People who have been diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have constant thoughts, obsessions or compulsions that they cannot stop thinking about.  These obsessions or compulsions can cause great stress or anxiety and the symptoms of OCD can contrast between relatively mild to extremely severe.  Obsessive thoughts can cause tension and stress to the sufferer and they make act out certain compulsions in order to stop these traumatic thoughts or obsessions.

There are many forms of obsessions such as feeling that items are dirty or tainted, fear of making mistakes, arranging items in a specific way, fear of touching people who may be ill, or fear of causing an accident through leaving appliances turned on etc.  Similarly there are many types of compulsions which can disrupt a person’s daily life such as, routines like washing hands, cleaning work surfaces, arranging items in cupboards etc.

Compulsions are usually directly linked to the type of obsession a person has.  Many people with obsessive compulsive disorder feel that bad things will happen if they don’t fulfill their compulsions and doing so usually makes the sufferer feel better for a short while before the obsession returns.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Copyright ADAM)

OCD can appear as a result of a major event in a person’s life and it has also been shown to run in families.  There are treatments for OCD such as medicines and psychological help.  Relaxation therapies have also been shown to help symptoms.

Diarrhea can simply be defined as loose, watery stools. People are classed as having diarrhea if they pass such stools more than three times a day. If somebody has acute diarrhea, the problem usually persists for a couple of days only and then clears up of its own accord. On the other hand, if an individual suffers from prolonged diarrhea, meaning more than a couple of days, it could be symptomatic of a more serious problem, as well as posing a risk of dehydration. Dehydration is especially dangerous in young children and the elderly and as such should be treated immediately to help avoid any future potential health issues.

Diarrhea

Individuals of any age can get diarrhea and you may be surprised to find out that the average in developed countries will have a bout of acute diarrhea approximately four times per year. Acute diarrhea is normally associated with a parasitic, a viral or a bacterial infection whereas a chronic diarrhea is typically related to some sort of functional disorder like irritable bowel disorder.

Some other causes of the condition include food intolerances, a reaction to certain medicines, and intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s and celiac disease. Diarrhea can be accompanied by abdominal pains, cramps, nausea, bloating and an urgent overwhelming need to use the toilet.

More often than not, the only treatment required for diarrhea is the replacement of lost fluids. There are some medicines available that can stop the condition, but these aren’t recommended for individuals who have diarrhea caused by a parasitic or bacterial infection. This is because if you stop the diarrhea before the bacteria or parasite is removed from the intestines they will be trapped there prolonging the problem.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder otherwise known as trisomy and it is where an individual has inherited an additional or extra copy of a particular chromosome. In the case of Down’s syndrome, the affected individuals have three copies rather than two of chromosome 21. The consequence of this additional copy is that it changes the balance of the body resulting in characteristic intellectual and physical features.

Down Syndrome

There are three kinds of Down’s syndrome: regular trisomy 21 which is where all the cells in the body have an extra chromosome 21 and is the most common type of the condition with nearly 94% affected with Down’s having it; translocation, which is where extra chromosome 21 material attaches to another chromosome, and four percent have this type; and mosaic, which is where only some of the cells have additional chromosome 21. This usually has milder features than the other two types and only two percent of affected individuals have mosaic.

Down syndrome sufferers look different to normal people and usually have a flat type of facial profile with eyes slanting upwards. Smaller ears, protruding tongue and a flat back of the head are other features. Individuals affected tend to be shorter than normal, have poor muscle tone and have broad, short hands. Half the affected individuals have a heart defect, which can be treated in some, but not others. Some have problems with their gut, making it difficult to eat while increasing the risk of constipation and thyroid problems.

There is no cure for Down syndrome but there are treatments available for the accompanying symptoms as well as support for the learning difficulties.