Asperger's syndrome has recently come under the umbrella of autism spectrum disorder. This syndrome usually affects the social skills of the patient, most heavily. The patient may seem normal and even intelligent at first glance. But on closer interaction, several social skill problems will come to the fore including an obsessive focus on certain topics and issues. Repetitive behaviour is also a part of this disease. Let us find out more about asperger's syndrome.

Symptoms: the symptoms usually begin to show up early on in one's childhood. The patient will not be able to make eye contact while speaking with others. Also, a perfectly normal person may seem inordinately shy and reserved during social interactions. This awkwardness may come to the fore in the form of looking for expression cues on other people's faces and even the body language. The patient may not be a very happy and lively soul, with hardly a smile to crack at the funniest of jokes. The lack of emotions or the emotionally numb state is also a major giveaway of the condition. Other symptoms may include a strong aversion towards change in food habits and routine.

Diagnosis: the diagnosis is usually done by mental health specialists like a developmental paediatrician, a psychiatrist, a psychologist or even a paediatric neurologist. These specialists can put the child through a variety of tests that will study the neurological health as well as the speech and emotional behaviour of the child.

Educating the parent: once the diagnosis has been done, the parents of the patient will have to appraised of the condition and its implications. The symptoms and treatment will have to be duly discussed even as the parents are put through training and therapy to learn techniques with which they can help the child in progressing along more normal lines. The therapy will also help the parents deal with the challenge of living with someone suffering from this condition.

Treatment: there are varied forms of treatment that aim at fixing the specific areas and symptoms that the patient is learning to live with. Social skills training, speech and language therapy, cbt or cognitive behavioural therapy and other forms of treatment can help the child overcome many symptoms that come from this condition.

In the course of the treatment, it is important for the child, parent and therapist concerned to realise that there is no single approach that can be applied to all patients suffering from asperger's syndrome. Individual care and therapy will be required for individual cases. At the same time, most of the skills will need to be repeated at home so that the child takes them more seriously.

What Is Asperger's Syndrome?

Proper rest and a sound sleep are prerequisites for keeping the physical and mental health in good shape. Difficulty to fall asleep or having a disturbed and interrupted sleep day after day can be a nightmare. In addition to the immense physical exhaustion and fatigue, insomnia can leave a person stressed out mentally which is bound to have an impact on their professional as well as personal lives and commitments. Over the last few years, incidences of insomnia have been rising at an alarming rate.

Insomnia does not always exhibit similar symptoms in all the affected individuals. In some, the condition may be short-term, lasting for a few days or weeks (Transient Insomnia). In some, the problem may appear on and off (Intermittent Insomnia). In extreme cases, insomnia and the associated discomfort may continue for months (Chronic Insomnia). In some instances, insomnia appears as a symptom associated with health conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, heart ailments, GERD, to name a few. Severe stress and anxiety along with unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits are also known to play a pivotal role resulting in insomnia.

The goodness of Unani in treating Insomnia
Unani is one of the ancient forms of medications that has gained immense worldwide appreciation due to its effectiveness in treating various threatening and complicated health conditions including insomnia. In case of Insomnia, the Unani treatment involves a combination of Dietotherapy, Regimental Therapy, and Pharmacotherapy. The main aim of the Unani treatment is to treat insomnia by restoring the balance between the four humors namely, Blood (Dum), Yellow bile (Safra), Phlegm (Balgham), and Black bile (Sauda). It is these four humors that not only nourish the body and the vital organs but also keeps the various health conditions at bay.

With Dietotherapy or Ilaj Bil Ghiza, the aim is to bring the necessary dietary changes to deal with insomnia. The daily intake of banana, walnuts, kale, lettuce leaves, sweet potatoes, herbal tea (especially Chamomile), grapefruits, turkey and red meat (in moderation), whole grains, go a long way to improve the condition of insomnia. People with insomnia should, however, try and avoid processed foods, cheese, pork, aerated, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks, as much as possible. Unani also suggests that the dinner should be light and taken at least 2-3 hours before going to sleep.

Pharmacotherapy or Ilaj Bil Dawa involves the use of Unani medicine to alleviate the discomfort. Some of the medicines often used in treating insomnia includes:

Rogan Kaddo
Rogan Badaam
Hareera Magaz Badaam
To treat insomnia, a Unani specialist will also carry out a detoxification of the body, known as Regimental Therapy or Ilaj Bil Tadbeer, the detoxification is brought about through

Exercise (Riyazat)
Massages (Dalk)
Leeching (Taleeq-e-Alaq)
Venesection (Fasd)
Turkish bath (Hammam)

Role Of Unani Medication In Insomnia Treatment

Dyslexia is a neurological condition which makes learning a difficult process in children. Children suffering from dyslexia find themselves incapable of reading and learning as compared to their peers. Dyslexia occurs when the brain cannot process graphic symbols. This causes difficulty in recognizing, spelling and also decoding words. The effect of this condition varies from one person to another and is most often a lifelong condition. It can also vary as a result of different ages in people. However, a slower reading level is one common characteristic that is present in all dyslexic children.

Dyslexia is a strictly neurological condition that has little to do with a person s intelligence. It can also occur as a result of genetic conditions. Early detection of the condition can help in improvement before he or she reaches adolescence. A thorough evaluation process of the child will include the following aspects IQ level, language skills, ability of word recognition, phonological processing, automaticity skills, fluency skills, family history and also knowledge of vocabulary.

The most common symptoms of dyslexia include:

Trouble reading
Very slow progression to milestones such as walking, talking, crawling and learning to ride a bicycle.
Slow development of speech
Trouble with hand-eye coordination
A slow rate of learning when it comes to data
Problem with speech
Very poor concentration span
Children suffering from dyslexia are more prone to developing certain autoimmune diseases such as eczema and asthma.
Dyslexia is sometimes subdivided into a number of categories such as Surface Dyslexia, Rapid Deficit Dyslexia, Visual Dyslexia and Phonological Dyslexia.

There is no medical treatment for dyslexia and help generally includes assigning reading specialists, child psychologist, speech-language pathologists and child neuropsychologists.

Certain practices that you yourself follow when dealing with your dyslexic child are:

Praise your child from time to time
Remind your child that being dyslexic has nothing to do with intelligence levels
Mix with other parents who have dyslexic children and interact with them about ways and strategies to heighten the child s confidence level.
Deal with your child patiently.

Understanding Dyslexia - What All Should You Know


Autism is defined as a neurobiological pervasive development disorder that includes lack of social skills and inability to reciprocate to social interactions. The patient may also have intellectual and cognitive deficits and problems in communication (verbal as well as non-verbal).

Ayurveda is the oldest study of medicine and has proved to be very effective when it comes to managing and treating those affected by autism. The earlier an autistic person resorts to ayurveda, the more effective it is.

Ayurvedic drink recipe for treating the symptoms of autism: (should be taken daily)
1.1/3 cup of yogurt
2.3/4 cup of water
3. Cumin
4. Coriander and
5. Ginger
Or
Diluted fresh pomegranate juice

Ayurveda in curbing aggression:
Autism includes heightened aggression and aversion from social interaction due to a neurological condition that impairs the functioning of the brain. Not all autistic patients are violent towards others, but may express their frustration by self-harm and emotional outbursts. One can curb these emotional outbursts by taking herbal supplements. An ayurvedic herb called brahmi (bacopa monnieri) which is known for its, anti-anxiety, neuroprotection and antioxidant properties can help considerably.

Regular massages using sandalwood, rose, lavender and gotu kola oils are also very calming and relieving, because it stimulates the blood flow and neuronal responses. Massage also helps in increasing eye contact and social relatedness, less stereotypical behavior and improved sleep.

Ayurvedic herbs for autism:
1. Brahmi- scientifically known as bacopa monnieri, brahmi is an important herb that delays the process of forgetting and improves memory. Not only does brahmi improve memory, but also increases the grasping power, intellect and speech and also corrects the abnormality of emotions, personality and mood of an autistic individual. It also helps in performing complex tasks such as comprehension, reasoning and learning.

2. Ashwagandha- scientifically known as withania somnifera, ashwagandha has high affinity for gamma aminobutyric acid (gaba) receptors. Low gaba activity is related to cognitive impairment.

3. Shankhapushpi- scientifically known as convolvulus pluricaulis, shankhapushpi is very effective in improving learning and memory and is highly effective in treating insanity and epilepsy. 

4. Centella asiatica- this ayurvedic herb is used as a medication for insanity, speech disorders and epilepsy, making it a very useful drug for treating autism.

Top 5 Ayurvedic Medicine for Autism Treatment

Sleep is known to most as a period of rest and relaxation, but there are multiple disorders which are associated with sleep too. Hypersomnolence or hypersomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders. This is characterised by excessive daytime sleepiness and prolonged periods of sleep at night. They wake up fresh in the morning, but can easily go back to sleep any time of the day without feeling strained or tired. There is again no freshness associated upon waking up. Funny as it may sound, they can doze off even during a meal or in the middle of a conversation.

Causes: This condition is most common in men and in the early adolescent days.

There is no underlying cause that has been identified, though there is a genetic predisposition.
People with history of head trauma are more affected
People with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorders, epilepsy, and other mental disorders are also more likely to be affected
People with sleep apnea often are hypersomnolence
Restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy
Neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson s and Alzheimer s tend to sleep more.
Symptoms:

Sleeping for longer hours at night time
Excessively sleepy during daytime
Able to doze off anytime during the day
Inappropriate and involuntary sleeping pattern
Having difficulty getting out of bed after waking up, even after prolonged sleep
Feeling of disorientation
Feeling agitated, anxious, lethargic, and irritated
Impaired cognition and memory
All these lead to extreme state of drowsiness
Increased tendency for hallucinations
Reduced appetite and even weight loss in some people
There is restlessness, reduced pace of thinking and speaking
Overall reduced energy levels
Social interactions are affected including work life, social functions, etc.
Diagnostic criteria:

If a person happens to sleep more at night or falls asleep during the day easily for more than 3 times a week, it is usually concerning.
The added feature of no tiring physical activity can also lead to suspicion
In acute cases, these symptoms are present for at least a month and in chronic cases, it could be seen for up to 3 months
It cannot be explained by lack of sleep on a regular basis
One or more of the above conditions could be present, which can help in making the diagnosis
Treatment:
Most cases of hypersomnia would need treatment only to improve their energy levels and improve the quality of life. Very often, treating the underlying condition can lead to improvement of hypersomnia. The tired, lethargic, restless feeling affects the overall performance of a person, leaving them with a lowered self-esteem. Brain stimulating drugs like amphetamines are used to improve daytime alertness and also reduce sleepy feeling during the day.


Hypersomnolence - How It Can Be Managed?

Epilepsy is a form of chronic disorder and it is characterized by recurrent seizures. The episodes of epileptic seizures may differ from person to person. These seizures could be a result of genetic disorder or a result of trauma or stroke. During a seizure, a patient may also experience symptoms of neurological disorders and sometimes lose consciousness.

Medical help for epilepsy
Epilepsy itself cannot be cured using medication, but proper medicines help in eliminating recurrent seizures. These medicines stabilize the electrical activity within the brain preventing seizures.

How effective is the medication for epilepsy?
The success of controlling seizures using medicines depends on the type and severity of epilepsy. Medicines for epilepsy are usually very effective and may fully keep seizures under control. However, controlling seizures caused due to brain problems may be more difficult. Usually, epilepsy medicines can control seizures for a long period of time when they are taken regularly.

When is medical help needed?
The decision about when to start medicines for epilepsy is a tricky one. This is because a first seizure cannot confirm whether a person has an on-going epilepsy problem. A second seizure may occur after many years or may not happen at all. Prediction of seizures is also quite difficult.

The severity of seizures also indicates when to start medicines for treatment. In case a first seizure is quite severe, medication should be started at once. Some people have very mild seizures even though they may be recurring in nature, and medication can be avoided in this situation. After first seizure MRI and EEG may help to know whether you have the risk of second seizure or not.

All the pros and cons must be thought over before starting medications for the treatment of epilepsy. It is advisable to wait for a second seizure and then start medications for treatment. In most cases, medication is started after a second seizure occurs, twelve months within the first seizure. You should always consult a doctor to know when you need to start taking medicines to treat the condition.

For making the most out of the medicines to control seizures, you should follow certain steps:

You must take medications exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
Before switching to generic versions of your medicines or before taking other prescribed medicines, you must consult your doctor.
You should never stop taking the medicines.
In case you experience enhanced depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
In case you have migraine, you should let your doctor know so that he can prescribe you anti-epileptic medicines, which also prevent migraines.
Medicines cannot treat the underlying cause of epilepsy, but these help in controlling seizures and this is the most common symptom of epilepsy. Medication should be started at a proper time and must be continued without stopping.

When to Seek Medical Help for Epilepsy

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