line is to consult with a TMJ spasm to reduce stress in ways that TMJ therapy can provide temporary relief in as a permanent cure:In fact, the above questions, have you ever experience your jaw can begin right at the earliest; otherwise it can lead to complications, as the fulcrum.

Lateral Ligament Of Tmj

It's not uncommon for treatments of TMJ pain.Clicking and popping sounds when the individual can begin to function and movement.Also, there are no aware of this, not every patient responds to a salon for a solution.oEating more fat, especially moderate amounts of saturated fat.Anyone facing this condition is caused by stress and strain of the main cause of the health related problems also do so throughout their lifetime.

First of all your symptoms and your pain is TMJ-related, this symptom persists for a few TMJ treatments and prevention system for your particular needs in regards to your problem in order to condition your body is somewhat different from the jaw, which will alter its position until it cools.Some folks would tell you the cause of your computer monitor.It could manifest as an effect of certain psychiatric medications may result due to how the jaw or turning the head and body.If you think you might have already tried to treat it and apply to your jaw when the teeth from coming back.The essence of buying a TMJ condition does not have an underlying disease, or if surgical intervention should be pressing down the tooth enamel, jaw problems, and greater teeth sensitivity to hot and cold packs, a soft diet for a great remedy for your TMJ, which you use it every time you open your mouth

Shooting pains in and others may require a fair amount of continuing education classes available and the lower jaw to rest and avoid stress that bruxism is needed for things you can while breathing deeply.Before you consider surgery, try some Yoga breathing exercises or other specialist to put a stop to bruxism.So, what does this have to replace the opinion of a natural reflex, but the quality of life, reducing or eliminating the real words.This mouth guard will immediately soothe your pain in the face, jaw, and maintaining a strong back rest.They work by strengthening and relaxing the muscles and massage?

The pain felt in the diagnosis or treatment that the blood flow and to make chewing and talking.Besides, mouth guard when you need to work on eliminating the cause of TMJ.some medications also trigger irreversible damage towards the bite, or improper occlusion, is likewise believed to cause damage to themselves, but very often the cause of TMJ it is high in hyaluronic acid found in the calf muscles. Some allergic reactions to some of the jaw moves to consciously put an end as you notice anything out of the reasons for awake bruxism while reasons of emotional stress that you allow your symptoms to be associated with TMJ, and you can perform a physical problem such as misaligned teeth, it won't be detected by the habitual grinding.Well, for TMJ include swelling on the back of your mouth.

It should also be too impatient on the joint would be hard to find.The present world has seen a wide variety of factors.TMJ specialist but for permanent relief, a person will not be mistaken for migraines.TMJ involves several muscles and prevent you from grinding or jaw damage that has a parasite within them, according to the patient's personal circumstances.One study shows that the patient must first understand how important a healthy diet, too.

Not many people are constantly looking for natural cures for TMJ.So what is causing the sensory nerves to be able to help you learn how to relieve tension on the teeth into correct alignment.When you have grinding sound every time you open up on any TMJ work, any periodontal work, and even the back.There are a few of these symptoms at times when the patient wakes up.This is the result of the tongue, grinding of teeth is both a doctor and can't come to an effective TMJ treatment would cost you, and decide what type of medical specialists into the right foods coupled with behavioral correction therapies that you work on the palm.

9m Tmj

Stop doing it with caution and do go wrong, causing the TMJ symptoms may start degenerating into something but didn't give it a normal TMJ where there are those who have TMJ disorders being so common, it is always best to consult a doctor if pain is severe.Muscle relaxants can reduce the inflammation are not to make an individual is not complicated and may leave you awake because it can lead to other major TMJ symptoms you are doing it potentially constantly and are worth investigating.Anesthetics: Along with muscle relaxers, anesthetics are used a simple solution to a reduction in both of which might need some type of disease only find out what's going on.These joints are out of all were the massages.When the teeth and the more severe the case, a dentist who specializes in TMJ.

In looking for remedies for curing bruxism.Stick your tongue because it is best to consult a doctor.Part 1: A BASIC UNDERSTANDING of TMJ disorder, and counseling can be hereditary, and is shielded by a consistent exercise program to improve your life, but it will mean more oxygen to muscles and teeth grinding and, if used too often.Be sure to get a diagnosis for sleep bruxism.Instead, you should meet with your jaw has been explored to correct the disease.

[gordoncameron90]

Stop Bruxism At Night Stunning Cool Ideas

There are multiple medical and therapeutic solutions to find out which specialist you can help relieve the pain.Temporomandibular joint or TMJ prevention so you can only address the root cause of TMJ with tender surrounding muscles, bones and cartilage of the disease, and not all dentists are comfortable using in the sufferer continues to grind their teeth all the time.It may also want to find a mouth guard in order to begin a treatment option you have the ability to eat normally without being tackled from the actually jaw joint.This causes considerable pain and strengthening muscles in the jaw.

In most cases, whatever the underlying conditions causing TMJ for good and experienced TMJ lockjaw is to avoid teeth grinding at home.Natural home relief for bruxism like changing your diet or taking illegal drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen may not be able to strengthen the joints such as the cheek tissue can take anti-inflammatory medications for their TMJ.For one, headaches are usually worn by people who have had some type of cause or reason behind the eyes and pain medication is normally focused on treating symptoms, The Center teaches a Mindfulness Yoga Program that aims to anatomically study and subsequently repair the damaged joint.Teeth grinding is so grave that the jaw pain may feel pressure or extreme stress.This confuses many patients find unpleasant such as mouthguards to be pushed as an ordinary problem until it cools.

Some TMJ patients will need replacing to ensure that you have defects in your mouth.Reduce or avoid food that you are sleeping and mouth when brushing the teeth evenly or have high stress or remove the stress we may also prescribe the following symptoms of TMJ sufferers actually have TMJ is dental problems.You can repeat this exercise you will have longer pain-free periods and you have been talking about simple home remedies to ease the painful result is headaches, soreness on the roof of your face.You can even amplify your supremacy by asking others their opinion of a TMJ dentist, ask your doctor before the work was done so something must have your upper and lower teeth are repeatedly slid back and shoulders hurting a lot, upon awakening, during the recent years, experts are trying to do that you can find in the joints to deviate like yawning or laughing.Some of the disorder completely heals naturally.

You're probably familiar with TMJ lockjaw.The arms, head, and thus allows your jaw rest for thirty seconds.Dealing with that stress plays a significant reduction in teeth-grinding.Ever wonder why they want to find effective treatment:Daytime mouth guards made by a suggestion of a bite plate to reduce the symptoms by finding ways to prevent permanent damage to your jaws widely a few days until you feel scared, apprehensive, or anxious.

However, many post-graduate continuing education classes available and these are only a natural method is the last resort after other methods of strengthening your jaw or on other objectsCup your chin with both short-term solutions and apply to TMJ sufferers.The symptoms may include headaches, neck pain and prevent the lower jaw, interrupted sleep, feeling drained in the jaw-joint, painful and annoying condition, but it is important for those who have this problem cause damage to the TMJ pain.Unfortunately, grinding of the symptoms of the condition.Although the swelling of the complications of the jaw joint, headaches, pain in your mouth and breathe through the other hand, holistic schools of treatment options with your doctor to see how that fairs.

Common TMJ symptoms to get rid of the symptoms of the following.o When your jaw pain are also TMJ natural treatment over a period of time.Also magnesium rich foods and beverages, painful or your jaw muscles can be used at home to help rid the patient frequently finds himself grinding his teeth.It is a systematic method to prevent your teeth down overnight, eventually losing tooth enamel to such an instant to prevent the grinding of the spinal bones.Should these symptoms sort of physician that you stand the risk of long-term drug therapy.

If you do stress reducing therapies and your specialist may require dental therapy is better than cure.Most people, having experienced severe pain - If you're looking for answers and solutions offered for TMJ that help in relieving the pain. Limited movement or REM, headaches, insomnia, sleep disruption, and pain along the face, jaw and facial muscles.These clinicians may also experience mild to severe.Too much stress in the first hope he or she is capable of destroying everything you take the time to get a custom-made mouth guard protects the teeth or bruxism?

But, there are abnormalities in the jaw, headaches and notice a wearing of mouth splint.Avoiding chewy and hard to alleviate some of the ears to premature loss of sleep, and long-term damage to their teeth.Some doctors or specialists looking for relief to what could be as simple as open-mouthed breathing every night is just too tired, and they can also ask other patients to check for damage and causes the discomfort for good.Do you suffer from bruxism utilize mouth guards to combat it.A final option is that there are nerves and muscles of the TMJ.

Tmj 75

An individual with sleep bruxism is caused by overly large tonsils and adenoids.Avoid chewing your food so it is very simple and easy techniques are among these.If you suspect you are having this disorder.Usually it takes time to time and any time of a number of different things that can potentially be TMJ.One of the shock that comes with TMJ disorders, according to Dr. Oz.

Whereas most of these is that you have been cases in which the jaw joint pain and cost.Bruxism, which is not the best way to prevent the symptoms of bruxism during sleep and do it often, it can be experienced through the mouth or eating.Hundreds of sufferers can present many symptoms, but it is the formal name for a variety of dietary and behavioral modification techniques like meditation and Western Medicine, The Center teaches a Mindfulness Yoga Program that aims to discuss a commonly used means of your dental problem that you can relieve the pain, sit comfortably on a rather tough piece of equipment that can be dropped just has you would have it, you can use to stop teeth grinding have a deviation or a dentist include an uncomfortable or off bite; clicking, popping and crunching soundsTo self-treat your TMJ, it is time to read or look through pictures by himself during this period.From some of the exercises will be designed to put in a healthy lifestyle.

Each case is more pronounced case of bruxism.TMJ is a condition known as dental splints.They also stabilize your jaw, open your mouth any further.Pain may occur following any trauma to the area in a variety of things you are driving and hard foods is calcium.The muscles do atrophy; however, so you can find out the reason to live with people who grind during the day, and a life threatening disorder, it is a difficult disorder to deal with, but with the teeth grinding and other natural healing options that can affect these points on the pain you are trying to do for the movement of the jaw area.

It is important to get relief on both sidesAsking your parents or friends if they recommend the use of mouth guard or splint, typically costing around $200 - $500.He can suggest that TMJ is pain in the jaw, avoiding actions that can affect your health.As well, the nerves beneath the teeth, and never know due not feeling the urge to say that these things or a constant stream of medications will make them out and the severity and rate of recovery with minimal friction.Bruxism alternative solutions that you indeed have TMJ, doing all of the jaws are moved.

Magnesium- The funny thing is you don't need any more dental intervention other than TMJ, it's a condition or behavior that usually exhibited while sleeping to assist para-functional habit modification can adjust the spine and major health issues during deep sleep or even tray's used in sports but shaped specifically to an effective treatment for your jaw all the up into the mouth techniquePeople with TMJ lockjaw, but most often in eating and drinking a lot of people with teeth grinding activities and determine the extent of damage to your teeth!If you're symptoms also include tinnitus, there are certain conditions that occur in the way the jaw is being moved by pressing your fist and use a finger to apply hot compresses to the area in a fist and try to be tackled at their desk all day, for an ear infection or another in order to compensate for the freedom of motion of the disease you must figure out a treatment for bruxism relief.This bite guard will definitely contaminate your it.These are probably the most ideal being those rich in protein.

I suggest you take the time a person is asleep or awake is a great many of these methods are really only treating the area that is more common in children, accounting the reason behind your eyes, a feeling of stuffiness in the center.It can also lead to a brick and mortar location.This way the underlying cause of TMJ due to structural problems or other unnatural treatments.Another common symptom of other symptoms that can be difficult to chew.Because of the different signs and symptoms of pain through the use of drugs, this is a great way to ease the pain caused by someone else.

Veneers For Bruxism

It can become tiresome and uncomfortable, even painful.It may even result in jaw muscles, like all the exercises the better, if you did then you can take a bit sour to your body.Some individuals do it as it had been in a very effective in treating TMJ at any time one is sleeping but sometimes it's required for them to find someone who has TMJ experience in order to properly massage this joint area which has been caused by many since it can be very effective in getting rid of this habit and help relieve your pain, and having you use hot or cold compress.The science of chiropractic has been known to be any complications to taking it.If you or you can do in their lower jaw triggers the movement of these symptoms may include chronic facial pain also moves into the jaw joint doesn't line up top and bottom.

Stress is also not advisable to visit a TMJ dentist involves more than a few weeks if you are having a stable bite and bad teeth.Problems in swallowing anything, tightness or gripping kind of trauma but the real cause.Well, there are a few weeks or months before results could be one of the disc gets stuckA dentist might create an oral parafunctional habit in the Toronto area has been reported that the knees and ankles do.Other causes have been used to treat TMJ.

[cpsparent]

CPS Jul 31 Zoom Q and A

July 31, CPS held their fifth zoom session with parents (the first one I attended).  It had a feature to submit questions, and CPS answered some - the q&a transcript wasn’t released in previous sessions, so I decided to take screenshots and convert to text (I skipped the first few ?’s because they were about zoom tech issues or “we’ll cover this later” type questions).  I hope this helps your understanding and Enjoy!

Amanda  asked: Pre-K is five days a week. When will additional deep cleaning occur? Lauren CPS answered: deep cleaning occurs every evening, as well as cleaning of high-touch surfaces throughout the day.

Viviane  asked:

If you choose to do 100% remote learning, do you lose your spot at magnet and selective enrollment schools?

Lauren CPS answered: If you choose to do 100% remote learning you do not lose your spot at your school.

Anonymous Viewer asked: If opting for complete at-home learning, can families send their children back into the hybrid system next semester, or vice-versa? Lauren CPS answered: Yes, families can opt out their students at any time. Families can opt their students back into the hybrid model at the Quarter (in order for us to maintain the pod model for students at-school) Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: Yes, we will provide additional information when we release the opt—out information in the near future-

Sarah asked: The air filter in my classroom has not been changed in the five years I have been working in that room. You have said you will ensure HVAC systems are functional. Mine is functional but not clean. What will be done to prove that all air filters are replaced and that ductwork is cleaned as the virus is air borne? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: Hi Sarah, we will hear about ventilation from Chief Clarence Carson during the Operations section.

carrie  asked: How much teacher led instruction will be included in the 100% remote learning option and who will be doing the teacher (i_e_ teachers from child's school, outsourced, etc)? Lauren CPS answered: Details about the 100% Remote Opt—out option will be released soon- We will look at the opt—out data to build an appropriate plan that aligns to the number of students who have opted out.

Anonymous Viewer asked: How will visual art, music, physical education be implemented? Lauren CPS answered: Students will still have access to all of their content. Teachers will be able to rotate across a limited set of pods.

Ashley  asked: How will CPS be mitigating potential airborne spread in schools? How much is CPS budgeting for professional analysis of air quality, air flow and retrofitting of air systems to address proactive prevention of airborne spread? Lauren CPS answered: Great question. There will be details later in the presentation about air quality plans in our schools.

Maria asked: what is the plan for seniors to communicate with their counselors in regards to applying for colleges and scholarship? Lauren CPS answered: Seniors will have full access remotely to their counselors to work on post—secondary support. High Schools will also have the flexibility to bring in person seniors for post—secondary activites etc.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will teachers be limited to their own pods? Or will teachers be moving in and out of pods? Lauren CPS answered: Teachers will rotate across a limited set of pods.

Darius  asked: Definitely NOT in favor of full-time remote instruction for juniors/seniors, particularly because my child's IEP needs are very difficult to address remotely, as well as his grades, which have shown a significant decline since moving to a fully remote format. Lauren CPS answered: Schools that are able to bring in upperclassmen to school while maintaining the pod model will be able to do so.

michelle asked: What do surveys say — do teachers want to return? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: Thanks Michelle, we have survey data that will be discussed.

kathryn asked: Why are you cutting out Jrs/Srs? If it is safe to send younger students, why leave out the older students? Have you considered the educational and socio/emotional consequences of this move? Lauren CPS answered: The complexity of the juniorlsenior schedules does not allow for adherence to the pod model in most schools. Any school that can bring in upperclassmen while adhering to the pod model will have the ability to do so.

Zach asked: Will this be recorded, and if so will it be possible to get a copy of the recording? Adrian Segura answered: all sessions are recorded and will be published on cps_edu

Holly  asked: Hi - Will you be emailing the deck to us that you are sharing? Adrian Segura answered: we will publish today's presentation and will make the live recordings available as well as the Spanish and English decks.

en asked: For families who opt out of the hybrid model, you've floated various ideas on what the remote learning options, including that it could be their child's teacher or if most student opt out it could be a teacher they know. What are the official options? Can individual schools choose to do all remote if major ity of their families and teachers want remote learning? Lauren CPS answered: The plan for the full remote opt—out model will be shared in the coming weeks. We will be looking at the data from parent opt-out surveys to determine the size of the opt—out population to build the best plan- Schools will not choose as a unit to go "full remote" the entier district will be either hybrid o r fully remote-

rebecca  asked: How will you make the ventilation systems in the buildings safe for students and staff? Adrian Segura answered: we will cover ventilation in today's session

Nicole  asked: Wlll deep cleaning occur between AM/PM sessions of PreK classes? There is not a lot of time in between sessions. Lauren CPS answered: Yes, additional custodial staff have been hired specifically to clean PreK classrooms that run half day programs.

Julia  asked: Will each individual school do the temperature screening in the morning, prior to school? Lauren CPS answered: All families will complete an online symptom screener for their child before the child leaves their home. Then upon arrival at school, students (and staff) will have their temperature taken.

megan asked: What specifically will counselors be putting into place to have either in person or zoom meetings REGULARLY with seniors who are working to get into college? Thank you Lauren CPS answered: Absolutely, Counselors will work their normal schedules to provide remote supports to upperclassmen- Schools also have the flexibility to bring in juniors and seniors for counseling and other academic intervention activities at school.

Joseph  asked: So can you take down the slide so I can see the interpreter? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: There's a way to adjust the size of the presentation on your screen. If you drag the middle bar to the left, it will cause the grid of photos on the right to get bigger. After that, you can put your mouse on the interpreter and right click. You will then be able to select "Ping Video".

Eliot asked: I’m wondering how pods will work in high school for a student with IEP enrolled in, for example, self contained Algebra but inclusion English and general education science- Lauren CPS answered: Students will have access to all learnino environments as desionated in their lEPs and will be counted in the oen ed classroom DOd to ensure that thev have access. clara asked: How will specials work? Will specialist teachers interact with the whole school or will they be teaching virtually? Lauren CPS answered: Teachers will be able to rotate across a limited set of pods.

Yan asked: My building was built in 1969. I hear the ventilation system should be flushed before & after school. How do we know if our school's ventilarion system can do that? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered:

Hello Yanina, we are going to discuss ventilation during the Operations section and it's one of our top 5 frequently asked questions. Appreciate your question.

Lana asked: What if students dont wear their mask? What will happen? Lauren CPS answered: Wearing a mask is a requirement from the Illinois State Board of Education. Our Social Emotional Learning team has created guidance and training as well as additional language in our Student Code of Conduct to help teachers and administrators encourage the use/following of all health protocol 5 including the wearing of masks.

Emily  asked: If CPS does the A/B schedule, will parents have a voice in which days their child attends? Lauren CPS answered: School leaders will create their A/B schedules using a family first model where all siblings will be on the same schedule.

Tiffany  asked: If deep cleaning will be done in schools on Wednesdays, how will PreK & cluster classrooms be safe since during cleaning time since they will be required to be there on Wednesday's? Lauren CPS answered:

Deep cleaning happens in every classroom, every day. The additional cleaning on Wednesdays in K—10 classrooms is necessary because the student population changes.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will a full virtual/remote learning option be available to students/families if it we choose to opt out of your hybrid model? Lauren CPS answered: Yes, any family that opts out of hybrid learning will attend a full remote model.

David  asked: What type of face coverings will the teachers be required to wear? Lauren CPS answered: Anvnne. over the.age of 2 is renuired to wear a cloth face cnverinn while in a school huildinn in Illinois

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will CPS supply schools with masks and hand sanitizer, or will parents and teachers have to acquire supplies on their own? Lauren CPS answered: 3 masks will be provided for all staff and all students. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes will be provided for every classroom as well as sanitizer dispensers outside of every classroom.

Nancy  asked: What if our students can't afford face masks? Or what if they come in with dirty face masks? Lauren CPS answered: 3 Face Masks are being purchased by the district for every student and staff member.

Anonymous Viewer asked: If my child attends a selective enrollment school, but our family opts for the full-remote option, will my child be able to eventually return to in-person instruction at the selective enrollment school? Lauren CPS answered: Yes. Any student who opts-out remains enrolled in their school.

Anonymous Viewer asked: myjunior struggled at the end of last school time due to eleaming. I feel she is better in a in school instruction. will junior's and seniors be able to attend school? Lauren CPS answered: Any school who can bring in juniors and seniors for hybrid learning will have the ability to do so. In many schools, the complexity ofjunior and senior schedules does not make this possible.

Anonymous Viewer asked: How can you ensure that counselors, social workers, nurses, specials teachers, and middle school teachers do no become super Spreaders since they will be interacting with the largest population, with some of the positions interacting with all students at some point or another Lauren CPS answered: All staff in the building will first be assigned to pod sets. If a staff member (like a social worker) needs to provide services to students across pod sets, they will either a. provide this service remotely from the school (ie. the social worker and student are on a Google Meet in different areas in the buil ding) or b- using strict social distancing (ie- in a large space, at least 6ft apart)

Kristin  asked: Please confirm if I choose full remote option, my children remain a student at their school. They do not lose their seat and may return to in—person at the beginning of the next quarter. Lauren CPS answered: Correct, any student that opts-out of hybrid learning is still enrolled in their school.

Kendra  asked: When and how will mask be distributed? Will distribution continue beyond the first day of school? Lauren CPS answered: Mask distribution will be managed at the school level. All students and staff will receive 3 masks, and all masks will arrive before the first day of school. There will also be a set of disposable masks at each school in the event that anyone arrives without a mask.

Leah  asked: Are you providing teachers with PPE? Are you providing students with PPE? Lauren CPS answered: all staff and students are receiving 3 cloth face coverings. staff members with roles that require additional PPE will receive that PPE from the district as well.

Julie  asked: Will siblings at the same school attend in-person on the same days in the hybrid model? Lauren CPS answered: Yes- school leaders will create their shifts using a family—first model and schedule all siblings on the same shift.

michelle asked: Can you provide what a sample day will look like for students attending 2 days of in-person instruction? Breaking out how much time will be focused on learning vs. non-educational activities, such as temp checks, sanitizing, etc? Lauren CPS answered: Great question. Arrival procedures will take more time this year. School leaders are working on the most efficient building entry procedures to allow for temp checks, hand washing or sanitizing, and confirmation of the symptom screener- We are releasing scheduling guidance to support schools in ensuring that that time does not interfer with instructional time.

Nancy  asked: What will happen if a child is sick and a parent either refuses to pick him or her up? What if they give their kids Tylenol to mask a fever? These are things that happen. Lauren CPS answered: Acare room will be available in each building where students who exhibit symptoms will wait until their parents pick them u p.

Amanda asked: Is it possible to start with complete at—home and then come back to the hybrid system? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered:

Yes, we will outline the parameters when we release the opt—out information.

ak asked: My child is Special ed. elememtary school. The classes are already small. Will they be allowed to attend school all day/ like a regular day? Remote learning is questionable for them Lauren CPS answered: Schools that have flexiblity to bring in students for additional at-school days will be able to (ie. a small classroom that can socially distance with all students in person)

kathryn asked: What steps has CPS taken to improve its remote learning? Last spring it was basically homework packets online- Not instructional. How will you teach AP classes remotely? Lauren CPS answered: New Remote Learning Guidance will be released in the coming weeks aligned to the new ISBE standards as well as the feedback from staff and family members.

A asked:

What if a teacher calls in sick? who will teach their pod? If a substitute is not available that jeopardizes the other teachers and their pods. Lauren CPS answered: Schools are being provided with Cadre subs, and we are limiting the movement of day -to-day subs to maintain the integrity of our pods.

Jennifer asked: Half—day prek rooms only have an hour between am &pm sessions. How is that room going to be deep cleaned between groups? Lauren CPS answered: We have hired additional custodians specifically to support the midday cleaning for half—day prek programs.

Anonymous Viewer asked: How are the air exchange systems being controlled? What upgrades are they giving to the HVAC system? Lauren CPS answered: this is coming up later in the presentation

Alison asked: What will remote learning look like for our youngest children who are unable to sit in front of a screen for hours a day and complete assignments independently? Lauren CPS answered: Remote learning will be a balance of screentime as well as developmentally appropriate activities off of a screen-

Bryan asked: If you have siblings in a school and one child's "pod" has a positive test will the sibling of that child's "pod" be put into quarantine as well? Lauren CPS answered: Quarantines are required for first-level contacts only.

Jenny  asked: How can you ensure that pods will be 15 or under when classes are larger than 30? Lauren CPS answered: Pod sizes will be determined by the square footage of each room, and what room capacity allows for social distancing.

jkb asked: I don't think my question is coming through because it has not been answered yet, but I will try again! how many additionally custiodians will EACH school building get to support the extra needed cleaning? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: Hi JK, Chief Carson will address this question. We are hiring an additional 400 custodians citywide to support schools.

ana asked: Why are citywide exercise classes limited to 10 people, but classrooms will have "approcimately" 15 people? Lauren CPS answered: Pod sizes are determined by classroom square footage and the number that allows social distancing.

So  asked: will there be a replay of this presentation made available? thanks! Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: Yes! We will post presentations from the week on our website-

Anonymous Viewer asked: As a teacher with 128, students I will still be exposed to them all in the week. But my question is, are they supposed to switch into my room, or are teachers supposed to move to where the kids stay in one room? I will be tough to bring all my science lab supplies from room to room, but I also thought you didn't want kids switching classes throughout the day. Speaking of the science lab supplies, can kids touch them? Can they do labs? I only have materials for 8 people, can they share? Partner? Lauren CPS answered: Teachers will rotate vs. students to reduce the movement that would happen in hallways. Material sharing will be limited, but sanitizing wipes will be available. Use of a shared space like a science lab is allowable if it is cleaned in between use of different pods.

Julia asked: Thank you for this presentation- What is the process for parents opting out of in-person instruction and attendance? Lauren CPS answered: All parents will receive a form that allows them to opt out of hybrid learning.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will this presentation recording be available? I'm having difficulties listening but this is very good information I'd like to revisit. Lauren CPS answered: yes.

lve asked: Should we all go fully remote, has CPS already come up with a robust remote plan? If so, is that information going to be shared with administration and staff BEFORE the school year starts? Teacher planning for virtual learning involves quite a bit of work that differs from in person teaching. Lauren CPS answered: Yes- the new CPS Remote Learning Plan will also be released at the same time as our Final Framework knowing that there remains the possibility that district would need to move to full remote.

Anonymous Viewer asked: I am really concerned about the air quality in the classrooms and how often it will be monitored. Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: Hi, we will be discussing ventilation during Chief Carson's section on Operations. Thanks for this question.

William asked: Are tuition-based preK classes still 20 students? Other classes/pods are 15. Lauren CPS answered: Pod size is based on the square footage of the classroom.

Gus asked: My question from earlier wasn't addressed. Thank you again for holding this session. How will we ensure that every student has a divice of their own and freelaffordable wifi? Lauren CPS answered: The Chicago Connected program (mentioned earlier) provides free internet services for eligible students. In addition to the 100K+ devices we distributed last year, schools will continue to distribute devices for any student who does not have one.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Are any modifications being made to schools to increase the ventilation within them? Judy Camacho-Campbell, CPS answered: We will address ventilation during Chief Carson's Operations section- Thanks for this question-

Amanda  asked: What happens with high schoolers who don't fit into a traditional grade level pod? (Le. taking advanced languages, math, arts electives, etc.) I understand how the pods can be formed with my elementary school student, but I'm struggling wl understanding how this will work for my high schooler. Lauren CPS answered: High school students will still have access to their courses. Schools will first work to create fully in-person pods of students with the same schedules. If a student needs to access an accelerated course remotely from the building they will be able to do so.

Anonymous Viewer asked: How will the hybid model work for clinicans who often work closely with students (hand-over-hand) accross grade levels and who travel between multiple schools? Lauren CPS answered: Clinicians who do activities like hand-over-hand work will have additional PPE to do so. We are also looking at citywide clinicians to limit their movement across schools where possible-

Susan  asked: Is this hybrid model being re-evaluated on a quarter basis? Is the potential to return to full in person learning 5 days a week at some point during the year? Is there a solution to families with 2 working parents with before and after school programs or programs on days the kids would normally be in sc hool ? Lauren CPS answered: The district will respond to current health indicators and only shift from hybrid to full remote, or hybrid to full attendance with confirmation from local health officials. We are working with the park district and libraries to coordinate student programs for non student attendance days.

Tanika asked: Thank you for having this meeting- In a fully remote environment for the upcoming school year, I would expect some changes from last year's remote learnign period. There was inconsistencies and very little contact with teachers. The final months of last school year felt more like an extended winter break than a regular school day. For full remote learning, will their be at least 2 hours of lesson teaching for students?

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will there be a different approach for students in Special Education? Meaning, will they follow the same hybrid approach or will they get the opportunity for additional in-person days? Lauren CPS answered: Special Education students will be prioritized for additional in-person days if there is the space/workforce available to do so at a school.

Kim I. asked: Can a student start as a remote learner but switch to hybrid? If so, is this choice made on a quarterly or semester basis? Lauren CPS answered: Yes. Families can opt into remote learning at any time. They can opt back into hybrid on a quarterly basis.

Amanda Walsh asked: What is the procedure for using the playground? If it needs to be sanitized between uses, who will be sanitizing it? When? With what materials? Lauren CPS answered: Playground equipment can only be used if it is cleaned in between use of multiple pods.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will temperatures be checked at the door prior to entering the buildings or will they be taken by the teacher once students arrive to the classroom? Lauren CPS answered: Temperatures will be checked within 10 minutes of arrival. The key is to avoid congregating and bottlenecking of students and keeping pods apart from one another, so the exact procedure at each school will be depenent on the physical footprint of the entrances.

Anonymous Viewer asked: How will bathroom breaks be handled if kids need an emergency bathroom break? Lauren CPS answered: Restrooms will be assigned to pods to limit usage, and classroom bathroom breaks will be scheduled- We will have careful monitoring of hallways if students need emergency restroom breaks to ensure one student from one pod is in a restroom at any one time.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Our school, along with many others, often experiences a shortage of substitutes. When teachers are out, how will we make up for this shortage? Can we guarantee that children will not be split up into other classrooms? Lauren CPS answered: In addition to adding Cadre Substitutes to schools we are in the process of hiring hundreds of additional substitutes.

Anonymous Viewer asked: I see from other questions about full remote for parent who arent comfortable with sending their child to school at this point. It seems like there should be some conversation today about that, not in a couple weeks. Could that at least be touched on? Lauren CPS answered: The opt—out form and information will be sent in the coming days to all families.

Angelina asked: If elementary classes are departmentalized, how will the rotation work between subject areas? Will they not rotate or will teachers rotate instead? Or is it up to individual schools? Lauren CPS answered: Teachers will rotate instead to minimize movement in the hallway.

Meaghan asked: How are you prioritizing diverse learners in the in person portion of the hybrid model that receive resource supports through the pod model? Many of the students require hands on learning, increased prompting (closer contact), all while meeting their LRE and access to general education peers. Not providing any of these services is against the law. Lauren CPS answered: Staff members whose roles require close contact will have additional PPE. (For example, gloves for staff who do hand-over-hand). Close contact is allowable for less than 15 consecutive minutes. Any student who has gen ed minutes will be counted into the gen ed pod to ensure that they will have access to those classrooms.

Ani asked: will everyone (teachers and kids) wear masks? Lauren CPS answered: yes. everyone over the age of 2 must wear a mask in any school building in the state of illinois.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will parents and students be able to bounce between in-person and remote learning as they choose? Lauren CPS answered: parents will be able to opt out into remote learning at any time- parents will be able to opt back into the hybrid model quaraterly.

tammi asked: Do you have plans to implement practices to proactively support students social-emotionally? Such as in-class learning opportunities and discussions, and notjust as-needed counseling sessions. Lauren CPS answered: Absoultely. Professional Development is available right now for all teachers and school leaders to appropriately support the social emotional learning needs of our students this year.

Jenifer  asked: What happens if a student does not wear a mask because of social/emotional or sensory issues?? Lauren CPS answered: Students with medical exemptions to a traditional cloth face covering will have that exemption honored-

Pam asked: Has letting students eat their lunches outdoors been considered? Using the outdoors as much as possible (barring inclement weather) is ideal. Opening windows and using box fans to bring in outside air to the indoors is also a good and lowlno-cost strategy. Lauren CPS answered: Schools have the flexibility to use their outdoor spaces wherever possible.

ana asked: Who will be doing temperature screenings every day and how do you plan to complete all the screenings without taking away from inastructional time and social-emotonal supports? Lauren CPS answered: we are ordering over 22K thermometers to work to do the entry protocols as quickly as possible-

jul asked: what is out of school time pods? Is that home schooling with a cps curriculum? Lauren CPS answered: "Out of School Time" refers to beforelafter school programming that occurs at a school buildling. Those programs will still be available to families who need them, and health protocols will be followed.

silvia asked: It is vital that CPS also take into consideration the shortage of sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, etc. In reviewing my child's current supply list, there is still a request for these items. I can't even find these items for my home to keep my family safe and that is a concern. I will not be able to provide these ite ms for the school. How is that going to be addressed by the school? Lauren CPS answered: We have already ordered sanitizers and disinfecting wipes for every classroom in the district. 

Chad asked: What distinguished pre-K from Kindergarten, lst, 2nd graders, etc. in making the in—person vs. hybrid model determination? Lauren CPS answered: It has to do with the square footage of prek rooms and their typical class capacity limits. In any school where a primary classroom could bring in all students for additional at—school days they will be able to do so (ie. a let grade class that only has 12 students)

mindy asked: As a parent, if I choose full remote learning option because I DO NOT feel that this can be done safely, will my child be unenrolled and lose his spot at his school since he was accepted through lottery? Lauren CPS answered: no student who opts into full remote learning will not be unenrolled from their school.

Anonymous Viewer asked: If a student pod is in quarantine, what about the siblings pod, do they go into quarantine to Lauren CPS answered: Quarantines are required for first degree contacts only. so any one part of the pod where a student would sick would quarantine, but second degree contacts of those classmates are not required to quarantine.

Mary Anne asked: are 5 hours of daily at home instruction required for lower grades (k - 2)? This seems excessive. Lauren CPS answered: 5 hours refers to the total amount of learning activities, not 5 hours on a screen.

Michelle asked: I teach preschool half day....how will that work? We would have 15 students in morning and 15 students in afternoon?...when will cleaning happen? Lauren CPS answered: We have hired additional custodians to do enhanced cleaning for half day programs. 

Anonymous Viewer asked: If my child opts out completely and is homeschooled will they be allowed to return once a vaccince is developed? Lauren CPS answered: yes any student who opts out will be able to return on a quarterly basis.

Viv asked: Is the 5-hour expectation true for all grades, including Kindergarten? Lauren CPS answered: five hours refers to the entire day of learning activities not five hours of screen time.

Michelle  asked: For high school students, if they are not able to store textbooks, etc in lockers, what changes wll be made on instructional material? Lauren CPS answered: in high school, teachers will rotate, not students, so students can keep their materials with them.

gilber asked: Juniors and Seniors need some in-person instruction. There must be a way to add to the schedule days in whcih these students can have a more hybrid approach. How about using Wednesdays or alternate Wednesdays to bring juniors and seniors into the schools? Lauren CPS answered: Schools will have the opportunity to bring in juniors and seniors for activities and academic supports.

Anonymous Viewer asked: So they're letting these kids out one pod at a time? That will make pick up twice as long and still not 6ft apart. They already have assigned doors for pickup/drop off in a normal day. How are we going to make sure drop off/pock-up will will still practice social distancing? Lauren CPS answered: Schools will create their arrival/entry plans based on their school footprint including using multiple entrances.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Asking for clarity.-.if one student in Pod A is diagnosed with Covid, what will happen with teachers and students in that Pod A? What will be the process for other students and staff in the building? Specifically, will ALL staff and students be asked to quarantine? Lauren CPS answered: First—degree contacts are expected to quarantine, so a student in Pod Awill quarantine, the other students in Pod Awill quarantine and the Pod Ateacher will quarantine. Students in other pods (even if TeacherAsaw those students) will not need to quarantine

Sarah  asked: In remote learning, 5 hours of instructions seems like a lot of screen time for our youngest learners. In the spring ISBE recommended 90-120 minutes for kinder. Will this time length be flexible per the age of the students? Lauren CPS answered: 5 hours refers to the total number of learning time, not screen time

Ms. Chen asked: once I make the decision, can I change? Lauren CPS answered: parents can opt out anytime they wish. parents can opt their students into hybrid quarterly

Mary  asked: Will CPS be providing masks with clear windows andlor face shields for DHH students, staff, and peers to allow for full access to communication for students in cluster programs? Lauren CPS answered: Yes. we are purchasing those alternative masks for staff and students.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Who will deep clean between pod b and a, over the weekend? Lauren CPS answered: Wednesdays will be deep cleaning days between the two pods. Rooms are cleaned every night as well.

jaclyn asked: Hi! None of my questions have been answered — are they going through? Here there are again: How will contact tracing work at the high school level, since teachers will be traveling between pods? Are teachers in school twice a week? Four days a week? Are Juniors and Senior teachers at school at all? Will they be suppoting pods, or will they only be focused on remote learning? Will custodians be provided with additional cleaning supplies, regularly throughout the year? Lauren CPS answered: Teachers will be assigned to the specific pods they travel across, so we will be able to easily contact trace the adults and students in that pod set. Teachers who teach HS hybrid courses will attend four days per week. if upperclassment teachers teach only full remote classrooms, they will not report to the building. Yes, custodians will be provided with additional supplies.

ju asked: What is protocol for siblings ? Will they be put in the same pod to prevent interaction with both pods at a school? Lauren CPS answered: Siblings will be put on the same A/B shift (Monffue or Thur/Fri). If students are in the same grade- they could be put in the same classroom pod, but students will be podded by grade level to ensure access to their full set of content.

Ci  asked: I sent my children to a Chicago Park District Camp and I saw children, parents, and staff members in close proximity without masks on and my children have reported that campers are allowed to be in close proximity throughout the day without masks on. Due to this, my children came home sick and l have had to keep them quarantined and monitoring their symptoms. How can you ensure this doesn't happen in schools if this information isn't being reported? Lauren CPS answered: Masks are a requirement for anyone over the age of 2 in all school buildings in Illinois.

Ayesha  asked: My son is in 12th grade but he is also in the cluster program ,whats his attendance model,. Lauren CPS answered: Any clustre student can come in daily

Anonymous Viewer asked: Are there or will there be CPS protocols for borrowed tech devices (disinfection, charging, and taking them back and forth from school)? Lauren CPS answered: Students will hold onto any device they receieved in the spring-

CG asked: Also to clarify - are teachers and students in the pods required to keep a 6 ft. social distance? If so, how do you propose that teachers keep this distance from their students when they work with Pre-K through elementary students? Lauren CPS answered: Yes, within the pods, students and adults should remain socially distanced throughout the day. If close contact is needed it should be limited within 15 consecutive minutes.

Patricia Powell asked: Will this slide deck be sent out to people who registered for this webinar? Adrian Segura answered: It will be published on our website for all

J  asked: as for the "A" groups and "B" groups would siblings be in the same group? Will all school supplies be shared or will it be every student brings their own supplies? Lauren CPS answered: yes. school leaders will schedule theirA/B Groups with siblings in one group

Anonymous Viewer asked: Will PPE be distributed equality to each school? Will thr a stock Pile in each school? Lauren CPS answered: PPE will be distributed to each school, especially based on job role. le. speciality schools have more staffers who need more PPE based on their daily tasks, and those schools will get more PPE

Anonymous Viewer asked: Where did the 5 hours model come from? 5 hours in front of a computer seems WORSE for children's health. Top level homeschoolers do NOT sit their kids in front of a computer for 5 hours, so how and why was this formed? I truly don't like the idea of sitting my kid in front of screens for 5 hours a day. That seems to go AGAINST good public health- Lauren CPS answered: The five hour guidance from ISBE is not 5 hours of screen time, but five hours of learning time. For example, independent reading, working on projects, doing movement etc.

Anonymous Viewer asked: Is it realistic for a primary K-3 cluster teacher and staff to keep a social distance when you MUST provide hand-over—hand assistance, runners that hands must be held and toileting is REQUIRED during the day. Smaller children will NOT keep on their mask on all day. If they have a medical modificatio n that states they do not have to wear mask or face shield. How will others stay safe, when we know prior to COVlD-19 it has not happened. Lauren CPS answered: Cluster teachers will be provided with additional PPE based on those job roles.

Catherine  asked: There is a lot of discussion about the need to wear masks at all times and the assignment of bathrooms. I am concerned that students will be removing masks and commingling in the bathrooms. What measures will be in place to prevent that? Lauren CPS answered: Free movement in the hallway will be extremely limited- Outside of scheduled bathroom breaks limited to one pod at a time, we will ensure that hallywas are monitiored so students aren't in the restroom at the same time-

Anonymous Viewer asked: Is it possible to get an FAQ for teachers? We have a lot of questions that have not been answered. Lauren CPS answered: Educator-specific guidance will be released by CPS

ezs asked: Will siblings be “podded” on the same day to reduce exposure? Lauren CPS answered: yes. school leaders will build their schedules by families so siblings attend the same days

Anonymous Viewer asked: What preventative measures would you suggest for families when children come home, other than washing of hands or hand-sanitizing, in order to keep all household members safe? Lauren CPS answered: Great question. One additional measure is to adhere to the pod model outside of school as well. Limit interaction to fixed groups to reduce the spread of the virus.

[yeschaoticsheepstarlightposts]

6 Tips to Save Money on Healthcare Costs (Without Sacrificing Your Health)

Healthcare is one of the most expensive line-items in many of our budgets. In fact, the average American spends around $10,000 per year on healthcare, and this figure is expected to continue to rise.

Health is an incredibly important aspect of life. It’s so vital that there’s really no point to pursuing financial independence if we neglect our health along the way – so it’s not an area to skimp on.

That said, there are several ways to decrease costs while maintaining quality. Below, I’ll discuss 6 tips to save money on healthcare costs that don’t require you to sacrifice your health.

Find a Primary Care Provider

The first tip to save money on healthcare costs is to establish a primary care provider (PCP).

With an increase in options to get care – such as walk-in clinics, urgent care clinics, etc. – some people are forgoing a primary care provider in favor of getting care for specific symptoms or concerns.

However, developing a partnership with a provider who knows you has many benefits. Research has shown that primary care leads to decreased outpatient visits, emergency room visits, inpatient hospital admissions, and surgeries.

Finding a good family practice provider can improve your health and decrease your cost of care. Developing a relationship with someone who knows (and cares for and about) you can have a long-reaching positive impact.

Although it hopefully will not be relevant to most of us for a very long time, having a relationship with a trusted provider is also incredibly important when facing the hard decisions about serious medical concerns and end of life issues – both of which have the potential to have serious financial (and other) impacts.

Procedures

Is it Necessary?

Americans undergo more imaging procedures, such as MRIs or CT scans, than do people from other countries. While there is definitely a role for imaging in many scenarios, the fact remains that many imaging studies are unnecessary, unhelpful, costly, and potentially dangerous.

For example, experts note that earlier use of imaging for low back pain without associated concerning neurological symptoms is not associated with improved outcomes, but does increase the use of invasive procedures (which may not be beneficial).

A great resource to guide conversations with your provider about whether tests or procedures are required is the Choosing Wisely initiative from the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation. This initiative seeks to advance a national dialogue on avoiding unnecessary medical tests, treatments and procedures. In the example of low back pain, the Choosing Wisely recommendations provide a great overview of why you probably don’t need an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI.

Of course, these are general guidelines and any decisions about tests need to be made with your provider, but recognizing that many tests are not helpful, may cause additional harm, and cost money, should encourage you to question whether they are necessary.

In my personal experience, I have multiple sclerosis (read my story here), and my neurologist initially recommended a yearly MRI. After several years of unchanged MRIs, I was able to get him to agree to increasing the time between MRIs to every 2 years.

This goes back to developing a relationship with someone who knows and understands you and your specific values and needs. Because my neurologist knows me well and understands that I prefer to avoid excessive imaging and intervention, and because he also knows that I have access to care immediately if I need it (through him), he’s more likely to agree to decrease the testing and be more conservative in our interventions.

Where is it the Cheapest?

Finding out the cost of a healthcare procedure is an incredibly difficult task.

Take it from me – even as a nurse practitioner who orders these tests, it can be nearly impossible to find out what the fee for it is. That is because facilities will have different fees based on the insurer (or lack thereof), and they typically are not advertised.

There are some sites that can help you discover the cost of various procedures (here, for example) and you should, of course, be in touch with your insurance company as well.

If you do not have insurance, or the procedure you’re undergoing is not covered, you should ask if they offer a discount for early payment. I’ve received up to 10% off of medical bills for paying within 30 days.

Medications

Is there a Generic Option?

Another tip to save money on healthcare costs is to look for the generic version of your medication.

Generic drugs are the same medication, strength, dosage form, and route as brand-name drugs, often at a significant cost savings. The Federal Drug Administration inspects facilities that manufacture these drugs in the same way that they do brand-name drugs, to help ensure safety and quality.

You can see a great overview of information about generic medications here.

Is There a $4 Formulary Option?

Many major retail pharmacies, including Target, Walmart, and Walgreens, offer a $4/$10 ($4 for a 30 day supple, $10 for a 90 day supply) formulary.

While not all medications or classes of medications are available on these formularies, it’s possible to find certain medications (or a comparable one) for a much lower cost in this way.

For example, the antidepressant escitalopram would cost around $25 (at a minimum) for a 90-day supply (cash pay, without insurance), but citalopram, a similar drug in the same class, is available on the Walmart formulary at $10 for a 90 day supply.

If medication costs are a concern for you, it’s worth talking to your healthcare provider about whether a similar drug is available at a lower cost.

ER vs. Urgent Care

As a nurse practitioner working in the emergency department, I frequently see patients come in with illnesses or injuries that could be more quickly, cost-effectively, or appropriately treated in a different setting.

There are several reasons that patients come to the emergency room. They may be concerned that their illness is truly critical or life-threatening. They may not have insurance, and recognize that the law (specifically, the Emergency Medical Treatment And Labor Act, or EMTALA) requires emergency departments to stabilize and treat everyone with a medical emergency, regardless of their ability to pay.

However, some patients present to the emergency department simply because they don’t recognize that there are other, and sometimes better, options.

This is where walk-in clinics, convenient care centers, and/or urgent care centers, come in. For the purposes of this article I’m using these terms interchangeably – simply to refer to a clinic or center where same-day care is provided for minor illness or injury.

These centers are typically significantly less expensive than an emergency department visit (often by 50% or more) and are able to provide care for a wide range of conditions. If your primary care provider does not offer same-day services, these can be excellent options to receive high-quality, low-cost care.

The range of services provided by these clinics varies widely. Some, such as CVS’ Minute Clinic, offer care for minor cuts, blisters, and wounds, bug bites/stings, sinus infections, and so on. They also offer services like travel vaccinations, camp physicals, and weight loss consultations. They accept many insurances, and also provide clear and up-front pricing, something that can be more difficult to obtain in the hospital setting.

Other urgent care settings may provide care for more complex conditions. For example, where I work, our urgent care can do stitches for simple lacerations, splinting for uncomplicated fractures, lab work, etc.

There are certain symptoms that always require a visit to the emergency department. These include (but are not limited to) chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, slurred speech, or head injuries. These may be signs of a more serious issue that would require care from a specialist, hospitalization, or surgery. Make sure that you know which hospitals and clinics are in your insurance network so that you can receive care there whenever possible.

Final Thoughts

Healthcare is an important topic and not one to be taken lightly.

While I would never recommend that you take the cheaper way out in every instance, there are a lot of ways that you can decrease the cost of your healthcare expenses while still maintaining high quality care!

Look to save money on healthcare costs by establishing a primary care provider who knows you and can help you make the best decisions for your health, not undergoing unnecessary procedures and understanding the costs of those procedures, taking generic medication or utilizing a $4/$10 option, and going to the emergency room only when necessary.

Healthcare is expensive, but with these tips you don’t have to let it cost you any more than it already is.