My sister has Goldenhar Syndrome and I love her more than anything in the world, and I was just wondering how many other people here have siblings or relatives/friends with Diabilities, I dont mean disabilities such as arthritis in the ankle or anything, I mean birth defects and such, like Down syndrome. I would just be interested in knowing how common they are and how people deal with it, as I know that it can be very difficult at times to cope with it.
The link above gives a brief explanation of the syndrome, but doesnt explain all other possible defects.
For those interested, here is a picture of my sister.
She doesnt look it, but she turns 16 in a couple of weeks, as dad says, "it doesnt bother me, we can get her into the movies cheaper" :D
http://img62.exs.cx/img62/6062/Taryn.jpg
And if your one of those people who think people with these defects shouldnt be part of society, please dont add anything to this thread.

Hive man, shes beautiful. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. If they do, shoot them in the face. Give her a big happy birthday from us at IW k?

As for disabilities... well... my family is pretty lucky in that respect. Except for my brother who at 18 is still acting like a moody pubescent 13 year old, and probably will for the next decade [img]smile.gif[/img]

Hehehe, I will.
As for your brother, nothing wrong with a bit of immaturity. :D Well to an extent....

Disabilities? Well, my family is plagued with them in the mental regard. My relatives have a lot ranging from depression to schizophrenia. Not the best things to have, let me assure you.

[ 10-10-2004, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Gangrell ]

Nothing that i know of really..

Oh she nice to me. My cousin's father has Alzheimer's syndrome. (The thing that Muhammed Ali has)

My grandfather died from Alzheimer's syndrome a couple of years ago, which has made my parents regularly do charity events to raise money for research into Alzheimer's. We didn't take his death too badly as we knew very well that it was coming. In fact, you can't help but giggle at a few things that people with that syndrome have [img]smile.gif[/img] . We just tried to make the most of his last days.

Wow, you're right - she doesn't really look 16, does she? Still, she looks great; I wish you, her and your family good luck [img]smile.gif[/img]

Curious, what's the difference between Multiple Personality Disorder, and Schizophrenia? I've always heard them described as if they were very similar.
Speaking of shooting people in the face, what are the gun laws in Austrailia? :D

Schizophrenia is where you see things that aren't there, have delusions or hallucinations, your mind can convince you of something that's not real. Having multiple personalities means just that, having more than one personality.

On the mental health issue, multiple personality disorder generally results from a case of severe abuse, usually sexual (if I remember everything correctly), making it "environmentally" caused. Schizophrenia, I believe, can be inherited, but cannot be caused simply by environment. Also, MPD I think is treated with behavioral therapy, while schizophrenia is primarily managed by medication. Unfortunately, many schizophrenics have difficulty staying on the medications, I believe due to side effects or the fact that when they are on medication, they quit believing that they have a problem and therefore don't see the need to take the medication. Then violent behavior may erupt.

No major genetic or other defects in our family. I'd never heard of Goldenhar syndrome before, but there are a lot of different things that can happen either as a result of genetic mutations or in this case as a result of problems during embryo development.

And for an interesting aside, I just read a book on morning sickness (entitled "Pregnancy Sickness") written by a biologist, who suggests that morning sickness is hugely useful to propagation of the species, in that its purpose is to protect the embryo from toxins in vegetables and bacterial spoilage in meat. During the first 12 weeks past conception is when the embryo develops all its organs and systems, and if too many toxins are consumed, defects will occur. The food aversions, sensitized sense of smell, and nausea that pregnant women experience in the first trimester serve the purpose of actually stopping them from eating vegetables or meats, which hold toxins for the embryo. It was a fascinating book. Margie Proffet, I think, was the author.

Ah, I see. I was under the impression that schizophrenia worked much like MPD, ie. different personalities. That (MPD) would really suck in real life, but I have to admit, it's very fun to role-play, lol. I wonder if there's ever been a case in which someone switched personalities in a class, and the teacher thought they were being "smart?" That would be interesting.

I'm not sure if this is a disability, but it does cause my uncle not to be able to go out on his own or make any friends... my uncle Emanuel has psychosis, he's suffered with mental illnesses for most of his life... he has bi-polar and severe skitzophrenia, he has to take a lot of medication for everything too, and it always makes him tired.
So, most of his life he has never had friends, never spent time out on his own, never gone out to have fun... he just stays at home and lives with my grandmother (his mother).
My uncle is a wonderful man but it's sad to see him not being able to go out or make any friends.
That's why when I have plenty of money, I am going to go to where he lives (Melbourne) and I'm going to take him on a holiday [img]smile.gif[/img] I think he deserves it.

By the way Hivetyrant you have a beautiful daughter [img]smile.gif[/img]

LOL Lauren, thats Hive's sissy, not daughter. If he has a daughter at his age, then, WOWZA, good luck with that matey :D

Its good that the thought was there though.

<font color=skyblue>I have had two professors teach the class that Multiple Personalities are a myth and not real. Although somebody who is sick can act as though they are two different people, the truth is that it is the same person just playing two parts instead of two seperate individuals, like some people are misled to believe.

I have a question about the Goldenhar Syndrome. The article said that an accident occurs in the womb that causes blood flow to stop and then the damage begins...and that this is not an inherited trait. My question then is about what happened? Did your mom get hit in the stomach? I know that my mom was hit by a car and knocked down an embankment into a creek when she was pregnant with me, and had to be rushed to the hospital to be checked out. I also know of a 17 year-old hispanic that worked for my company a few years ago on an assembly line and her sleeve got caught and it dragged her up to the band where her pregnant body was pressed hard against the machine until I leaped across the band and kicked the machine off. I rushed her to the doctor to be looked at, (and everyone thought I was her husband, which made for an interesting time at the doctor...), but however, in both cases my mom and this girl was checked out as okay. Could this disability have occured easily in these circumstances?</font>

[ 10-11-2004, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

Well, I dont know about that one Larry, there has always been confusion over how the syndrome is actually caused, some say that it is because a lack of blood flow, some say it is becuase of other problems during pregnancy. My mother never really found out how it was caused, if it was a hit to the stomach, she might have told me that, but my dad told me one night that some doctors had told him that it may have been because of some injections he had recieved not long before, he was in the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) and travleed overseas quite frequently and had to have many injections, but it was only a suggestion, and doesnt seem very likely.
I think my parents have decided not to follow up what caused it, unless they already know and they havent told me.....
I think the reason in the article seems alot better than anything I have, so if he is right, then I suppose yes, in both those cases, it could have been possible for you or that girl to have the syndrome.


lol Dave, yeah if she was my daughter, then I would have been 2 when I got her mom pregnant...

Heh heh heh... whoops sorry about that Hivetyrant... didn't realise that, I must have a look at your profile to see how old you are...lol
once again sorry about that... and thanks Dave for pointing the mistake out for me [img]smile.gif[/img]

Your sister looks like such a sweetie!
One of my cousins has a son who's bipolar. Another cousin's son has Tourette's. I got hit the worst, though. My daughter has autism, apraxia, sensory intergative disorder and who knows what else. To top it off, she's very intelligent and her frustration leads to wicked self-abusive tantrums.
She's also the most loving, wonderful kid in the world. I don't know what I'd do without her.
The best coping method: a good sense of humor.

Dont worry about, there is no need to apologise.

And Haly, you very right, a good sense of humor does help, although Taryn(my sister) cant really talk, she can almost say basic things and still understands alot of what we say, so she knows how to make people laugh.
Just wondering, how old is your Doughter? At my sisters school, there are many kids with problems like that, and its sometimes hard to tell the ages of them.

[ 10-12-2004, 01:04 AM: Message edited by: Hivetyrant ]

LARRY- read sybil. i can see how it could be true. in fact i beleive it. sometimes i wonder about myself actually. the way they describe lost time and sybil never being able to multipy well because one of her others learned it while in control, i once had a similar problem in 2nd grade, and i still can't do those stupid break the code things where letters are switched around. the abuse in sybils case was horrific performed by a schizophrenic (her mother) and ignored by her father. if you could black out during some of the things done to her, you would.

schizophrenia can give you another life. but it's like a day dream and will stay locked away unless something triggers the effected person to talk about it.

okies---problems in our family? none yet, still popping out kids tho. we have thyroid problems, hoshimoto's disease on my side of the family, and carol may never be able to drink cows milk and the soy formula/soy milk may cause her to develop hoshimoto's disease sooner than even myself (24.) on nathan's side of the family his mom and 2 uncles were born without functioning thyroids, 1 was mentally retarded before dr's found it.

and a close friend's son is autistic. it is hard to treat him as a normal two year old since he is about12-16mos in development (less than in language, but i'm used to language problems) he is however adorable!

your sister is beautiful, love her name. wish her a great big happy birthday from us!

And Haly, you very right, a good sense of humor does help, although Taryn(my sister) cant really talk, she can almost say basic things and still understands alot of what we say, so she knows how to make people laugh.
Just wondering, how old is your Doughter? At my sisters school, there are many kids with problems like that, and its sometimes hard to tell the ages of them.

[ 10-12-2004, 01:04 AM: Message edited by: Hivetyrant ]

Kelsey is almost 15, but looks younger. (Would share a picture, but have no idea how.) She has been working on speech for years. First, she taught herself to read. Then she learned to verbally spell words one sound at a time. She's now learning to blend those sounds into complete words. Her language is very delayed, but also understands much more than she can express. The apraxia really messes her up. She has an incredible vocabulary and did grade-level science last year.
When she was little, no one thought there was much hope for her. They thought I was delusional when I said she was smart. I'll never forget the looks of astonishment when she passed a reading test.
Keep your sister full of confidence and encouragement. It's amazing what they can do when motivated!

What about my level of immaturity?


As for diasbilities, no mental illness/disabilities history in my family, high risk of heart attack though.

let me see, my brother and son both have Cerebral Palsay (sp?) I was born with a genitic disorder that basicly eats away at the bones in my ears and head, leaving nothing to protect the brain tissue. there is also mental illnesses out the kazoo. I have a cousin who has a disease that I can not think of the name of, it was supposed to kill her before she was 30, she is alot older than that now, and although she is having problems now, she has stumped the doctors on her survival [img]smile.gif[/img]

your sister is very beutiful, and seems like she is the happiest person in the world [img]smile.gif[/img]