Treatment Options Used for Children with Autism Spectrum...

Introduction Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is known as a neurodevelopmental disorder that is capable of weakening communication, behavior and socialization. The term ASD includes three major subtypes which is Autism Spectrum Disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder. About 9.0 in 1000 children have ASD and certain types of autism might not be identified until three years of life. The probability of boys being diagnosed is higher compared to girls (Bravaccio et al. 2013). Autism is not curable, but it can be controlled using certain type of treatments as there is no specific or one treatment for autism. The question that arises for this literature review, if the treatment used for autism is effective? There are†¦show more content†¦Lastly, the implication of treatments used will be discussed based on the recent research. This literature review will conclude with a concise discussion. In addition, it is important to compare the treatments used to control ASD. Treatment options used for children with autism by parental, caregivers and clinical Autism Spectrum Disorder is not curable but it can be controlled using a certain type of treatments. There are various types of treatments used by parental, caregiver and clinical. The treatments can be separated into behavior and communication approaches, medication and complementary and alternative medicine. Applied behavioral analysis is a treatment approach that is used in many schools and treatment clinics (Foxx, 2008). There are different types of ABA and one of it is early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI). EIBI is the most effective treatment used for young children from birth to 3 years old as the services consist of treatments to assist the child to talk, walk and interact with others (Matson Goldin, 2014). Discrete trials teaching (DTT) is one of the key teaching methods in EIBI. An efficient approach for teaching children with ASD has been shown by DTT and it plays an important role in language, social and academic skills. DTT has a sequence of discrete learning u nits that allows the skills to broken down into smaller units when teaching a new skill. DTT consist of three-term possibilities,Show MoreRelatedAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism Essay1474 Words   |  6 Pagesof the most widely known abnormal disorders is Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism is a complicated disorder because it represents a wide range of developmental disorders categorized by criteria such as: impaired social interactions, verbal and nonverbal communication breakdowns, and repetitive behaviors. Since Autism Spectrum Disorder is on a spectrum, as the name suggests, there are individuals with mild to little symptoms classified by Autism Spectrum Disorder and others who classify severely inRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder And Autism Essay1393 Words   |  6 PagesAutism is a neurological disorder with many forms and severities, better known as autism spectrum disorder, that begins early in childhood and lasts throughout the individual’s life. Autism spectrum disorder is defined as developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges (CDC). Previously, autism was recognized in distinct groups and types. Now, autism is referred to as a spectrum because there is an overlap among all the different forms of autismRead MoreGenetic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders1556 Words   |  7 PagesAutism is a cognitive disorder that occurs in the first three years of life and affects many children and adults today. It is a common behaviorally defined syndrome characterized by impairments in socialization, abnormalities of verbal and nonverbal communication, and restricted, stereotyped interests and behaviors. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was recently edited to more clearly define the 3 main branches of the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These branchesRead MoreChildren With Autism Spectrum Disorder869 Words   |  4 Pageswith children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD) experiences more stress than the typical family without a children with ASD. A previous research study by Baker-Ericzen, Brookman-Frazee Stahmer(2005, p. 194) supports this statement, â€Å"Both parents of children with ASD report higher levels of both parent and child related stress juxtaposed with parents of typically developing toddlers†. In order to comprehend the information of the study, one must understand what autism spectrum disorder is. AutismRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorders Essay1734 Words   |  7 Pagescharacteristics or Autism Spectrum Disorder, including its symptoms, treatments, and possible causes. This paper will also highlight the differences between Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) and Asperger Disorder(AD). Autism spectrum disorders effect one in 110 births in the United States. Autism spectrum disorders are severe, incurable developmental disorders whose symptoms, including impairments in social interaction and communication, emerge during the first two years of life. Asperger disorder distinguishesRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )1587 Words   |  7 Pages Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder  (ASD) Purpose: My audience will learn the importance of recognizing early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children. Thesis: It is important to understand the early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and why early intervention is the best treatment. Introduction: Gain/maintain attention There is a television show I like to watch called â€Å"The Big Bang Theory, maybe some of you have seen it. This show focuses on the relationships between a group of friends, someRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder1409 Words   |  6 Pagesdiagnosed with autism in the United States (Autism Speaks, n.d.). Can be diagnosed in all racial and ethnic groups, as well as every age group. In the 2013 publication of DSM-5 diagnostic manual, Asperger syndrome, Autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder- not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) were merged into one category of ASD. This paper will explain what Autism Spectrum Disorder is, causes, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, clinical trialsRead MoreAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd ) And Autism Essay1356 Words   |  6 PagesAutism Autism is really come along ways from where it use to be. There’s been so much research done to try and track it early and see if there’s something that can done to try and prevent it. There are celebrities with the disorder as well as some celebrity kids or their children with it. The definition of autism is a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment as defined by Dictionary.com and is a part of theRead MorePervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) Essay1651 Words   |  7 Pages The term Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) refers a group of disorders that pertain to one’s communication, social, and developmental skills. Symptoms can be detected as early as infancy, as some cases are identified before the age of three. Children or toddlers with PDD may show difficulty relating to others and often have trouble using and understanding language. In addition, they may have unusual behavior patterns and demonstrate resistance during a change in their routine. PDD is a generalRead MoreThe Effect Of Telehealth On The Language And Communication Delays That Accompany Autism Spectrum Disorder ( Autism ) Essay1703 Words   |  7 Pagespractices to treat or assess disorders via technology, such as video or webcams, rather than treating patients face-to-face. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may use this method to treat a variety of delays and disorders, including stuttering, apraxia, lisps, and others. This paper will explore the use of telehealth in treating the language and communication delays that accompany Autism Spectrum Disorder (autism), specifically in children. Autism Spectrum Disorder is â€Å"a complex developmental disability

Benedicks Changing Character in William Shakespeares...

Benedicks Changing Character in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing During the play Much Ado About Nothing, Benedicks character changes dramatically towards certain aspects of life, namely in his attitude towards women and love. At the beginning of the play Benedick is portrayed as an experienced soldier and a knowledgeable scholar but with little interest in women, love, and marriage; a partly formed Renaissance man. His friends were mainly his army colleagues those whom, he had fought alongside when at war. However, as the play progresses, we see him become easily influenced by others and his attitude towards life change, thus displaying his giddy character. In the first scenes†¦show more content†¦Don Pedro sees something in Beatrice and Benedicks relationship that no-one else sees. He thinks about both of their characters and realizes that they are both missing one important key to life, love. They both nearly have completed their tripartite soul. Benedick has seen action, he is well educated, but he is missing passion. Beatrice, has beauty, chastity, however she is also missing passion. Don Pedro thinks they are a match and he decides to play cupid between the two. Don Pedro plans for Leonato, himself and Claudio to have a conversation in the orchard which is going to be overheard by Benedick. They talk about Beatrice being in love with Benedick; while they are talking Benedick is hiding behind a tree, listening to every word. This is a clever plan to make each party feel sorry for the other, and therefore fall in love with each other. It works very well. Benedick listens he starts to believe that they might be telling the truth. Leonato remarks that Beatrice says By my own spirit; for I should flout him, if he writ to me; yea though I love him, I should Benedick believes that these are strong words for anyone to make up so from then on he starts to believe what the men are saying. He starts to appear vulnerable, believing what these men are saying to each other. After Leonato, Don Pedro and Claudio have had this forcedShow MoreRelated The Development of Benedicks Character in Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1669 Words   |  7 PagesThe Development of Benedicks Character in Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing At the beginning of the play, Benedick appears as almost a comic character, acting as if the most important part of his character is his wit. However, by the end of the play it becomes obvious that he is a clear-thinking character who is able to take action and keep his head in a crisis. The change in Benedicks character is accompanied by the change in his relationship with Beatrice, as they move from merryRead More William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Essay1155 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the play Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare describes how a person can do a lot of things out of nothing. There are four main characters in this play that find a lot to do about stupid things and it can make things very difficult. The main characters are: Benedick, Claudio, Beatrice, and Hero. Shakespeare explains the roles of these four different characters and how relationships work. Its amazing what he knew 400 years ago aboutRead MoreMuch to Do with Deception2356 Words   |  10 Pagesâ€Å"Much To Do With Deception† A Critical Research Paper about William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing, written by William Shakespeare, is a dramatic production that uses the tools of deception and humor under the category of comedy. As defined by Paul N. Siegel, â€Å"A comic play is usually accepted to be a light-hearted play with a happy conclusion.† Yet, Shakespearian tragic plays often use deception as a method to damage the role of the hero. In other Shakespearian tragediesRead More Benedick’s False Love in Much Ado About Nothing Essay example1619 Words   |  7 PagesBenedick’s False Love in Much Ado About Nothing  Ã‚     Much Ado About Nothing is one of William Shakespeare’s best comedies and love stories.   What is not to like about a play that is hilarious, romantic, and has a happy ending?   In this play the foremost and most intriguing character is Benedick, a man who is a devout bachelor and who does not believe he will ever find the perfect woman; --because perfect is exactly what he must have.   This may seem to be a harsh and pessimistic outlook on lifeRead MoreJulius Caesar2287 Words   |  10 PagesStudy Guide for â€Å"The Tragedy of Julius Caesar† by William Shakespeare The following questions will help you to prepare for your eventual test over â€Å"Julius Caesar†. While I will not be collecting this, it is on you to make sure that you are answering the questions as we go. Your test will be taken directly from this study guide. Act I 1) Judging from the events in Act I, the political mood and behavior of the Romans are best described how? 2) When we first see Brutus, he appears to be ________________________

The Amber Spyglass Chapter 8 Vodka Free Essays

Balthamos felt the death of Baruch the moment it happened. He cried aloud and soared into the night air over the tundra, flailing his wings and sobbing his anguish into the clouds; and it was some time before he could compose himself and go back to Will, who was wide awake, knife in hand, peering up into the damp and chilly murk. They were back in Lyra’s world. We will write a custom essay sample on The Amber Spyglass Chapter 8 Vodka or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"What is it?† said Will as the angel appeared trembling beside him. â€Å"Is it danger? Get behind me – â€Å" â€Å"Baruch is dead,† cried Balthamos, â€Å"my dear Baruch is dead – â€Å" â€Å"When? Where?† But Balthamos couldn’t tell; he only knew that half his heart had been extinguished. He couldn’t keep still: he flew up again, scouring the sky as if to seek out Baruch in this cloud or that, calling, crying, calling; and then he’d be overcome with guilt, and fly down to urge Will to hide and keep quiet, and promise to watch over him tirelessly; and then the pressure of his grief would crush him to the ground, and he’d remember every instance of kindness and courage that Baruch had ever shown, and there were thousands, and he’d forgotten none of them; and he’d cry that a nature so gracious could never be snuffed out, and he’d soar into the skies again, casting about in every direction, reckless and wild and stricken, cursing the very air, the clouds, the stars. Finally Will said, â€Å"Balthamos, come here.† The angel came at his command, helpless. Shivering inside his cloak, in the bitter cold gloom of the tundra, the boy said to him, â€Å"You must try to keep quiet now. You know there are things out there that’ll attack if they hear a noise. I can protect you with the knife if you’re nearby, but if they attack you up there, I won’t be able to help. And if you die, too, that’ll be the end for me. Balthamos, I need you to help guide me to Lyra. Please don’t forget that. Baruch was strong – be strong, too. Be like him for me.† At first Balthamos didn’t speak, but then he said, â€Å"Yes. Yes, of course I must. Sleep now, Will, and I shall stand guard, I shan’t fail you.† Will trusted him; he had to. And presently he fell asleep again. When he woke up, soaked with dew and cold to his bones, the angel was standing nearby. The sun was just rising, and the reeds and the marsh plants were all tipped with gold. Before Will could move, Balthamos said, â€Å"I’ve decided what I must do. I shall stay with you day and night, and do it cheerfully and willingly, for the sake of Baruch. I shall guide you to Lyra, if I can, and then I shall guide you both to Lord Asriel. I have lived thousands of years, and unless I am killed, I shall live many thousands of years more; but I never met a nature that made me so ardent to do good, or to be kind, as Baruch’s did. I failed so many times, but each time his goodness was there to redeem me. Now it’s not, I shall have to try without it. Perhaps I shall fail from time to time, but I shall try all the same.† â€Å"Then Baruch would be proud of you,† said Will, shivering. â€Å"Shall I fly ahead now and see where we are?† â€Å"Yes,† said Will, â€Å"fly high, and tell me what the land’s like farther on. Walking on this marshland is going to take forever.† Balthamos took to the air. He hadn’t told Will everything he was anxious about, because he was trying to do his best and not worry him; but he knew that the angel Metatron, the Regent, from whom they’d escaped so narrowly, would have Will’s face firmly imprinted on his mind. And not only his face, but everything about him that angels were able to see, including parts of which Will himself was not aware, such as that aspect of his nature Lyra would have called his daemon. Will was in great danger from Metatron now, and at some time Balthamos would have to tell him; but not quite yet. It was too difficult. Will, reckoning that it would be quicker to get warm by walking than by gathering fuel and waiting for a fire to catch, simply slung the rucksack over his shoulders, wrapped the cloak around everything, and set off toward the south. There was a path, muddy and rutted and potholed, so people did sometimes come this way; but the flat horizon was so far away on every side that he had little sense of making progress. Sometime later, when the light was brighter, Balthamos’s voice spoke beside him. â€Å"About half a day’s walk ahead, there is a wide river and a town, where there’s a wharf for boats to tie up. I flew high enough to see that the river goes a long way directly south and north. If you could get a passage, then you could move much more quickly.† â€Å"Good,† said Will fervently. â€Å"And does this path go to the town?† â€Å"It goes through a village, with a church and farms and orchards, and then on to the town.† â€Å"I wonder what language they speak. I hope they don’t lock me up if I can’t speak theirs.† â€Å"As your daemon,† said Balthamos, â€Å"I shall translate for you. I have learned many human languages; I can certainly understand the one they speak in this country.† Will walked on. The toil was dull and mechanical, but at least he was moving, and at least every step took him closer to Lyra. The village was a shabby place: a huddle of wooden buildings, with paddocks containing reindeer, and dogs that barked as he approached. Smoke crept out of the tin chimneys and hung low over the shingled roofs. The ground was heavy and dragged at his feet, and there had obviously been a recent flood: walls were marked with mud to halfway up the doors, and broken beams of wood and loose-hanging sheets of corrugated iron showed where sheds and verandas and outbuildings had been swept away. But that was not the most curious feature of the place. At first he thought he was losing his balance – it even made him stumble once or twice – for the buildings were two or three degrees out of the vertical, all leaning the same way. The dome of the little church had cracked badly. Had there been an earthquake? Dogs were barking with hysterical fury, but not daring to come close. Balthamos, being a daemon, had taken the form of a large snow white dog with black eyes, thick fur, and tight-curled tail, and he snarled so fiercely that the real dogs kept their distance. They were thin and mangy, and the few reindeer Will could see were scabby-coated and listless. Will paused in the center of the little village and looked around, wondering where to go, and as he stood there, two or three men appeared ahead and stood staring at him. They were the first people he had ever seen in Lyra’s world. They wore heavy felt coats, muddy boots, and fur hats, and they didn’t look friendly. The white dog changed into a sparrow and flew to Will’s shoulder. No one blinked an eye at this: each of the men had a daemon, Will saw, dogs, most of them, and that was how things happened in this world. On his shoulder, Balthamos whispered: â€Å"Keep moving. Don’t look them in the eye. Keep your head down. That is the respectful thing to do.† Will kept walking. He could make himself inconspicuous; it was his greatest talent. By the time he got to them, the men had already lost interest in him. But then a door opened in the biggest house in the road, and a voice called something loudly. Balthamos said softly, â€Å"The priest. You will have to be polite to him. Turn and bow.† Will did so. The priest was an immense, gray-bearded man, wearing a black cassock, with a crow daemon on his shoulder. His restless eyes moved over Will’s face and body, taking everything in. He beckoned. Will went to the doorway and bowed again. The priest said something, and Balthamos murmured, â€Å"He’s asking where you come from. Say whatever you like.† â€Å"I speak English,† Will said slowly and clearly. â€Å"I don’t know any other languages.† â€Å"Ah, English!† cried the priest gleefully in English. â€Å"My dear young man! Welcome to our village, our little no-longer-perpendicular Kholodnoye! What is your name, and where are you going?† â€Å"My name is Will, and I’m going south. I have lost my family, and I’m trying to find them again.† â€Å"Then you must come inside and have some refreshment,† said the priest, and put a heavy arm around Will’s shoulders, pulling him in through the doorway. The man’s crow daemon was showing a vivid interest in Balthamos. But the angel was equal to that: he became a mouse and crept into Will’s shirt as if he were shy. The priest led him into a parlor heavy with tobacco smoke, where a cast-iron samovar steamed quietly on a side table. â€Å"What was your name?† said the priest. â€Å"Tell me again.† â€Å"Will Parry. But I don’t know what to call you.† â€Å"Otyets Semyon,† said the priest, stroking Will’s arm as he guided him to a chair. â€Å"Otyets means Father. I am a priest of the Holy Church. My given name is Semyon, and the name of my father was Boris, so I am Semyon Borisovitch. What is your father’s name?† â€Å"John Parry.† â€Å"John is Ivan. So you are Will Ivanovitch, and I am Father Semyon Borisovitch. Where have you come from, Will Ivanovitch, and where are you going?† â€Å"I’m lost,† Will said. â€Å"I was traveling with my family to the south. My father is a soldier, but he was exploring in the Arctic, and then something happened and we got lost. So I’m traveling south because I know that’s where we were going next.† The priest spread his hands and said, â€Å"A soldier? An explorer from England? No one so interesting as that has trodden the dirty roads of Kholodnoye for centuries, but in this time of upheaval, how can we know that he will not appear tomorrow? You yourself are a welcome visitor, Will Ivanovitch. You must stay the night in my house and we will talk and eat together. Lydia Alexandrovna!† he called. An elderly woman came in silently. He spoke to her in Russian, and she nodded and took a glass and filled it with hot tea from the samovar. She brought the glass of tea to Will, together with a little saucer of jam with a silver spoon. â€Å"Thank you,† said Will. â€Å"The conserve is to sweeten the tea,† said the priest. â€Å"Lydia Alexandrovna made it from bilberries.† The result was that the tea was sickly as well as bitter, but Will sipped it, nonetheless. The priest kept leaning forward to look closely at him, and felt his hands to see whether he was cold, and stroked his knee. In order to distract him, Will asked why the buildings in the village sloped. â€Å"There has been a convulsion in the earth,† the priest said. â€Å"It is all foretold in the Apocalypse of St. John. Rivers flow backward†¦ The great river only a short way from here used to flow north into the Arctic Ocean. All the way from the mountains of central Asia it flowed north for thousands and thousands of years, ever since the Authority of God the Almighty Father created the earth. But when the earth shook and the fog and the floods came, everything changed, and then the great river flowed south for a week or more before it turned again and went north. The world is turned upside down. Where were you when the great convulsion came?† â€Å"A long way from here,† Will said. â€Å"I didn’t know what was happening. When the fog cleared, I had lost my family and I don’t know where I am now. You’ve told me the name of this place, but where is it? Where are we?† â€Å"Bring me that large book on the bottom shelf,† said Semyon Borisovitch. â€Å"I will show you.† The priest drew his chair up to the table and licked his fingers before turning the pages of the great atlas. â€Å"Here,† he said, pointing with a dirty fingernail at a spot in central Siberia, a long way east of the Urals. The river nearby flowed, as the priest had said, from the northern part of the mountains in Tibet all the way to the Arctic. He looked closely at the Himalaya, but he could see nothing like the map Baruch had sketched. Semyon Borisovitch talked and talked, pressing Will for details of his life, his family, his home, and Will, a practiced dissembler, answered him fully enough. Presently the housekeeper brought in some beetroot soup and dark bread, and after the priest had said a long grace, they ate. â€Å"Well, how shall we pass our day, Will Ivanovitch?† said Semyon Borisovitch. â€Å"Shall we play at cards, or would you prefer to talk?† He drew another glass of tea from the samovar, and Will took it doubtfully. â€Å"I can’t play cards,† he said, â€Å"and I’m anxious to get on and keep traveling. If I went to the river, for example, do you think I could find a passage on a steamer going south?† The priest’s huge face darkened, and he crossed himself with a delicate flick of the wrist. â€Å"There is trouble in the town,† he said. â€Å"Lydia Alexandrovna has a sister who came here and told her there is a boat carrying bears up the river. Armored bears. They come from the Arctic. You did not see armored bears when you were in the north?† The priest was suspicious, and Balthamos whispered so quietly that only Will could hear: â€Å"Be careful.† And Will knew at once why he’d said it: his heart had begun to pound when Semyon Borisovitch mentioned the bears, because of what Lyra had told him about them. He must try to contain his feelings. He said, â€Å"We were a long way from Svalbard, and the bears were occupied with their own affairs.† â€Å"Yes, that is what I heard,† said the priest, to Will’s relief, â€Å"But now they are leaving their homeland and coming south. They have a boat, and the people of the town will not let them refuel. They are afraid of the bears. And so they should be – they are children of the devil. All things from the north are devilish. Like the witches – daughters of evil! The Church should have put them all to death many years ago. Witches – have nothing to do with them, Will Ivanovitch, you hear me? You know what they will do when you come to the right age? They will try to seduce you. They will use all the soft, cunning, deceitful ways they have, their flesh, their soft skin, their sweet voices, and they will take your seed – you know what I mean by that – they will drain you and leave you hollow! They will take your future, your children that are to come, and leave you nothing. They should be put to death, every one.† The priest reached across to the shelf beside his chair and took down a bottle and two small glasses. â€Å"Now I am going to offer you a little drink, Will Ivanovitch,† he said. â€Å"You are young, so not very many glasses. But you are growing, and so you need to know some things, like the taste of vodka. Lydia Alexandrovna collected the berries last year, and I distilled the liquor, and here in the bottle is the result, the only place where Otyets Semyon Borisovitch and Lydia Alexandrovna lie together!† He laughed and uncorked the bottle, filling each glass to the rim. This kind of talk made Will hideously uneasy. What should he do? How could he refuse to drink without discourtesy? â€Å"Otyets Semyon,† he said, standing, â€Å"you have been very kind, and I wish I could stay longer to taste your drink and to hear you talk, because what you tell me has been very interesting. But you understand I am unhappy about my family, and very anxious to find them again, so I think I must move on, much as I would like to stay.† The priest pushed out his lips, in the thicket of his beard, and frowned; but then he shrugged and said, â€Å"Well, you shall go if you must. But before you leave, you must drink your vodka. Stand with me now! Take it, and down all in one, like this!† He threw back the glass, swallowing it all at once, and then hauled his massive body up and stood very close to Will. In his fat, dirty fingers the glass he held out seemed tiny; but it was brimming with the clear spirit, and Will could smell the heady tang of the drink and the stale sweat and the food stains on the man’s cassock, and he felt sick before he began. â€Å"Drink, Will Ivanovitch!† the priest cried, with a threatening heartiness. Will lifted the glass and unhesitatingly swallowed the fiery, oily liquid in one gulp. Now he would have to fight hard to avoid being sick. There was one more ordeal to come. Semyon Borisovitch leaned forward from his great height, and took Will by both shoulders. â€Å"My boy,† he said, and then closed his eyes and began to intone a prayer or a psalm. Vapors of tobacco and alcohol and sweat came powerfully from him, and he was close enough for his thick beard, wagging up and down, to brush Will’s face. Will held his breath. The priest’s hands moved behind Will’s shoulders, and then Semyon Borisovitch was hugging him tightly and kissing his cheeks, right, left, right again. Will felt Balthamos dig tiny claws into his shoulder, and kept still. His head was swimming, his stomach lurching, but he didn’t move. Finally it was over, and the priest stepped back and pushed him away. â€Å"Go, then,† he said, â€Å"go south, Will Ivanovitch. Go.† Will gathered his cloak and the rucksack, and tried to walk straight as he left the priest’s house and took the road out of the village. He walked for two hours, feeling the nausea gradually subside and a slow, pounding headache take its place. Balthamos made him stop at one point, and laid his cool hands on Will’s neck and forehead, and the ache eased a little; but Will made himself a promise that he would never drink vodka again. And in the late afternoon the path widened and came out of the reeds, and Will saw the town ahead of him, and beyond it an expanse of water so broad it might have been a sea. Even from some way off, Will could see that there was trouble. Puffs of smoke were erupting from beyond the roofs, followed a few seconds later by the boom of a gun. â€Å"Balthamos,† he said, â€Å"you’ll have to be a daemon again. Just keep near me and watch out for danger.† He walked into the outskirts of the scruffy little town, where the buildings leaned even more perilously than the village, and where the flooding had left its mud stains on the walls high above Will’s head. The edge of the town was deserted, but as he made his way toward the river, the noise of shouting, of screams, and of the crackle of rifle fire got louder. And here at last there were people: some watching from upper-floor windows, some craning anxiously around the corners of buildings to look ahead at the waterfront, where the metal fingers of cranes and derricks and the masts of big vessels rose above the rooftops. An explosion shook the walls, and glass fell out of a nearby window. People drew back and then peered around again, and more cries rose into the smoky air. Will reached the corner of the street and looked along the waterfront. When the smoke and dust cleared a little, he saw one rusting vessel standing offshore, keeping its place against the flow of the river, and on the wharf a mob of people armed with rifles or pistols surrounding a great gun, which, as he watched, boomed again. A flash of fire, a lurching recoil, and near the vessel, a mighty splash. Will shaded his eyes. There were figures in the boat, but – he rubbed his eyes, even though he knew what to expect – they weren’t human. They were huge beings of metal, or creatures in heavy armor, and on the foredeck of the vessel, a bright flower of flame suddenly bloomed, and the people cried out in alarm. The flame sped into the air, rising higher and coming closer and shedding sparks and smoke, and then fell with a great splash of fire near the gun. Men cried and scattered, and some ran in flames to the water’s edge and plunged in, to be swept along and out of sight in the current. Will found a man close by who looked like a teacher, and said: â€Å"Do you speak English?† â€Å"Yes, yes, indeed – â€Å" â€Å"What is happening?† â€Å"The bears, they are attacking, and we try to fight them, but it is difficult, we have only one gun, and – â€Å" The fire thrower on the boat hurled another gout of blazing pitch, and this time it landed even closer to the gun. Three big explosions almost immediately afterward showed that it had found the ammunition, and the gunners leapt away, letting the barrel swing down low. â€Å"Ah,† the man lamented, â€Å"it’s no good, they can’t fire – â€Å" The commander of the boat brought the vessel’s head around and moved in toward the shore. Many people cried out in alarm and despair, especially when another great bulb of flame burst into being on the foredeck, and some of those with rifles fired a shot or two and turned to flee; but this time the bears didn’t launch the fire, and soon the vessel moved broadside on toward the wharf, engine beating hard to hold it against the current. Two sailors (human, not bears) leapt down to throw ropes around the bollards, and a great hiss and cry of anger rose from the townsfolk at these human traitors. The sailors took no notice, but ran to lower a gangplank. Then as they turned to go back on board, a shot was fired from somewhere near Will, and one of the sailors fell. His daemon – a seagull – vanished as if she’d been pinched out of existence like a candle flame. The reaction from the bears was pure fury. At once the fire thrower was relit and hauled around to face the shore, and the mass of flame shot upward and then cascaded in a hundred spilling gouts over the rooftops. And at the top of the gangway appeared a bear larger than any of the others, an apparition of ironclad might, and the bullets that rained on him whined and clanged and thudded uselessly, unable to make the slightest dent in his massive armor. Will said to the man beside him, â€Å"Why are they attacking the town?† â€Å"They want fuel. But we have no dealings with bears. Now they are leaving their kingdom and sailing up the river, who knows what they will do? So we must fight them. Pirates – robbers – â€Å" The great bear had come down the gangway, and massed behind him were several others, so heavy that the ship listed; and Will saw that the men on the wharf had gone back to the gun and were loading a shell into the breech. An idea came, and he ran out onto the quayside, right into the empty space between the gunners and the bear. â€Å"Stop!† he shouted. â€Å"Stop fighting. Let me speak to the bear!† There was a sudden lull, and everyone stood still, astonished at this crazy behavior. The bear himself, who had been gathering his strength to charge the gunners, stayed where he was, but every line of his body trembled with ferocity. His great claws dug into the ground, and his black eyes glowed with rage under the iron helmet. â€Å"What are you? What do you want?† he roared in English, since Will had spoken in that language. The people watching looked at one another in bewilderment, and those who could understand translated for the others. â€Å"I’ll fight you, in single combat,† cried Will, â€Å"and if you give way, then the fighting has to stop.† The bear didn’t move. As for the people, as soon as they understood what Will was saying, they shouted and jeered and hooted with mocking laughter. But not for long, because Will turned to face the crowd, and stood cold-eyed, contained, and perfectly still, until the laughter stopped. He could feel the blackbird-Balthamos trembling on his shoulder. When the people were silent, he called out, â€Å"If I make the bear give way, you must agree to sell them fuel. Then they’ll go on along the river and leave you alone. You must agree. If you don’t, they’ll destroy all of you.† He knew that the huge bear was only a few yards behind him, but he didn’t turn; he watched the townspeople talking, gesticulating, arguing, and after a minute, a voice called, â€Å"Boy! Make the bear agree!† Will turned back. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath and called: â€Å"Bear! You must agree. If you give way to me, the fighting has to stop, and you can buy fuel and go peacefully up the river.† â€Å"Impossible,† roared the bear. â€Å"It would be shameful to fight you. You are as weak as an oyster out of its shell. I cannot fight you.† â€Å"I agree,† said Will, and every scrap of his attention was now focused on this great ferocious being in front of him. â€Å"It’s not a fair contest at all. You have all that armor, and I have none. You could take off my head with one sweep of your paw. Make it fairer, then. Give me one piece of your armor, any one you like. Your helmet, for example. Then we’ll be better matched, and it’ll be no shame to fight me.† With a snarl that expressed hatred, rage, and scorn, the bear reached up with a great claw and unhooked the chain that held his helmet in place. And now there was a deep hush over the whole waterfront. No one spoke – no one moved. They could tell that something was happening such as they’d never seen before, and they couldn’t tell what it was. The only sound now was the splashing of the river against the wooden pilings, the beat of the ship’s engine, and the restless crying of seagulls overhead; and then the great clang as the bear hurled his helmet down at Will’s feet. Will put his rucksack down and hoisted the helmet up on its end. He could barely lift it. It consisted of a single sheet of iron, dark and dented, with eyeholes on top and a massive chain underneath. It was as long as Will’s forearm, and as thick as his thumb. â€Å"So this is your armor,† he said. â€Å"Well, it doesn’t look very strong to me. I don’t know if I can trust it. Let me see.† And he took the knife from the rucksack and rested the edge against the front of the helmet, and sliced off a corner as if he were cutting butter. â€Å"That’s what I thought,† he said, and cut another and another, reducing the massive thing to a pile of fragments in less than a minute. He stood up and held out a handful. â€Å"That was your armor,† he said, and dropped the pieces with a clatter onto the rest at his feet, â€Å"and this is my knife. And since your helmet was no good to me, I’ll have to fight without it. Are you ready, bear? I think we’re well matched. I could take off your head with one sweep of my knife, after all.† Utter stillness. The bear’s black eyes glowed like pitch, and Will felt a drop of sweat trickle down his spine. Then the bear’s head moved. He shook it and took a step backward. â€Å"Too strong a weapon,† he said. â€Å"I can’t fight that. Boy, you win.† Will knew that a second later the people would cheer and hoot and whistle, so even before the bear had finished saying the word win, Will had begun to turn and call out, to keep them quiet: â€Å"Now you must keep the bargain. Look after the wounded people and start repairing the buildings. Then let the boat tie up and refuel.† He knew that it would take a minute to translate that and let the message spread out among the watching townsfolk, and he knew, too, that the delay would prevent their relief and anger from bursting out, as a net of sandbanks baffles and breaks up the flow of a river. The bear watched and saw what he was doing and why, and understood more fully than Will himself did what the boy had achieved. Will put the knife back in the rucksack, and he and the bear exchanged another glance, but a different kind this time. They approached, and behind them as the bears began to dismantle their fire thrower, the other two ships maneuvered their way to the quayside. Onshore some of the people set about clearing up, but several more came crowding to see Will, curious about this boy and the power he had to command the bear. It was time for Will to become inconspicuous again, so he performed the magic that had deflected all kinds of curiosity away from his mother and kept them safe for years. Of course it wasn’t magic, but simply a way of behaving. He made himself quiet and dull-eyed and slow, and in under a minute he became less interesting, less attractive to human attention. The people simply became bored with this dull child, and forgot him and turned away. But the bear’s attention was not human, and he could see what was happening, and he knew it was yet another extraordinary power at Will’s command. He came close and spoke quietly, in a voice that seemed to throb as deeply as the ship’s engines. â€Å"What is your name?† he said. â€Å"Will Parry. Can you make another helmet?† â€Å"Yes. What do you seek?† â€Å"You’re going up the river. I want to come with you. I’m going to the mountains and this is the quickest way. Will you take me?† â€Å"Yes. I want to see that knife.† â€Å"I will only show it to a bear I can trust. There is one bear I’ve heard of who’s trustworthy. He is the king of the bears, a good friend of the girl I’m going to the mountains to find. Her name is Lyra Silvertongue. The bear is called Iorek Byrnison.† â€Å"I am Iorek Byrnison,† said the bear. â€Å"I know you are,† said Will. The boat was taking fuel on board; the railcars were hauled alongside and tilted sideways to let coal thunder down the chutes into the hold, and the black dust rose high above them. Unnoticed by the townspeople, who were busy sweeping up glass and haggling over the price of the fuel, Will followed the bear-king up the gangway and aboard the ship. How to cite The Amber Spyglass Chapter 8 Vodka, Essay examples

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis free essay sample

Many people are affected by genetic disorders every day. Abnormalities in one’s DNA are what cause a genetic disorder. These disorders could be as little as a mutation in a single gene. In another case, they could be as severe as having an extra chromosome, or taking away a chromosome. Genetic disorders are present from birth, but they may not be visibly seen until a later age. Some mutations could be heritable, or from your parents genes. Some forms of cancer can be inherited form a parent. Although, in most cases, these mutations are new changes to the DNA. â€Å"All humans have the same basic set of genes†. This means that everyone has the probability that they could get a genetic disorder. The thing that makes us different is the genetic sequence. There are many different types of genetic disorders. A few of them are: Angleman syndrome, Hemophilia, Sickle-cell disease, Neurofibromatosis, Cri du chat, and Down syndrome. We will write a custom essay sample on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page People are born with these diseases and have to face many challenges every day to live with these genetic mutations. This essay is going to specifically cover one genetic disorder called Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a genetic disorder that occurs in the nervous system. Each word in ALS briefly describes what the disorder is. Amyotrophic has two parts to it. The prefix â€Å"amyo† means muscular atrophy. Atrophy means to waste away, typically due to the degeneration of cells. The suffix â€Å"trophic† means that it is relating to feeding and nutrition. So to sum it up, amyotrophic means that the muscles have lost their nourishment. Lateral usually means the side of something. In this case, it means that the mutation is affecting the sides of the spine. The sides of the spine are where the nerves that nourish the muscles can be found. Sclerosis is the abnormal hardening of body tissue. In this case its referring to how the mutated part of the spinal cord develops hardened or scarred tissue, in place of healthy nerves. The mutation damages nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The damage caused by it, most of the time, leads to one’s death. After motor neurons die, the brain is unable to control muscle movement, and the victim becomes paralyzed. It targets the motor neurons that allow you to make voluntary movements and it effects your muscle strength. Voluntary movements are movements in which you control. These are movements that require you to think about the action in order for it to happen. For example, lifting you leg to kick a ball is a voluntary action. Involuntary actions do not require any thinking and some happen automatically, such as your heart beating, or breathing. There are many symptoms in that come along with ALS. Most of the symptoms do not occur unless people reach the age of 50. Although there have been some cases, where the symptoms occur in younger people. According to some studies, the first two muscles that are most often affected are the muscles that allow you to swallow and breathe. There can be many noticeable symptoms because your muscles get weaker. You may notice an increase in gagging, drooling, and choking. You may feel that you cannot lift your head up, because your neck muscles are weak. There are many physical tests that can be given to attempt to diagnose Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Certain physical tests could show muscle weakness in certain areas, weird walk or posture, and abnormal reflexes. There are tests that can be used to diagnose ALS. One method is taking a blood test, so that the doctors can rule out any other possible disease that it could be. Victims can also receive a spinal tap, a MRI, or even a family background check to see if there is any history of ALS in the family. There is one major problem with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Scientists and doctors have still not been able to find a permanent treatment for it. Although there is one medicine called riluzole that can slow down the symptoms, giving victims longer to live. Physical therapy and the use of braces, are non-medicinal ways of helping with the muscle weakness. There are many medications that can be used to help with specific symptoms of ALS. Since choking is common in someone with ALS, most people are hooked up to a tube and are fed through it. This is called a gastrostomy. A gastrostomy is when they make an opening in the stomach from the abdominal wall so they can put in food. This is obviously a surgical procedure. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is named after Lou Gehrig, who was a famous baseball player in 1930s. The French refer to it as Maladie de Charcot because the first recording of ALS was in 1869 by a French doctor named Jean-Martin Charcot. Stephen Hawking is one of the more famous people with ALS. He has had ALS since the start of his adult life, and he has been living with it for more than 50 years. Most people die from it three to five years after the symptoms become noticeable. This is why Stephen Hawking’s case is very special. It was just after his 21 birthday when he found out something was wrong. Yet he is still living and doing the most he can with his life. For example, being one of the smartest people on earth. People that live with ALS every day. Once the symptoms start to show, and or get serious, they are unable to care for themselves. They are usually taken care of by a family member or even a close friend. In some serious cases, victims must remain at the hospital because they are unable to eat and function without medical assistance. As mentioned previously, the victims sometimes have to be fed through a tube because they are unable to chew. Living with ALS is a very hard thing to do. It’s hard for the family members, friends, doctors, and most importantly, the victim.