Highlights:
- The theme for this year’s International Ataxia Awareness Day on 25th September is – Ataxia Symptoms
- The National Ataxia Foundation is a leading US-based organization dedicated to increasing awareness about the neurological condition
- Its campaign slogan is: Stumble Onto Ataxia
You could join in increasing awareness about ataxia either online through social media, or by participating in activities organized in your community for the purpose.
About Ataxia
Ataxia is a degenerative neurological condition, or rather a group of conditions, that can affect individuals of any age, sometimes even children. It affects a part of the brain called the cerebellum, which is responsible for balance and coordination. The symptoms usually worsen with time, sometimes slowly but sometimes quickly.Conditions under ataxia include:
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Episodic Ataxia
- Friedreich’s Ataxia
- Multiple System Atrophy
- Spinocerebellar Ataxia
- Sporadic Ataxia
- Poor balance and a tendency to stumble during walking
- Speech becomes slurred. Eating and swallowing are also affected
- Fine motor skills are affected with lack of coordination, as a result of which the person could appear clumsy to an inexperienced eye. The tremors may only make the symptoms worse.
- The movements of the eyes may not be coordinated
- Cognitive function may be affected
- Assistive devices like wheelchair or walker may be required, while some forms of the disease may reduce life span. Patients may also suffer from depression due to their condition.
There is no specific treatment for ataxia, though speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and sometimes medications are used to improve the symptoms.
The symptoms of ataxia can also occur in the presence of infections, injuries, cancer, stroke, intake of certain drugs or poisons, vitamin B12 deficiency, diabetes, problems with the inner ear and other conditions. An MRI may be useful in diagnosing some of these conditions. These conditions can be sometimes treated, often resulting in an improvement of symptoms.
Reference:
- Learn About Ataxia - (https://www.ataxia.org/international-ataxia-awareness-day/)
- Ataxia - (https://ataxia.org/)
Source-Medindia