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"Felt like a criminal": Mother and disabled son "kicked out" of Pink concert

<p>A distraught mother has taken to social media to recall the moment her and her seven-year-old son, who has Down syndrome, were asked to leave a concert venue. </p> <p>Vanessa Vasey, 48, spent over $1,000 to take her son Jesse to see Pink in London during her UK stadium tour, but when the pair arrived at the venue, things took a turn. </p> <p>Jesse struggled to stay still in his seat and was soon surrounded by "six security guards" who ordered the disabled boy to sit down, otherwise they would have to leave.</p> <p>She said she tried to explain her son’s condition to the guards but they ended up being “escorted from the premises” just as Pink took to the stage.</p> <p>On Facebook, Vasey wrote in detail about what happened, saying her son had been “robbed” of a special experience.</p> <p>“Music is his life and Pink is one of his absolute favourites,” she wrote.</p> <p>“We successfully saw her perform at BST Hyde Park last year and were thrilled to learn of her return again this year.”</p> <p>Vasey said she purchased more expensive “hospitality tickets” allowing people to move between bars and food outlets during the night “so that Jesse wouldn’t be pressured into remaining in one seat all night, as he gets overwhelmed in busy environments and finds it hard to sit still.”</p> <p>“We spent some time in the bar leading up to the main act, and Jesse was having a wonderful time, until about 45 minutes before Pink was due to come on, they suddenly shut all the blinds, obstructing us from seeing anything,” she wrote.</p> <p>“I tried to consult with the hospitality managers over this, and explained Jesse’s needs, but they wouldn’t budge on it. So not wanting Jesse to stare at a blind all night, we attempted to go into the seating zone."</p> <p>“We couldn’t get him to sit in his seat, but he was happy dancing and singing at the front railings, and even interacting with some of the other guests."</p> <p>“Doing no harm to anyone, or obstructing anyone’s view. This seemed OK for about half an hour or so. Then ... just as Pink dropped from the sky in her opening number, we had six security guards come into the zone and ask us to leave or sit in our seats.”</p> <p>Vasey said the security guards were “abrupt, intimidating and unpleasant”, as they "tried to force us to take Jesse to a sensory room which was soundproof, and watch Pink on a screen.” </p> <div> </div> <p>“Something we could do at home, robbing us of the whole experience, as if my son was some sort of inconvenience, and better off shut in a room out of sight.”</p> <p>When Vasey complained to venue staff, she claims that more security guards appeared and they had no choice but to leave. </p> <p>“We were escorted out of the building like criminals and saw no more of the Pink show. Jesse was utterly devastated, and they showed absolutely zero care or understanding."</p> <p>“Shame on you Tottenham Stadium,” she concluded. “My poor boy deserved so much better than this!”</p> <p>After UK media picked up Vasey's story, Tottenham Stadium released a statement explaining their actions. </p> <p>“Following further investigation, we can confirm that Ms Vasey was offered assistance by our Safeguarding and Welfare teams throughout the night to provide Jesse with a comfortable viewing experience, including access to our dedicated Sensory Room,” the statement read.</p> <p>“The offers of assistance were declined by Ms Vasey and the party chose to leave the event.”</p> <p>Vasey was soon set upon by online trolls who condemned her choice to take Jesse to the concert in the first place, to which she issues a lengthy statement about inclusivity and not singling people out for their disabilities. </p> <p>“Why do we take them [to events]? Because, as parents, we have the same dreams and aspirations for our children as any other parent,” she wrote.</p> <p>“We have the same desires to see our children’s faces light up, as any other parent would. Our children are exposed to the same world as other children, and they enjoy the same things."</p> <p>“They have the same likes and desires. The only thing that’s different is their needs, their abilities and their way of accessing their dreams."</p> <p>“Why should these things deny them of fulfilling these dreams and passions? This is meant to be a world of inclusion. So let’s start including!"</p> <p>“That means adapting, understanding, supporting and most importantly; changing the way we deliver these privileges so that they are privileges for all of us, and not just some of us.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook/Richard Isaac/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Teen with Down Syndrome sets new world record

<p>A 19-year-old teen with Down Syndrome has conquered the London Marathon and became a Guinness World Record after just five months of training. </p> <p>Lloyd Martin from Cardiff completed the 42.1 km course across the capital with his mother cheering him on. </p> <p>Guinness World Record has awarded him the certificate for becoming the youngest person in his learning disability category to finish a marathon. </p> <p>"I'm so excited to run London. I love being fit and healthy and I want to make my family and friends proud," the teenager said. </p> <p>Mum Ceri Hooper also told the<em> BBC</em> how proud she was of her son's accomplishment. </p> <p>"In Lloyd's words, it's achieving his dream," she said. </p> <p>"Really anything is possible if you put your mind to it. With a bit of work, you can achieve it."</p> <p>Recalling the experience, the proud mum said: "He ran continuously for 14 miles which is the longest he's ever run before." </p> <p>Although Lloyd walked for a bit after his 14-mile-long streak, the crowd cheered him on every step of the way, and despite the challenge the mother-and-son duo had "a ball". </p> <p>The pair were at a loss for words when he finally crossed the finish line and they both "burst into tears." </p> <p>Lloyd is also now the third Welsh Special Olympics athlete to compete in the London Marathon. </p> <p>Prior to completing the world-famous marathon, Lloyed had completed an astonishing 30 Parkruns. </p> <p>Until last Christmas the teenager had never run further than three miles, but his mother was determined to get him marathon-ready. </p> <p>Ceri, who has taken on the London Marathon four times, created a specialised training regime for her son which included weekly runs. </p> <p>Lloyd managed to secure a spot in the marathon thanks to the help of the Special Olympics GB, where he is also a footballer and a gymnast. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook/ Twitter</em></p>

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Celine Dion shares rare health update

<p>Celine Dion has shared a rare health update, and revealed that she is determined to get back onstage despite her battle with stiff person syndrome. </p> <p>The singer took to Instagram to share a photo of herself with son René-Charles Angélil, 23, and 13-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson. </p> <p>“Trying to overcome this auto-immune disorder has been one of the hardest experiences of my life, but I remain determined to one day get back onto the stage and to live as normal of a life as possible,” she shared on Friday. </p> <p>“I am deeply grateful for the love and support from my kids, family, team and all of you!”</p> <p>She shared the post in honour of stiff person syndrome awareness day, which falls on the 15th of March. </p> <p>“I want to send my encouragement and support to all those around the world that have been affected by SPS,” she continued in her post. </p> <p>“I want you to know you can do it! We can do it!” she concluded, signing off, “Love Celine xx.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4j2U_6OI-9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C4j2U_6OI-9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Céline Dion (@celinedion)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Stiff Person Syndrome is an an extremely rare neurological disorder that affects the nervous system, mainly the brain and spinal cord. </p> <p>According to the US National Institutes of Health, this disorder can cause stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs, significantly impeding mobility. </p> <p>The <em>My Heart Will Go On</em> singer first went <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/celine-dion-reveals-shock-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public</a> with her diagnosis on the 8th of December in 2022, after she was forced to postpone some of her tour dates. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Celine Dion shares powerful message of hope

<p>Celine Dion has shared a powerful statement about her health battle since being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. </p> <p>The French-Canadian musician has chronicled her health journey in a new documentary titled <em>I Am: Celine Dion</em>, and took to Instagram to promote the new film. </p> <p>While sharing with her legion of fans how her health has progressed, she said she remains hopeful that she will one day return to the stage.</p> <p>In a lengthy post, she wrote, “This last couple of years has been such a challenge for me, the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me." </p> <p>"As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realised how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans." </p> <p>"During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.” </p> <p>In December 2022, Celine announced that she would be taking some time away from performing  to focus on her health after revealing her stiff person syndrome diagnosis.</p> <p>At the time, she said the condition did not allow her “to sing the way I’m used to”.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/clinical-trials/cause-development-and-progression-stiff-person-syndrome#:~:text=Stiff%2Dperson%20syndrome%20(SPS),recurrent%20falls%20and%20impaired%20ambulation." target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke</a>, stiff person syndrome is “a rare, progressive syndrome that affects the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord.”</p> <p>According to an official synopsis, <em>I Am: Celine Dion</em> will give viewers an intimate look inside her life “as she reveals her battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS) and the lengths she has gone to continue performing for her beloved and loyal fans”.</p> <p>Capturing over a year’s worth of Dion’s life, including “never-before-seen” private moments, the film will showcase the legendary singer navigating “her journey toward living an open and authentic life amidst illness”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Woman dies after being accused by doctors of faking symptoms

<p>A woman from New Zealand has passed away from a debilitating illness after being told by a doctor that her illness was “all in her head”.</p> <p>Stephanie Aston, 33, died after a long and public battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare  genetic disorder affecting the body’s connective tissue, on September 1st. </p> <p>EDS, of which there are 13 different variants, is often referred to as an "invisible illness", as sufferers can often appear healthy despite experiencing excruciating symptoms, such as severe migraines, dislocating joints, easy bruising, abdominal pain, iron deficiency, fainting and an abnormally fast heart-rate.</p> <p>Aston said she was dismissed by a doctor in 2016, who dismissed her symptoms and told her that she was faking her disease. </p> <p>Despite being diagnosed with EDS by three different specialists, one doctor in Auckland, who Aston referred to as 'Doctor A', suggested she was not seriously unwell and indicated she was causing her illnesses, <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/stephanie-aston-death-eds-sufferers-call-for-change-after-doctors-accused-woman-of-faking-illness/VX4Q6CAWRVH25I6OCKGQ4KTW4M/">The NZ Herald</a></em> reports.</p> <p>Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes New Zealand founder Kelly McQuinlan said Stephanie's death has shocked the community, and said more needs to be done for those suffering with the debilitating condition. </p> <p>“A lot of people are feeling very lost,” she said.</p> <p>“I think most people in these rare positions or invisible illnesses, definitely experience setbacks and disbelieving because things can’t be seen but really the clinical symptoms are there that are being ignored.”</p> <p>Ms McQuinlan described Ms Aston as a “beacon” for those with the illness in a tribute to her on Facebook.</p> <p>“Most people in our community have experienced some form of sort of doctors not believing them or questioning their diagnosis which is extremely hard,” she wrote.</p> <p>“When they see someone in their community pass away, the first thing they think is ‘What if my care is not looked after? What’s going to happen to me?’.”</p> <p>“At the end of the day, if symptoms aren’t managed correctly, anyone can get sick enough that they will pass away.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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New Zealand Prime Minister's heartbreaking family update

<p>New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced his temporary withdrawal from political engagements to care for his 4-year-old daughter who is in hospital. </p> <p>Hipkins, who is mostly private about his personal life, opened up about his daughter's health battle for the first time in a post shared on Facebook. </p> <p>“I don’t normally talk publicly about my kids because I want them to grow up out of the public spotlight, but sometimes it’s unavoidable,” he said. </p> <p>“Both my kids have a blood condition called Von Willebrand Syndrome. It means that sometimes when they get bleeding noses or other health issues they need a bit of extra medical help to get sorted.</p> <p>“Today my four-year-old is in hospital for some needed treatment, so for the rest of the day while that is happening I’ll be working from the hospital while I’m focused on her.”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fchrishipkinsmp%2Fposts%2Fpfbid021REVmAth3sr9crVCb7Na1PN42D5vskouAv5QrRf5DXWu7KUbTtq5R96gzq1G18d2l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="381" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>He also thanked his colleagues for covering him over the next few days and extended his gratitude towards blood donors. </p> <p>"All going well I’ll be back at work soon, but thanks to my colleagues for covering a few engagements over the next couple of days that I’m going to have to miss.</p> <p>"Lots of New Zealanders rely on the generosity of those who give blood. Thank you to all those who help out people like my little girl," he concluded.</p> <p>Hipkins, who replaced Jacinda Ardern in January, had previously revealed that he and his wife had separated and lived apart for a year. </p> <p>At the time, he explained that they were living separately for "the best interest of our family," and he acknowledged the pressure of being a family member of a politician and prime minister. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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"Broke my heart": Mum's outrage at stranger's comment about her disabled son

<p>A Sydney mother has shared her shock and outrage after a stranger made "rude" comments about her son. </p> <p>Tori Boyadji and her friend Lyndal were walking through Collaroy Park in Sydney's north with Tori's two-year-old son Isaac, who has Down syndrome. </p> <p>The friends were stopped by a woman who looked at Isaac and exclaimed, "Ohh is this a little downsie?"</p> <p>Tori, 28, went on to recount how the stranger said she would "never want a kid with Down syndrome" herself.</p> <p>Ms Boyadji told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-mum-tori-boyadji-shocked-by-strangers-taunt-to-her-son/news-story/d8e3ee46ad9ed07ded6776987ff220f7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a> that the stranger's comments left her feeling very upset. </p> <p>"Lyndal and I just looked at each other in disbelief – I’m not easily offended but this comment truly broke my heart," she said. </p> <p>"Why would you say that to two mums with their adorable kids right there?"</p> <p>Tori said Isaac is just like any other toddler, as he loved The Wiggles and going to the beach. </p> <p>"He also happens to have Down syndrome — but this is the least interesting part of him," she said.</p> <p>Rhonda Faragher, Associate Professor of Inclusion and Diversity at Queensland University, weighed in on the exchange, and shared her thoughts that the major issue lays with the fact that people believe those with Down syndrome need to change in some way. </p> <p>"In my view, it's not the language itself, it's what's behind the language," she explained to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/sydney-mums-shock-at-strangers-rude-comment-about-disabled-son-073246046.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News Australia</em></a>.</p> <p>"That somebody in the community would feel [a child with Down Syndrome] would not be a child they'd like to have in their family without even knowing the child."</p> <p>"I think it's [disappointing] that other people don't understand that this is not a tragedy," she added. "Having a person with Down syndrome in your family, in your life, is actually a terrific blessing."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Beloved singing star reveals condition that may force early retirement

<p>Scottish singer and songwriter Lewis Capaldi has opened up about his battle with Tourette’s syndrome, admitting it could lead him into early retirement.</p> <p>The <em>Before You Go</em> singer, 26, has shared details of his condition with fans in the past, making light of it online, even going viral on TikTok for how he handles his on-stage tics.</p> <p>Speaking to The Sun, the 26-year-old revealed it is a “very real possibility” he will have to put the mic down if his condition deteriorates.</p> <p>"It's triggered by stress, anxiety, and excitement. Basically, any strong emotion, you're f—ed," Capaldi, who was diagnosed with Tourette’s in 2022, said.</p> <p>"There are times it has been really bad and I've wondered whether I can continue to do this with the stress, anxiety, and Tourette's. It all comes as a direct result of doing this job.”</p> <p>Capaldi, renowned online for his self-deprecating sense of humour and cheeky commentary, said he has worried that the crowd may mistake his tics for drug use.</p> <p>He also revealed he may have to stop making music and performing if the condition progresses.</p> <p>"This isn't drugs, and I've had that accusation on nights out. People have asked me directly, 'Are you on drugs, is it cocaine?'" He explained.</p> <p>"If it got to a point where my quality of life was drastically diminished, I'd just have to quit.”</p> <p>Capaldi’s powerhouse voice has thrown him into the mix with UK greats including Sir Elton John and Ed Sheeran.</p> <p>He said that John has been a pillar of support during his struggles with anxiety, telling The Sun that the <em>Rocket Man</em> singer emails him regularly.</p> <p>In early 2023, a clip from Capaldi’s concert made waves online after fans helped him finish the song as he experienced a tic attack on stage.</p> <p>Capaldi was singing his perhaps most famous song, Someone You Loved, at a concert in Germany on February 21.</p> <p>Audience members were quick to notice the singer struggling, so they continued the song from where he left off, with him holding onto the microphone in an attempt to compose himself.</p> <p>In 2022, Capaldi shared his diagnosis with fans on Instagram.</p> <p>"I do the shoulder twitch a lot. And you see underneath every TikTok and stuff, people are like, 'Why is he twitching?', which is fine. Curiosity is fine. I get it," he said.</p> <p>"I haven't really learned much about it. I'm learning. I've got Botox on my shoulder to stop it moving. It worked for a bit," he said.</p> <p>"The worst thing about it is when I'm excited, I get it; when I'm stressed, I get it; when I'm happy, I get it. It happens all the time.</p> <p>"Some days it's more painful than others and some days it's less painful. It looks a lot worse than it is. Sometimes it's quite uncomfortable … but it comes and goes."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Celine Dion reveals shock diagnosis

<p dir="ltr">Céline Dion has revealed she has been diagnosed with a rare neurological condition and has cancelled her upcoming Courage world tour.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Canadian songstress shared the news during an emotional video on Instagram, informing fans that she has Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare disorder that affects the nervous symptom and causes extreme muscle stiffness and painful spasms.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff person syndrome, which affects 1 in a million people,” Dion said in the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">"While we're still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what's been causing all of the spasms that I've been having.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-11b08fca-7fff-f409-f618-2c1eb0a389b3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"Unfortunately these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I'm used to."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl5xJY1AjAO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl5xJY1AjAO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Céline Dion (@celinedion)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://stiffperson.org/sps-101/treatments-for-sps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stiff Person Syndrome Research Foundation</a>, SPS affects between 1-2 in one million people and is more common in women than men.</p> <p dir="ltr">While there is no cure for SPS currently, the symptoms can be treated with medication and therapies.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>My Heart Will Go On</em> singer said she would be unable to restart her world tour in Europe next February, when she was due to tour in Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, and the UK.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said eight tour dates would be cancelled and rescheduled to 2024.</p> <p dir="ltr">The news comes after the five-time Grammy winner cancelled the North American leg of her tour earlier this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the video, Dion thanked fans for their well-wishes and her children for their support, telling fans she was working with medical therapists to build her strength and ability to perform again.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I always give 100 percent when I do my shows, my condition is not allowing me to give you that right now," the 54-year-old said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"For me to reach you again I have no choice but to concentrate on my health at this moment and I have hope that I'm on the road to recovery.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my focus and I’m doing everything I can to recuperate."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-58aa65bb-7fff-1527-64d0-6d77b30219e8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Why this new mum lay down with her baby daughter in front of a train

<p dir="ltr"><strong>CONTENT WARNING: Distressing content</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">A Victorian courtroom has heard further details surrounding an incident in which a new mother struggling with postpartum depression killed her daughter by laying down with her on train tracks.</p> <p dir="ltr">Melissa Arbuckle appeared in the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday where she pleaded guilty to infanticide over the tragic incident at a train station in July last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Defence barrister Megan Tittensor told the court that Arbuckle suffered severe postpartum depression and psychosis when she tried to kill herself and her daughter, Lily.</p> <p dir="ltr">The court heard that Arbuckle thought Lily was suffering from shaken baby syndrome and that she would eventually die.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This act was committed by someone with a significantly disturbed mind,” Tittensor told the court, <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/court-justice/vic-court-told-of-mums-disturbed-mind-c-6341505" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She had a fixed delusional belief she had harmed her child and they were both broken.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She had a perfectionist personality and need for control...she wanted to be the perfect mother.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Arbuckle was struggling with Lily while taking her for a walk when she began looking at train timetables, the court heard.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then messaged her husband saying their daughter was unsettled, before placing Lily on the train track and laying down next to her.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair were struck but Lily died while being airlifted to hospital, and Arbuckle survived with fractures and internal bleeding.</p> <p dir="ltr">Arbuckle remains on bail and will be sentenced on Thursday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Lifeline 13 11 14</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>beyondblue 1300 22 4636</em></p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-24028b0b-7fff-a14b-36d0-4e28f7f0372d"></span></em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Seven News</em></p>

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Heartbreaking rare diagnosis for baby "Coey"

<p>A devastated family have made an emotional plea to help their son Coen. </p> <p>Known as Coey to his family and friends, the 11-month-old boy was recently diagnosed with Gabriele de vries Syndrome: an incredibly rare disease shared with only 14 other children in the world. </p> <p>Close family friend Jodie Schroder is organising the appeal on behalf of Coey's parents, Hayley and Trent van der Jagt, in order to help raise awareness for the disorder, and appeal for donations to help with extensive medical costs. </p> <p>According to the Caring for Coey <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/caring-for-coey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page, Gabriele de vries Syndrome has varied outcomes, and "is characteristiced by mild-to-profound developmental delay / intellectual disability and a wide spectrum of functional and morphologic abnormalities." </p> <p>"People with Gabriele de vries often experience feeding difficulties and other systemic difficulties, including congenital brain, eye, heart, kidney, genital, and/or skeletal system anomalies."</p> <p>For most of Coey's life, he has been fed with a nasal gastric tube due to a series of complications with his birth and numerous physical difficulties. </p> <p>Due to his extensive medical problems, Coey suffers from "recurrent infections requiring multiple hospitalisations at Campbelltown, Randwick and Westmead Children’s hospitals," which has been "considerably stressful for his family."</p> <p>According to the donation page, "Children with Gabriele de vries syndrome are also more likely to experience difficulties associated with anxiety, ADHD, Autism and Schizoaffective disorder. Currently Coen has also been diagnosed with a Global Developmental Delay secondary to his Gabriele de vries syndrome."</p> <p>Jodie created the page to ask for donations to help with the "substantial" costs of Coey's treatment, "that are not met due to limited resources under the NDIS."</p> <p>The costs Coey's family are met with include physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, "out-of-pocket medical treatment" and "psychological therapies as he gets older."</p> <p>All the money raised on the page will go directly to Coey's numerous treatments, as well as "other expenses over the next few years including accommodation close to hospitals and day-to-day living expenses."</p> <p>On top of Coey's diagnosis, his mum Hayley is also suffering from a work accident that requires surgery and extensive physical therapy, which has placed an additional "emotional and financial stress on their family."</p> <p>Jodie says in the post that despite his many challenges at such a young age, Coey has an "infectious giggle" and "he adores his big brother, Miles", and hopes any donations will help "see him flourish and grow to become the healthiest, warm-hearted boy we all know him to be."</p> <p>Check out the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Caring for Coey</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/caring-for-coey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">page for more information and to show your support.</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

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Meet the boy with uncombable hair syndrome

<p>A mother from the US state of Georgia is raising awareness for a unique condition, while also spreading the joy of her 1-year-old son. </p> <p>Katelyn Samples told <em>Good Morning America</em> that her son Locklan was diagnosed with the very rare uncombable hair syndrome after getting a message from a stranger on Instagram. </p> <p>“At first, you see ‘syndrome’ and you're like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ like is something wrong with my baby? Is he in pain or something?” Katelyn recalled.</p> <p>She added, “I just went in a tailspin and did a Google deep dive, called his pediatrician and the pediatrician even was like, ‘Hang on, let us look into this.’ They hadn't even heard of it."</p> <p>"So they sent us to a specialist, a paediatric dermatologist at Emory in Atlanta and that's where we were able to get the diagnosis.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZ4UHnrOw2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYZ4UHnrOw2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Locklan Samples (@uncombable_locks)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/5404/uncombable-hair-syndrome" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncombable hair syndrome</a> is a rare hair disorder and genetic condition that usually affects children between the ages of three months and three years. </p> <p>According to the NIH, only about 100 cases have been reported in medical studies but experts say there could be more unreported cases.</p> <p>“People might just be like, ‘Oh, my child has unruly hair or hair that's difficult to tame, but they might not have sought a medical professional, like a pediatrician or dermatologist to formally diagnose the condition,” Dr. Carol Cheng, a paediatric dermatologist at UCLA Health told <em>Good Morning America</em>. </p> <p>According to Dr. Cheng, those with uncombable hair syndrome, which is also known as spun glass hair, can have hair that is difficult to manage due to growing in all directions, as well as being straw-coloured or have a dull texture. </p> <p>Uncombable hair syndrome is diagnosed when a specialist completes a genetic test and an examination of a hair clipping with a special kind of microscope. </p> <p>Despite the name of the syndrome, Katelyn says she can still somewhat manage Locklan's hair, and is so far relatively low maintenance. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZnsg7rw5m/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXZnsg7rw5m/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Locklan Samples (@uncombable_locks)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“It can get matted easily. It is very fragile. … It can get tangled and I do have to be careful," she said.</p> <p>"That would be an example of a time I actually would wash it because I very rarely wash his hair. Just doesn't need to be, it doesn't really get greasy.”</p> <p>Katelyn said a lot of people, both online and in person, get curious about Locklan's hair and make unusual comments. </p> <p>“We get a lot of comments about him looking like a dandelion and that's actually a very accurate description of appearance and how it feels," Samples said.</p> <p>"His hair is extremely soft, like a little baby chick. People will ask to touch it, which is fine with us, as long as people ask."</p> <p>While there is no formal treatment for uncombable hair syndrome, the abnormalities tend to resolve themselves with age.</p> <p>“Interestingly, this condition does get better with age. So after puberty or into adulthood, typically the hair condition does get better,” Dr. Cheng noted. “It doesn't stay with them for their entire life.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @uncombable_locks</em></p>

Caring

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Brain strain: neurological effects of COVID and vaccines compared

<p>Concerns about the side-effects of COVID vaccinations have been amplified during the current pandemic by both the vast quantity of data that’s accumulating, and traditional- and social-media coverage.</p> <p>Rare blood clots resulting from first doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1nCoV-19) vaccine have been most prominently revealed. As a result there have been changes to the age range of people administered AstraZeneca vaccine, and in a few instances its suspension from national vaccination programs.</p> <p>Now, a nationwide study of 32 million adults in England has revealed an increased, but low, risk of the rare neurological conditions Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and Bell’s palsy following a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The study also revealed an increased, but low, risk of hemorrhagic stroke following a first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine.</p> <p>However, the research, <a rel="noopener" href="/t%20%20https:/doi.org/10.1038/%20s41591-021-01556-7" target="_blank">published</a> in <em>Nature Medicine</em>, also revealed a substantially higher risk of seven neurological outcomes, including GBS, after a positive SARS-CoV-2 test.</p> <p>“Crucially, we found that the risk of neurological complications from [COVID] infection was substantially higher than the risk of adverse events from vaccinations in our population,” the authors wrote. “[F]or example, 145 excess cases versus 38 excess cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome per 10 million exposed in those who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test and [AstraZeneca]-19 vaccine, respectively.”</p> <blockquote> <p>“The risks of adverse neurological events following SARS-CoV-2 infection are much greater than those associated with vaccinations”</p> </blockquote> <p>Cosmos has <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/adverse-reactions-guillain-barre-tts-and-the-fine-mesh-net/" target="_blank">reported</a> on the extraordinarily fine-mesh approach to monitoring vaccine side-effects in Australia, which as of early September had been unable to establish a clear link between GBS and AstraZeneca shots. All Australians vaccinated for COVID thus far have received one of the two vaccines examined in the new research, and their efficacy has been widely confirmed.</p> <p>The study – a collaboration between several English and Scottish institutions – made its findings among English adults, which was then replicated in an independent national cohort of more than three million Scottish people.</p> <p>The authors anticipate that these results will inform risk–benefit evaluations for vaccine programs as well as clinical decision-making and resource allocation for these rare neurological complications. They conclude their findings are likely to be of relevance to other countries, but that more studies need to be done.</p> <p>“We believe that these findings are likely to be of relevance to other countries using these vaccines and it would be useful to replicate these results in similarly large datasets internationally,” wrote the authors, in conclusion.</p> <p>“Importantly, the risks of adverse neurological events following SARS-CoV-2 infection are much greater than those associated with vaccinations, highlighting the benefits of ongoing vaccination programs.”</p> <!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=170617&amp;title=Brain+strain%3A+neurological+effects+of+COVID+and+vaccines+compared" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></p> <!-- End of tracking content syndication --> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/covid/side-effects-of-covid-and-vaccines/" target="_blank">This article</a> was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/cosmos-editors" target="_blank">Cosmos</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Wikimedia Commons</em></p> </div>

Mind

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"Stop It!": Nat Barr shuts down Kyle on live TV

<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sunrise </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">host Nat Barr told off Kyle Sandilands during his appearance on the breakfast show this morning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Making a guest appearance on the show to celebrate his radio show with Jackie ‘O’ Henderson claiming the title of Sydney’s number one breakfast show in ratings for the first time, the controversial shock jock got a strong reaction when he started joking about Nat’s husband.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After chatting about their latest success, Kyle pulled out a copy of Nat Barr’s cover of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Australian Women’s Weekly </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">to show her.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Look what I’m reading Nat,” he said, with Nat replying, “that’s so nice Kyle!”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kyle then went on to compliment Nat on her sons.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“These are good looking boys,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Just by looking at the photos, I can tell what a great mum you are. Those kids, they look at you with adoring eyes. I admire that.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After Nat admitted the photoshoot was a bit “scary” as they had never done anything like that before, Kyle asked why her husband wasn’t included.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Where’s your husband? How come he’s been kept out?” the 50-year-old asked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He won’t do anything,” Nat said. “He hates publicity … He’s got his own life and his own job. He’s like, yeah, leave that to you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nat has been married to her husband, Andrew Thompson, who is an Oscar-nominated film editor, since 1995.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think press media should track down what Nat’s husband’s doing,” Kyle quipped. “Let’s do a whole expos</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on a day in the life of Nat’s husband.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nat went from laughing as she had throughout the segment, to raising her finger and giving the radio host a strict warning.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Kyle, I’m going to go all mum on you,” she said. “Stop it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Earlier in the show, Kyle had explained why he thinks he and Jackie have been performing so well lately.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve been doing radio a bit different to everyone else,” he said. “Everyone else has the same rule: Speak for three minutes, have a little laugh at the end and play the ad break.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve changed it. We talk for 20 minutes about something, because you can’t always get a good conversation in in three minutes.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kyle also mentioned that the breadth of voices on their show helps.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We don’t just have the man and the girl, we have the full ensemble of all the other cast - the newsreader, all the producers, it’s like an episode of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seinfeld</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Channel 7</span></em></p>

TV

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Suffering from broken heart syndrome? Blame your brain

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Can you die of a broken heart? Yes, and scientists have linked it to something happening in the brain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Broken heart syndrome, also known as Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), is a rare, reversible condition that mimics a mild heart attack. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the name, TTS can be triggered by all manner of stressful or shocking events - think bankruptcy, the death of a loved one, divorce, or even winning the lottery - which cause a surge in production of stress hormones.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result of the stressful event, one part of the heart temporarily enlarges and doesn’t pump as well, while the rest of the heart pumps normally or with more force to compensate.</span></p> <p><strong>Heart linked to the brain</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previous research has found that people with TTS also have higher levels of activity in a particular region of the brain involved in stress response, called the amygdala.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What hasn’t been understood is whether this brain activity is caused by the syndrome or occurs before it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To find the answer Shady Abohashem, a nuclear cardiologist at Harvard Medical School, and his colleagues performed retrospective analysis of full-body PT and CT scans of 104 patients, 41 of whom had developed TTS since their first scan.</span></p> <p><a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab029/6184791"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The team found</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that the level of activity in two regions that reduce the effect of the stress response - the temporal lobe and the prefrontal cortex - was associated with an increased risk of developing TTS two years earlier than those with lower levels.</span></p> <p><strong>What this means</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We can now show that this syndrome happens as a result of chronic stress over years that makes you vulnerable to developing the syndrome more easily and sooner than [less stressed] people,” Abohashem said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study also suggests that this chronic stress could prime the heart to overreact to stressful events, leading to this increase in the risk of TTS.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other experts who were not involved in the study also found the results promising.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This study confirms our suspicion that there’s a relationship between amygdala activity and future risk of Takotsubo,” said Janet Wei, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She added that the results “necessitate further study to see why these patients have higher amygdala activity and how it actually regulates the acute response.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">EUR HEART J, DOI:10.1093/EURHEARTJ/EHAB029, 2021</span></em></p>

Body

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Unsolved medical oddities that still mystify doctors

<ol> <li><strong> The girl who never aged</strong></li> </ol> <p>Brooke Greenberg died at the young age of 20 in 2013. But she didn’t look like your average 20-year-old because her body stopped developing at the age of five. Her hair and nails were the only parts of her body that continued to grow year by year. Despite being born premature, doctors remained perplexed as to why she stopped ageing. Numerous DNA studies showed no abnormalities in her genes associated with ageing. Nor did her parents have a history of abnormal development. Plus, all her sisters were normal and healthy. Scientists continued to refer to her condition as Syndrome X, a metabolic syndrome. Yet, her unusual condition remains unexplained by science.</p> <p>On the other hand, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/13-unsolved-mysteries-easily-explained-by-science" target="_blank">here are 13 unsolved mysteries easily explained by science.</a></p> <ol start="2"> <li><strong> Mermaid syndrome </strong></li> </ol> <p>Sirenomelia is a birth defect that partially or completely fuses the legs together, similar to how a mermaid looks, thus the alternative name “mermaid syndrome.” Most newborns don’t survive for long with this anomaly but some children defy the odds like Shiloh Pepin who lived until she was ten or Tiffany Yorks, the oldest known survivor of the condition, who died at age 27 in 2016. But the exact cause of sirenomelia is still unknown in the medical world because most cases occur randomly for no reason. Due to this randomness, researchers believe a new mutation or environmental factors may play a role in the development of the disorder.</p> <ol start="3"> <li><strong> Highly superior autobiographical memory </strong></li> </ol> <p>If you give Jill Price a date, she can easily tell you what day of the week it fell on and what she did that day. Price was reported as the first known case of highly superior autobiographical memory (HSAM) in 2006. Since then, more adults and even children have been identified as having this ability. People with HSAM can recall almost anything from their memories in minute detail from events in their life to conversations they’ve had. The true mystery is why some people have this superhuman brainpower and others don’t. Brain images of people with HSAM have shown researchers that some parts of their brain structure are different from people who have a typical memory. But it’s not yet known if these brain differences cause HSAM or if they occur because the person uses areas of the brain associated with memory more.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/true-stories-lifestyle/thought-provoking/15-scientific-mysteries-boffins-cant-figure-out" target="_blank">Here are 15 more mysteries that have scientists perplexed.</a></p> <ol start="4"> <li><strong> Water allergies </strong></li> </ol> <p>Fewer than 100 people in the world have been diagnosed with aquagenic urticaria, a rare condition where people break out in hives or rashes every time they’re exposed to water. However, researchers have not found an underlying cause for the condition. Some scientific theories suggest that the hives are caused by an allergen in the water or an interaction between the water and a substance found in or on the skin that generates a toxic material, which causes hives. Some doctors recommend patients only bathe in or drink purified water (that is, if the condition is allergen-based), but an effective treatment still has yet to come to fruition due to limited data on this rare condition.</p> <ol start="5"> <li><strong> Stiff person syndrome </strong></li> </ol> <p>This rare, progressive syndrome known as stiff person syndrome (SPS) can cause people to experience extreme stiffness, rigidity and painful spasms in their muscles. Sometimes, these muscle spasms are so strong they can even fracture bones. When the central nervous system, specifically in the brain and spinal cord, has decreased inhibition, it can cause a person’s muscle activity to increase, which can result in SPS. Scientists think the syndrome may have an autoimmune component and research has indicated that it may occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord. Although scientists are on the cusp of discovering what could cause this disabling disorder, they still have yet to understand everything about SPS.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/6-myths-about-human-body-quashed" target="_blank">Here are 6 myths about the human body quashed. </a></p> <ol start="6"> <li><strong> Disembarkment syndrome </strong></li> </ol> <p>You know that feeling you get when you feel wobbly after you disembark a boat? You’ve probably heard someone say you’re “getting your land legs back.” For most people, this feeling of being in constant motion usually goes away after a few minutes or hours. But some people suffer from disembarkment syndrome, a condition where their bodies and brains can never shake that feeling of swaying and rocking. Unfortunately, it’s a hard condition to treat and usually goes away within a year. And it’s not just limited to being out on a boat either; riding in planes, trains, cars, even elevators can cause it too. Unfortunately, doctors still aren’t sure what really lies behind disembarkment syndrome. People who get migraines and women ages 30 to 60 are more likely to get it, but experts are uncertain if hormones play a role or how migraines could be linked.</p> <ol start="7"> <li><strong> Morgellons disease </strong></li> </ol> <p>People with this skin condition typically feel like something is stinging or crawling all over their skin. Unfortunately, Morgellons disease is an uncommon skin condition, characterised by small fibres or particles emerging from skin sores, that modern medicine still doesn’t understand. Some doctors think the condition is all in the patient’s head and try to treat them with cognitive behavioural therapy, antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs or counselling, while others in the medical field think the fibres could be caused by an infection from the bacterium Agrobacterium, commonly found to cause tumours in plants. As researchers attempt to study the cause of this mysterious disease, there’s still no official guidelines on diagnosis and treatment.</p> <ol start="8"> <li><strong> The boy who doesn’t feel hungry</strong></li> </ol> <p>In October 2013, Landon Jones, a 12-year-old boy from Iowa, U SA, suddenly woke up without an appetite or thirst. It only took a year for the boy to go from a healthy 47kg to a meagre 30kg. Doctors were baffled by his condition after countless brain scans, psychiatric evaluations and medical evaluations for digestive problems or eating disorders showed nothing. Some doctors wonder if he suffers from a rare brain dysfunction, particularly in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls hunger and thirst. In 2014, his parents reached out to the National Institutes of Health to help evaluate Landon and possibly treat him for this rare disease. But there’s been no news to-date to say if doctors have determined a diagnosis.</p> <p><em>Written by Ashley Lewis. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/8-unsolved-medical-mysteries-that-still-stump-doctors">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.</em></p> <p> </p>

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Dad charged with murder of 4-year-old daughter

<p>Horrific details of a helpless toddler who was allegedly left to die by her father in her cot continue to emerge.</p> <p>Willow Dunn, 4, had Down syndrome and was left to die by her father, Mark James Dunn, 43.</p> <p>Dunn allegedly told Australian police he found his daughter dead on Saturday, but made no effort to seek medical help until Monday, where a call to emergency services was made.</p> <p>Dunn has since been charged with Willow’s murder.</p> <p>Police say that Willow was left in her cot even after her father discovered her body.</p> <p>They are now probing whether she was starved to death and was being denied education.</p> <p>Police allege that she had burns to her scalp as well as bone-deep infected sores on her hips.</p> <p>Willow’s body was allegedly found in a back bedroom inside the rented home in Brisbane, where she lived with her father, stepmother and stepsister.</p> <p>The stepmother and stepsister are not facing charges and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing on their parts.</p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts/police-allege-dad-left-disabled-daughter-4-to-die/news-story/be5b691e7e4047efcd5c8952696b6899" target="_blank">The Courier-Mail</a></em><span> </span>spoke to neighbours around the home, who had said that they had never seen Willow at the home.</p> <p>Child Safety Minister Di Farmer did not answer questions about whether the family was known to the Department of Child Safety.</p> <p>“The death of any child is a tragedy,” she said. “I know the death of this little girl has had a profound impact on our community and my deepest sympathies go to those who knew and loved this child.”</p> <p>LNP shadow police minister Dan Purdie said that “serious questions need to be asked” about Willow’s case.</p> <p>“The big question in such a horrific case of alleged neglect is how a vulnerable young child has slipped through the cracks and how this could have been prevented,” the former child protection cop said.</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8358123/Cannon-Hill-Willow-Dunn-dead-Brisbane-home-mauled-rats-lay-cot.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a></em></p>

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What is Charles Bonnet syndrome – the eye condition that causes hallucinations?

<p>Visual hallucinations, or seeing things that aren’t really there, can be frightening and distressing.</p> <p>They may occur due to a large variety of physical and psychiatric conditions. But a lesser known cause is Charles Bonnet syndrome (pronounced <em>bo-nay</em>), named after the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Bonnet">Swiss scientist</a> who first described the condition in 1760.</p> <p>Charles Bonnet syndrome (also called visual release hallucinations) refers to visual hallucinations in patients with severe vision loss due to eye, optic nerve or brain disease.</p> <p>We don’t know the exact cause of Charles Bonnet syndrome. But the most commonly accepted theory is the loss of visual sensory signals to the brain (for example, when a person becomes blind) means the brain cannot put the brakes on <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1479-8301.2009.00288.x">excessive and unwanted brain activity</a>.</p> <p>This leads the part of the brain responsible for the sensation of vision (the visual cortex) to fire signals inappropriately. The person in turn perceives they are seeing something in the absence of a true stimulus – a visual hallucination.</p> <p>If these symptoms are affecting you, a friend or family member who has become blind in one or both eyes, it’s important to understand it’s not a sign of “going mad”.</p> <p><strong>What are Charles Bonnet hallucinations like?</strong></p> <p>The hallucinations may be “simple” (such as lines, shapes, or flashes of light) or “complex” (such as formed images of animals, like butterflies). Simple hallucinations are much more common.</p> <p>They may occur for seconds or minutes to hours or continuously, and the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9091601">frequency ranges</a> from isolated episodes to multiple times a day. It’s normal for Charles Bonnet syndrome to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24825847-negative-outcome-charles-bonnet-syndrome/?from_term=Cox+TM&amp;from_cauthor_id=24825847&amp;from_pos=1">last for years</a>; some people will experience symptoms for the rest of their lives.</p> <p>The nature of Charles Bonnet hallucinations is highly variable. That is, people who are affected often don’t see the same thing repeatedly, and one person with Charles Bonnet syndrome will see different things from the next person.</p> <p>Charles Bonnet hallucinations often have little or no emotional meaning, allowing affected people to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8622335">recognise they are not real</a>. This is distinct from hallucinations associated with mental illness.</p> <p>Other features of visual hallucinations unique to Charles Bonnet syndrome include:</p> <ul> <li>hallucinations only appear in the areas where vision is lost (for example, a person who is blind in their left eye will perceive hallucinations only in that eye)</li> <li>hallucinations are more frequently seen with the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8622335">eyes open than closed</a>, and may disappear when the person closes their eyes or looks away</li> <li>hallucinations are more common in settings of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8622335">sensory deprivation</a> (for example, at night time or in dim lighting, or during periods of inactivity).</li> </ul> <p><strong>Who is affected?</strong></p> <p>Most people with Charles Bonnet syndrome are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18983551">older adults</a> (usually over 70). This is probably because vision loss is most common in this age group. But any person of any age with acquired vision loss can develop Charles Bonnet syndrome.</p> <p>The causes of blindness that lead to Charles Bonnet syndrome are usually macular degeneration, glaucoma, <a href="https://www.hollows.org/au/eye-health/diabetic-retinopathy?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2vjuBRCqARIsAJL5a-JKWwv0VqzUfB0BH7XZVpJzIKDMYh_5kfXTuPe13_CGEjkAd4OlnXAaAhV5EALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">diabetes</a>, <a href="https://www.visionaustralia.org/information/eye-conditions/stroke?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiA2vjuBRCqARIsAJL5a-JO8Ty6cKPi-X8IkE7mWs90kZtUbz4UvwbewgvMyqgXYyybMfFTvVEaAp-pEALw_wcB">stroke</a> and injury – but any disease that leads to blindness may cause Charles Bonnet syndrome.</p> <p>The syndrome does not occur in congenital blindness (people born blind from birth).</p> <p>We currently have no conclusive data on how many Australians have Charles Bonnet syndrome, although <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18983551">one study</a> estimated more than 17% of people aged over 60 with impaired vision had it. In <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2314586">another study</a>, as many as 57% of participants with vision loss reported perceived visual hallucinations.</p> <p>Importantly, it may be more common than estimated because of lack of reporting. That is, people who are affected may not report their hallucinations due to fear of psychiatric disease or of being perceived to be “going mad”.</p> <p>Further, people who do report their symptoms may be <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3555593/">misdiagnosed</a> with psychosis or dementia.</p> <p><strong>Treatment options are limited</strong></p> <p>Seeing a general practitioner (often in conjunction with a neurologist and/or geriatrician) is an important first step to exclude other causes of hallucinations. These could include dementia, physical neurological conditions (for example, a brain tumour), epilepsy and delirium due to infections or medications. Your doctor may order blood tests and/or brain imaging to rule these out.</p> <p>Treatment for Charles Bonnet syndrome is very limited, but <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11711837">many patients report</a> reassurance is all they need, especially for infrequent hallucinations or those that don’t adversely affect quality of life.</p> <p>Strategies to minimise the frequency and duration of hallucinations include frequent blinking or rapid eye movement, going to a lighter place or switching a light on, and increasing social interaction, which helps to counter inactivity.</p> <p>For patients with debilitating symptoms, doctors may trial medications such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23676430">antidepressants</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23037678">antipsychotics</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27485168">antiepileptic drugs</a>, though their efficacy is variable and may be outweighed by side effects.</p> <p>Hallucinations may disappear if the cause of vision loss can be corrected (for example, if severe cataracts were causing blindness and the patient has a cataracts operation).</p> <p>Unfortunately though, generally the causes of vision loss that lead to Charles Bonnet syndrome can’t be treated.</p> <p><em>Written by Jason Yosar. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-charles-bonnet-syndrome-the-eye-condition-that-causes-hallucinations-122322">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Caring

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A teacher’s beautiful decision for 14-year-old student with down syndrome

<p>A teacher has made a beautiful gesture for a 14-year-old boy with down syndrome.</p> <p>Kerry Bremer, 52, first met Jake Manning when he was just 14 years old, along with his mother Jean four years ago after the family moved to Massachusetts from Florida, US.</p> <p>Sadly Jean had breast cancer and worried about the fate of her only son.</p> <p>“He’s just so lovable,” Bremer told<span> </span><em>Boston 25 News</em><span> </span>about the student.</p> <p>“He loves everyone, and he’s so smart and funny. He is very funny.”</p> <p>Bremer was Jake's teacher at CASE Collaborative School in Concord, Massachusetts when he and his family just moved to the state.</p> <p>After Jean expressed worry about what would happen to him if she were to pass away, which resulted in Kerry offering up to adopt sweet Jake who she admitted she “fell in love with” instantly.</p> <p>“I called his mom and I said, ‘I might be overstepping here, I’m really sorry if I am but just in case, if you need to have some backup for Jake my family would be willing to be his guardians,’ and she said, ‘I’m going to sleep better tonight than I have in a very long time,’” Bremer explained. </p> <p>“I knew he would a need a home and there was no way I wouldn't open ours to him.”</p> <p>Kerry and her husband already have three children: Kristen, 21, Jonathan, 19, and Kaitlyn, 16. </p> <p>On November 13, Jake’s mother, Jean, sadly passed away from cancer, and swiftly moved into Bremer’s home full-time.</p> <p>“He needed us and quite honestly obviously we needed him,” Bremer said.</p> <p>“He’s fit in so perfect here.”</p>

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The truth behind broken heart syndrome

<p><strong><em>Nelson Chong is a senior lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Westminster.</em></strong></p> <p>A stressful event, such as the death of a loved one, really can break your heart. In medicine, the condition is known as broken heart syndrome or takotsubo syndrome. It is characterised by a temporary disruption of the heart’s normal pumping function, which puts the sufferer at increased risk of death. It’s believed to be the reason many elderly couples die within a <span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/30/well/live/how-emotions-can-affect-the-heart.html">short time of each other</a></span>.</p> <p>Broken heart syndrome has similar symptoms to a heart attack, including chest pain and difficulty breathing. During an attack, which can be triggered by a bereavement, divorce, surgery or other stressful event, the heart muscle weakens to the extent that it can no longer pump blood effectively.</p> <p>In about one in 10 cases, people with broken heart syndrome develop a condition called <u><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26474843">cardiogenic shock</a></u> where the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. This can result in death.</p> <p><strong>Physical damage</strong></p> <p>It has long been thought that, unlike a heart attack, damage caused by broken heart syndrome was temporary, lasting days or weeks, but recent research suggest that this is not the case.</p> <p>A <u><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28599831">study</a></u> by researchers at the University of Aberdeen provided the first evidence that broken heart syndrome results in permanent physiological changes to the heart. The researchers followed 52 patients with the condition for four months, using ultrasound and cardiac imaging scans to look at how the patients’ hearts were functioning in minute detail. They discovered that the disease permanently affected the heart’s pumping motion. They also found that parts of the heart muscle were replaced by fine scars, which reduced the elasticity of the heart and prevented it from contracting properly.</p> <p>In a recent follow-up <u><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29128863">study</a></u>, the same research team reported that people with broken heart syndrome have persistent impaired heart function and reduced exercise capacity, resembling heart failure, for more than 12 months after being discharged from hospital.</p> <p class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5f2Ga5O55k8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>Long-term risk</strong></p> <p>A <span><a href="https://newsroom.heart.org/news/complication-of-broken-heart-syndrome-associated-with-both-short-and-long-term-risk-of-death?preview=9f46">new study on the condition</a></span>, published in Circulation, now shows that the risk of death remains high for many years after the initial attack.</p> <p>In this study, researchers in Switzerland compared 198 patients with broken heart syndrome who developed cardiogenic shock with 1,880 patients who did not. They found that patients who experienced cardiogenic shock were more likely to have had the syndrome triggered by physical stress, such as surgery or an asthma attack, and they were also significantly more likely to have died five years after the initial event.</p> <p>People with major heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes and smoking, were also much more likely to experience cardiogenic shock, as were people with <span><a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/atrial-fibrillation/">atrial fibrillation</a></span> (a type of heart arrythmia).</p> <p>A second <span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213177918303925">study</a></span> from Spain found similar results among 711 people with broken heart syndrome, 11% of whom developed cardiogenic shock. Over the course of a year, cardiogenic shock was the strongest predictor of death in this group of patients.</p> <p>These studies show that cardiogenic shock is not an uncommon risk factor in broken heart syndrome patients, and it is a strong predictor of death. They shed light on a condition that was previously thought to be less serious than it is.</p> <p>The evidence now clearly shows that the condition is not temporary, and it highlights an urgent need to establish new and more effective treatments and careful monitoring of people with this condition.</p> <p><em>Written by Nelson Chong. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.theconversation.com"><strong><u>The Conversation.</u></strong> </a></em></p> <p><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106033/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p>

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