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Concussions: Serious or Not So Serious?

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Do you remember what happened? “I don’t remember getting hit,” states Ronelle McNeil, a senior and a football player at Hazelwood East High School in Hazelwood, MO. McNeil suffered a concussion.  Should athletes be allowed to return to a game before their brain has had adequate time to heal?

A football player is helped off the field. If he has a concussion, how soon should he return the game? Credit: Joseph Viltaile.

While playing sports, such as football, cheerleading, hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball, and softball, athletes may suffer a traumatic head injury such as a concussion. Concussions can occur when an athlete has both mild and severe blows to the head. “Each year, U.S. emergency departments treat an estimated 135,000 sports- and recreation-related [traumatic brain injuries], including concussions, among children ages 5 to 18,” says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

During a concussion the brain moves violently within the skull. Brain cells from a concussion act similar to those of a seizure. “Athletes who suffer from a concussion tend to have brain cells such as those in a coma,” says WebMD.

When an athlete gets a concussion, school trainers tend to them the majority of the time.  According to Hazelwood East High School trainer Dave Wiedenger, five athletes have had a concussion this 2010–2011 school year. Wiedenger tells SciJourner that his treatment of a concussion isn’t any different than a doctor. “I get my guidelines from the same place as most sport doctors from the College of Sports Medicine; however most ER doctors and family physicians don’t know these guidelines.”

Trainers may look at the athlete and ask questions as of what had happen and what they are feeling like. Common signs of a concussion are confusion or dazed, slurred speech, nausea or vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, sensitivity to noise, sluggishness, memory loss, ringing in ears, and concentration difficulties, says the Mayo Clinic staff.

 When a trainer discovers that the athlete is suffering from a concussion they would have them avoid physical contact. But is avoiding physical contact for a couple of days enough time for your brain to heal? “They have to sit out seven days after their symptoms are gone,” says Wiedenger.”

The California Athletic Trainers’ Association (CATA) states that,“While a class may teach coaches and referees the common symptoms to look out for, it’s not always cut and dry. “Sometimes the signs of a concussion can be subtle or might not even appear immediately,” says Michael West, President of CATA. “In some cases an athlete might have received what looked like a glancing blow, but there’s still a chance of concussion—certified athletic trainers can spot these instances and act accordingly because we’re experts on concussions.”

McNeil tells Scijourner that his doctor recommended that he sit out for two weeks.

On April 19, 2011, the Illinois High School Association adopted a new policy that states, “In cases when an athlete is not cleared to return to play the same day as he/she is removed from a contest following a possible head injury (i.e., concussion), the athlete shall not return to play or practice until the athlete is evaluated by and receives written clearance from a licensed health care provider to return to play.”

How does a player having a concussion affect the team? “It affects the team mentally, because players are cautious about playing again,” says Hazelwood East High School Coach Brian Simmons. To prevent concussions, Simmons stresses that team members learn “the proper way of tackling.”

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What is Autism?

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by Diamond Moore; Hazelwood East High School (St. Louis, MO)
My little brother has autism. He was born on July 22, 2003, and was diagnosed with autism at the age of four, when he was attending preschool.

The National Institute of Mental Health provides information on autism.

When he was one or two, he didn’t really show signs that were different from other kids his age. Now, he is seven and he is the sweetest and caring person. He understands a lot and is very smart when it comes to using computers, but he is lazy and it’s hard for him to stay on task. He doesn’t know how to do most things like other seven-year -olds. He needs help to put on his clothes, can’t read or write like other kids his age, and it takes him longer to catch onto things. But he always tries his best. He likes art and he doesn’t like it when people are crying or are very sad.

Autism is a developmental disorder that some people are born with. It’s not something you can catch or pass along to someone else. Autism affects the brain and makes communicating and interacting with other people difficult. The characteristics of autism include being socially impaired, communication difficulties; and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, such as rocking and twirling, or self-abusive behavior, such as biting or head-banging, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Other common signs of autism include failing to respond to their name and often avoiding eye contact with other people. Autistic kids speak later than others and may refer to themselves by name, instead of “I” or “me”. Autistic kids don’t know how to play interactively with other children. The don’t babble or point by the age of one. These kids don’t know single words by 16-months or two-word phrases by age two, according to NINDS.

It’s a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. Around 1 in 110 people have autism, which is more common in boys than girls, according to the Autism Society.

Autism is diagnosed based on clinical observation and testing by a professional using one or more standardized tests. Professionals most likely to diagnose autism are psychologists, psychiatrists, developmental pediatricians, and school psychologists, according to the National Autism Association.

My brother’s common signs were that he didn’t talk like kids his age. He would hit the floor and rip up paper. He went to school at the age of three, but didn’t socialize with other kids. He would laugh and play by himself. It was like he would be in his own world.

The cause of autism is not proven, but scientists say it’s likely both genetics and environment. Autism may be due to the disruption of normal brain development early in fetal development caused by defects in genes that control brain growth and that regulate how brain cells communicate with each other, possibly due to the influence of environmental factors on gene function, according to NINDS.

The Autism Society estimates that the lifetime cost of caring for a child with autism ranges from $3.5 million to $5 million, and that the United States is facing almost $90 billion annually in costs for autism. This figure includes research, insurance costs, expenses not covered by insurance, Medicaid waivers for autism, education, housing, transportation, employment, related therapeutic services and caregiver costs.

There is no cure for autism. But it can be treated with educational and behavioral interventions, medications, and other therapies. My brother has speech, physical, and occupational therapy. The speech therapy services focus on enhancing or restoring limited or lost communicative skills, according to National Autism Association. Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better, according to NINDS.

Autism causes kids to experience the world differently from the way most other kids do. It’s hard for kids with autism to talk with other people and express themselves using words. Kids who have autism usually keep to themselves and many can’t communicate without special help.

My brother is now in the second grade. He now can do things on his own, like put on and pick out his clothes. He can write all his alphabets and numbers, and can hold a small conversation. He is a great gamer and knows how to beat levels on games that our father can’t win, and he loves to go to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

He is just a sweet teddy bear. He acts like a two- or three-year-old when he wants to, but he is developing his own way of understanding things.

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Stuck between Reality and What Isn’t

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“You know he’s a schizophrenic?”  “What? You mean like in that movie?” I asked. “Yes … and your grandmother was afraid of him.  She believes people like that are possessed by the devil.”

My older cousin is a 38-year-old schizophrenic. According to Medicinenet.com, approximately 2.2 million American adults have schizophrenia.

The Mayo Clinic staff states that schizophrenia is “a group of severe brain disorders in which people interpret reality abnormally”. People who are schizophrenics hallucinate or see things only in their minds.  A good example would be a bug crawling under their skin when really they’re just itching. Luckily, this disease is treatable, although not curable.

According to WebMD.com there are different types of schizophrenia.  People with paranoid schizophrenia are preoccupied with false beliefs (delusions) about being persecuted or being punished by someone. People with catatonic schizophrenia are generally immobile and unresponsive to the world around them. For example, you may feel like you’re in a coma-like state—unable to speak, move, or respond—or you may talk and behave in a bizarre, hyperactive way. Without treatment, catatonic episodes may last for a month or longer.  People with disorganized schizophrenia are confused and incoherent, and have jumbled speech

The National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, a private, nonprofit public charity that supports research on brain and behavioral disorders, lists the general symptoms of schizophrenia as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and disordered thinking. Those are the “positive” symptoms of this disease. The “negative” symptoms include not being able to speak, show emotion, initiate plans or finding joy in everyday life. And the cognitive symptoms are issues with paying attention and memory problems.  

A person with schizophrenia may lack activity in certain parts of the brain. Brainexplorer.org, a website produced by the Danish Lundbeck Institute, which conducts research to find new drugs for treatment of central nervous system disorders, states that the areas of the brain affected by schizophrenia are the forebrain (which controls the ability to eat, sleep, and display emotions), the hindbrain (which controls the posture, sleep patterns, breathing, and blood circulation), and the limbic system (which controls mobile activities like walking and also emotional expression). .

“How did Mark get it?” I asked my mother. “He was at a club and someone slipped something in his drink, probably to see him fail since he was doing so well with his life. He was in college and very smart, but some people just hate to see others succeed,” she replied. That’s sad though.” I said, feeling sorry for Mark. Me too, Brittney,” she said with the same level of emotion.

The National Institute of Mental Health states that the causes of schizophrenia include genes, which doctors know can be passed down from family members. Another cause is the environment, such as being exposed to viruses or malnutrition before birth and during birth. The last cause is different brain chemistry and structure affecting the neurotransmitters in our brains.

Everyday Health Inc, a partner with the Mayo Clinic , states that there is increasing evidence that unadvised drug use, mainly marijuana, might be one of the environmental causes. A recent review of studies that explored schizophrenia risk for marijuana users found that people who used this drug by the age of 18 years had more of a risk to develop schizophrenia than people who don’t. Other studies say that people who’ve used marijuana more than 50 times were 6 times more likely to get a schizophrenia diagnosis.

Studies show that alcohol is the drug most often used by people with schizophrenia. Though alcohol can cause symptoms, there is no evidence to say alcohol use causes schizophrenia. Ken Duckworth, MD, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School in Boston, says that proving the relationship between schizophrenia and illegal drugs use is tough. In fact, to prove that marijuana use causes schizophrenia, a researcher would have to give marijuana to someone at risk of schizophrenia. This is not illegal, but it is unethical to knowingly expose someone to a drug.

Schizophrenia can be prevented by avoiding the use of drugs. Delaying drug use until adulthood might also decrease a person’s chances of developing schizophrenia. Duckworth says that not everyone with schizophrenia has used illegal drugs.

The medication for schizophrenics is called antipsychotics. It helps by reducing the psychotic symptoms of this disease.  The side effects are drowsiness, restlessness, muscle spasms, tremor, dry mouth or blurring of vision. This can be prevented by lowering the dosage, according to Mayo Clinic.

Overall, with the right treatment, schizophrenics like my cousin can live happy normal lives like everyone else.

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Deep Vein Thrombosis in a Nutshell

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“My leg started swelling and turned purple. I couldn’t walk on it and it hurt to do regular activities without the pain,” says Christie Sielfleisch, a senior and former varsity soccer goalkeeper at Rockwood Summit High School in Missouri. “I couldn’t do any contact sports. I couldn’t run, and had a really tough time putting on my jeans.”  

Vijaya Vangala (left) performing ultrasound on Laura Staats. Ultrasound is one way to diagnose DVT. Credit:Theresa Birk.

Sielfleisch was suffering from Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT. She had many procedures to help with the DVT. “Well, I had eight metal stents put in [vein], in order to help open it up.”

In simple terms, DVT is a blood clot in deep veins. Blood clots can form in deep or superficial veins, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). When the clot is in the deep vein, far from the surface of the skin, it is DVT. And when it is superficial or close to the surface of the skin, it’s called superficial thrombosis.

There are three types of DVT: acute DVT, sub-acute DVT, and chronic DVT, according to NIH. The difference between these three types is that they are ordered in chronological time; acute is new clots, sub-acute is relatively new, and chronic is old clots.

The NIH states that the most dangerous consequence of DVT is embolization or the separation of the clot, which can travel to the lungs and cause a blockage in them. This is known as a pulmonary embolism and may result in sudden death of the person.

According to the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, there are more than 200,000 cases of DVT in the United States every year. Furthermore, there are at least 50,000 cases that are complicated with pulmonary embolism.

Athletes are at a greater risk for developing DVT because of factors such as traveling long distances from sporting events, and the long term use of a brace or cast, according to stoptheclot.org—a useful website that tells you everything you need to know about DVT.

Stoptheclot.org states that “Athletes can experience a combination of both acute and superficial DVT symptoms, such as persistent calf pain or tenderness, calf or leg swelling, thigh swelling, local tenderness/pain, and erythemia (redness) at the site.”

“Even though athletes are more prone to DVT, I rarely see anyone under the age of 30,” says Vijaya Vangala, a vascular sonographer at St. Lukes Hospital in Chesterfield, MO. “The people I do see are much older adults, and they are usually in the hospital for other reasons, such as surgery or other medical problems.”  

Other people who are also at great risk for developing DVT include pregnant women, women who use birth control pills, people with a history of DVT in their family, cancer patients, trauma patients, and obese people, according to stoptheclot.org.

Stoptheclot.org says that DVT can be diagnosed by a doctor after discussing family medical history, physical exam of legs, and by other diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound, in which sound waves create pictures of the blood flow. Another method is venography, in which a dye is injected into the vein and an X-ray is taken. DVT can be treated with medicines such as anticoagulants, or blood thinners, and thrombin inhibitors.  The inhibitors are used when patients are unable use anticoagulants, because they have bleeding problems or other medical conditions. Sielfleisch says that she mostly uses blood thinners.

In order to prevent developing a DVT, people with risk of DVT should have regular checkups, get up and walk when traveling for long hours, drink plenty of fluids, and take all medicines prescribed by your doctor. ”

 “I used to get my blood drawn every week, but now it’s every 6 months,” says Sielfleisch. “I still have to go to the doctor each month for checkups to be sure that my blood levels are in check.”

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Infographic: Tornadoes in Missouri

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by Trevor West; Pattonville High School
 

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Battling Inflammatory Breast Cancer

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In early 2003, my mother was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). This was a traumatic experience for our family. She spent most of the day crying and moping.  Our house was full of intense sadness.  My mother often asked herself, “Why did this happen to me?” At times she tried to have hope by constantly telling herself, “I’m going to get through this…I’m going to win this battle.”

            According to the National Cancer Institute, IBC is basically an advanced type of breast cancer. IBC differs from common breast cancer because it is rare, it has additional symptoms and the breast does not form lumps. People with IBC have a red, swollen breast that feels warm to the touch. The redness and warmth occur because the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin. (Other symptoms of breast cancer are a lump in the breast, swelling of the armpit, discoloration of the nipple and unusual discharge from the breast. ) 

            The American Cancer Society states that there are about 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women and about 39,840 deaths from breast cancer (women) in 2010.

            According to the Mayo Clinic medical staff, the current risk factors for IBC included being a woman, being black, and being over the age of 50. I’m at risk because I’m an African-American female.  Current research hasn’t shown whether IBC is a genetic disease.

            The Mayo Clinic’s website also says that most people with breast cancer go through radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Radiation is used to target and kill cancer cells. Although radiation is used for just about every cancer; it’s usually adults who get this form of treatment. Chemotherapy is large doses of medicine used to target and kill fast growing cancerous cells in the breast.

            My mother went through both radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The treatments made my mother tired and took up most of her energy. They gave her large doses of medicine, which caused hair loss and turned her skin dry and pale. 

            This intense treatment also took away some of the things she enjoyed, like getting a pedicure, manicure and going to the park. Those were things she had to limit because of all the treatments. 

Related stories: When Breast Cancer Hits Home; Are Athletes More Likely to Avoid Breast Cancer?

            My mother battled cancer for about two years and is recently in remission. Now she is back on her feet living a healthy lifestyle. She gets mammograms and checkups to make sure the cancer is not returning. She recently told SciJourner, “God has blessed me and He gave me the strength to move ahead in life.’’ Tequilla James

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Sunscreen—Cancer Preventative or Promoter?

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   In June of 2010, the Environmental Working Group (EWG)—"a team of scientists, engineers, policy

A popular sunscreen containing retinyl palmitate. Credit: Lauren Jacobsmeyer.
experts, and lawyers that reviews the work of the government in order to show the consumer the truth about products"—published an analysis concluding that a form of Vitamin A, called retinyl palmitate, that is found in approximately 41% of sunscreens may accelerate the development of cancerous skin tumors and lesions when applied to the skin. 

   Members from the EWG based their analysis on data gathered jointly by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) from ongoing animal research. NTP is a government agency in the Department of Health and Human Services that “studies critical issues in toxicology and uses scientific research to develop and apply new technologies to protect the health of the public.” 

   People have always been told to apply plenty of sunscreen when spending time in the sun as a means of preventing skin cancer, but the EWG report raises the question as to whether sunscreen is really preventing cancer or promoting it? 

   According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of their lifetime, which makes skin cancer the most common form of cancer in the United States. Sunscreens are chemical agents that help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin, says the Foundation. 

   There are two types of UV radiation, UVA and UVB, that could cause damage to the skin and cause an increase to skin cancer. UVA wavelengths are long wavelengths and range between 320–400 nanometers (nm); UVB wavelengths are short wavelengths and measure between 290– 320 nm. UVB rays are the chief cause of sunburn, whereas UVA rays penetrate the skin more deeply and can cause the skin to wrinkle and look leathery. 

   According the American Cancer Society, most sunscreens contain organic compounds, such as para-aminobenzoic acid or oxybenzone, that work to absorb the sun’s rays before the rays can reach a person’s skin. These compounds do not block 100% of UV rays, but the compounds do filter and disperse the rays, minimizing there effect. 

In response to the analysis, three prominent researchers and members of the dermatology divisions of New York’s Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Detroit’s Henry Ford Hospital, Steven Q. Wang, Stephen W. Dursza and Henry W. Lim, published a commentary in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in the August, 2010, issue. The researchers were critical of several areas of the analysis.  First, they criticized data that was based on animal research, when in fact animal research has always been a “gold standard” in assessing carcinogenicity in humans. The authors of the commentary also noted that vitamin A-based cream or retinoid creams have been used by patients for years with no ill effects.

The EWG’s response to this criticism is that most retinoid creams are applied at night and patients are advised to minimize their exposure to the sun when using these products.

The analysis by the EWG has also been criticized by the FDA. Janet McBride, a representative from the FDA, states that their research is in the preliminary stages and that it needs to be reviewed by peers and published before applying it to humans. McBride also states that there is currently no evidence to support that sunscreens are harmful. In the animal study, the vitamin A cream, retinyl palmitate, was applied to the animals as a single ingredient and not in combination with anything else. In sunscreen formulations, vitamin A is only one ingredient in conjunction with several others, and it is not the active ingredient.

There are sunscreens on the market today that do not contain the controversial ingredient retinyl palmitate. These products can be found by simply reading the sunscreen label’s ingredients or by visiting the EWG’s website. The EWG has published a list on their website that rates over 1400 sunscreen products for safety and effectiveness, and highlights those products containing retinyl palmitate. 

Lauren Jacobsmeyer

See also A Simple Solution to a Sunny Situation

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Kids with Sickle-Cell Anemia

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“It feels like someone is ripping me apart… when I move I feel drained and light-headed. The only time I can be at peace is when I’m sleeping,” Nina tells SciJourner.

Nina is 19 years old and has sickle-cell anemia. Because Nina has type A sickle-cell anemia, she has “sickle-cell crisis” during which her body is in pain and she gets really sick with a fever. Nina has to go to the hospital and be there for days, even weeks at a time. She has to miss out on events, such as parties and even school.  But she says, “I’m not going to let sickle-cell anemia ruin my life!”

Normal (A) vs. Sickle-cell blood cells (B), showing how they can get stuck in blood vessels. Credit: National Institutes of Health.

 

According to the Mayo Clinic, sickle-cell anemia is a disease in which your body produces abnormally shaped red blood cells. Normal red blood cells are flexible and round, and they can move easy through the blood vessel. The sickle cells are shaped like a crescent moon and the hemoglobin protein on the red blood cells with sickle-cells are shaped wrong. This causes pressure on the blood cells, making them turn and change into the new, crescent moon shape.

The irregular shape is the reason why they get stuck in small vessels in the body and block blood and oxygen flow in parts of the body. For this reason sickle cells don't last as long as normal, round red blood cells. This can cause pain and organ damage.

WebMD.com states a genetic problem causes sickle cell anemia.  This mishap occurs when two people, each with the sickle-cell genetic trait, pass it onto their baby. For this reason, people with the disease are born with two sickle cell genes, one from each parent.

According to Mayo Clinic, a blood test can show if you have the trait or anemia. Most states test newborn babies as part of their newborn screening programs.

Parents of children that have sickle cell anemia have it hard also. Carmen is a 28-year-old mother with two children that have sickle cell anemia. Her eldest is six years old and has type A sickle-cell anemia and the youngest is 5 years old and has type B.

“Watching my kids go through pain and crying hurts my heart, knowing that I can’t do nothing about it but be there for them and get them whatever they want,” Carmen tells SciJourner. She also thinks having to go to work and leaving them in the hospital by themselves is hard.

Mary Jo Ruether, a biology teacher at Hazelwood East High School in Hazelwood, MO, tells SciJourner that type A sickle-cell anemia is when the person inherits both of the sickle-cell traits from the parents. It is the worst type, because it causes the person to get sick more often.  People with type A sickle-cell anemia can suffer from strokes, brain damage and organ damage.

Type B sickle-cell anemia is when the person inherits the trait from only one of the parents. Therefore, they do not have as severe sickle-cell anemia. Type B carriers don’t get as sick, but they still will go through pain, not just as often as type A individuals.

There are a lot of different ways to help and support people dealing with sickle-cell anemia. Those with the disease and their families can go to support groups, like the Sickle-Cells Foundation Support Group Inc., or talk with other families that deal with the same challenges. Pain medicine is not always helpful, because most pain medicines given to sickle-cells anemia people have side effects. According to WebMD.com, you can try hot baths, heating pads, and massages. Love and patience is the biggest support you can give your loved one that deals with sickle-cell anemia.

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Inside the World of Matthew Ndonwi

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Inside the work of Matthew Ndonwi from SciJourner on Vimeo.

SciJourner interviews Dr. Matthew Ndonwi.

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People With Down Syndrome Can Do What You Do!

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Desheena getting ready to attend her prom in 2011. Credit: Sakoya Boyd.
“Why do you talk to yourself?” She responded with the answer, “Because I want to.” This is a typical comeback from Desheena, my 18-year-old sister, with Down syndrome. 

According to MedicineNet.com, Down Syndrome is a result of having an extra copy of chromosome 21 in every cell. The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) states that mental retardation is related to Down Syndrome because the genetic disorder causes cognitive delays, which vary from person to person.  Many people with Down Syndrome also have medical problems, like congenital heart defects and endocrine, skin, vision, and respiratory problems, just to name a few. In addition to the common symptoms related to Down Syndrome, my sister is diabetic and has a slight case of strabismus (crossed eyes).

March of Dimes states that Down syndrome affects about 1 in 800—about 3,400 babies a year in the U.S. According to NDSS, there are more than 400,000 people with the disability in the U.S.

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development states that the chances of having a Down Syndrome baby increases for pregnant women over 35. Many health care providers recommend that women over the age 35 have a prenatal test that detects Down Syndrome.

A lot of people have a misconception that people with Down Syndrome are stupid, weird, and have no capability to function. But the actual fact is that they have the capability to function; it just might take them a little longer to increase in a technique (retardation), according to MedTV.com. They are allowed to go to school, just as every other child. Federal law protects the right of every child when it comes to education.

Dr. Earlene Brownridge, my sister’s pediatrician, who works at Brownridge Pediatric in Hazelwood, MO, tells SciJourner that people with Down Syndrome talk and giggle amongst themselves as a sign of coping—dealing with responsibilities, problems, and different situations.

What is my sister thinking? Does she think about having a boyfriend? Does she ever feel pressured? Is she alone? Why does she talk to herself? I asked Desheena these questions because they are typical teenager concerns.She never answers the question about feeling alone, but I think that my entire family is so exciting—there’s never a dull moment—that she’s never alone. We always find time to sit and talk with her. 

When it comes to boys, my sister loves them; just like a typical 18-year-old girl. She told me one day, “I’m going to get married to a husband, and be happy.” I only hope and pray that this statement will come true and that she’ll find someone who genuinely does care for her. 

Everyone experiences pressures in life; you just have to learn how to overcome it. Desheena has overcome so many obstacles in the form of sickness and also being pressured. 

During the 1900’s, having a child with the diagnosis of Down Syndrome was like a death sentence. Kids with Down Syndrome would die before their tenth birthday. This began to change in 1983 as the expected lifetime rose to 25 years. By 2010 it had increased dramatically to 60 years of age, according to the World Health Organization.

I work with other Down Syndrome people at Northern Star Adult Daycare in Florissant, MO. They are similar to Desheena, and I find myself worrying about her in the future—hoping that no one will ever take advantage of her.

To me Desheena’s answers prove that teenage with Down Syndrome have similar thoughts and feelings just like average teenagers. And even though the life of a Down Syndrome person is hard, they can make it through this world just like me and YOU! Sakoya Kiuntaye Boyd

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