Exceptional Arab Family

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.   . Mayo Clinic Best Care For Every Patient Every Day .		.. How To Care For The Handicapped: Children And Adult Members  With Special Needs  Arabic Information For Arab Families How To Care For The Handicapped: Children And Adult Members  With Special Needs  Arabic Information For Arab Families .
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. Introduction		This web site was established as a central source to  provide Arabic information for Arab families which care for children and family members with special needs such as:  Mental retardation Genetic defects  Physical paralysis Deaf Blind . Prevalence of people with special needs (handicapped): Worldwide, there are about 650 million handicapped. In Arab countries there are: 18 million handicapped 9 million women handicapped Since some Arab families hide their handicapped children (click here to  view the Arabic article), there is a growing concern that the number of Arab handicapped may be much larger than collected statistics.  Clearly, those Arab families are suffering from isolation, and they need the information on how to care for its members with special needs. The number of Arab people with special needs (handicapped) is rising due  to the following factors: Hereditary diseases resulting from inter-family marriages . War which is generating new types of handicapped individuals. . Auto accidents: Road traffic accident admissions in the United Arab Emirates.  Annals of Saudi Med. 18: 349, 1998.  "Head injuries occurred in 75% of the cases. Only 6% of the injured were wearing seat belts at time of accidents"  Road traffic accidents in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia: Pattern and prevention.  Saudi Med J. 16: 257. 1995.  "61.7% of accidents resulted in injuries and  majority of accidents, 85%, occurred outside the towns"  Auto accidents in Arab gulf (GCC) countries: A catastrophe worse than wars and earthquakes.  Al Ayam Newspaper, No. 2278, P. 4, 1995.  All our services are offered FREE OF CHARGE to Arab families and to Arab handicapped/rehabilitation centers .  Typically, Arab parents who has children & family members with special needs, they will keep them at home to protect them from social pressures. Since the Internet is growing at a high rate in Arab countries, our services will help to educate those parents on how to care for all family members  with special needs. Also, we will help them to form local support groups. Additionally, since we are working closely with Arab handicapped centers, our information will educate Arab families about their locations and services. .	.
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. Objectives		Our key objective is to function as a central information and support center to perform the following services: Provide Arabic information to educate the Arab family which care for children and family members with special needs. Assist Arab handicapped centers to establish special programs for children with special needs. Inform Arab handicapped centers about programs at other locations. Identify and assist in meeting the needs at Arab centers for the handicapped. Register Arab handicapped centers which need support (equipment, supplies... etc.) and help them to receive required support.  Help Arab physicians to educate Arab families who care for children and members with special needs. Establish a list of Arab/foreign professionals & specialists who wish  to offer FREE support to programs for Arab children and family members with special needs. Establish a list of Arab/foreign consultants who perform special treatments for individuals with special needs. Offer Arab families information and resources to establish local support groups for specific types of birth defects such as:  Down syndrome, autism ... etc.  Establish a library for Arab handicapped publications. Establish for Arab communities a specialty local societies, such as: Saudi parents of children with Down Syndrome Kuwaiti parents of children with cystic fibrosis Arab family members with special needs Establish Arab handicapped & rehabilitation resource center: Statistics Medical/local references Main causes for handicapped Arab people: Hereditary: Inter family marriages Illness Auto accidents: Highest in the world News Arab handicapped and rehabilitation laws & policies Establish "Friends Of Exceptional Arab Families. This is a valuable  resource to provide needed information to Arab families who are meeting the daily challenge of caring for members with special needs. .	.
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. Categories     . Companies Sprint Aquatics- Rothhammer International Inc.   Bromac Assistive Technology Canes and Such  Arcoa Industries         Consultants Mensana Clinic For Chronic Pain T.S. Park, MD Child Neurosurgery Kenneth  P Burres, M.D. Back Pain Center For Neurological Surgery     Valuable Resources   .     . Sponsorship And  Volunteer Form   Registration Form: For Arab Handicapped Societies And Centers .		Conditions/categories of Arab children/family members with special needs: Mental Retardation Chromosomal disorders and Down syndrome  Congenital malformations Teratology Neuro-psychiatric disorders Paralysis with normal brain functions Deaf Blind Adopt A Project Sponsors are invited to adopt one or more of the following projects: Arab children/adults with Down Syndrome: Down syndrome is a birth defect caused by the presence of an extra chromosome number 21 (three instead of two number 21 chromosomes,  or, trisomy 21). This chromosome abnormality leads to defects in both  physical and intellectual functions such as mental retardation, a characteristic facial appearance, and multiple malformations. It is associated with a major  risk for heart disease, possible complications in the small intestines, and a marginal risk of developing acute leukemia. . Down Syndrome Related Diseases & Conditions    Alzheimer's Disease  Congenital Heart Disease  Hirschsprung Disease Klinefelter Syndrome  Leukemia Noonan Syndrome  Turner Syndrome  Published articles about Down Syndrome: When a Pregnancy Test Shows Down Syndrome . Arab autistic kids and adults: Autism is described as the impaired development in communication, social interaction and behavior. Also autism in a child or adults could range from mild to severe. Additionally, autistic individuals may create their own world, they do not care to play with other children or to be with other individuals. In severe cases, they may not even be aware of the presence of other people around them. In essence, an autistic child if not diagnosed early and properly treated, the family and the child will suffer serious consequences as a future teenager and adult. . Arab children and adults with cystic fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis (CF) in Arab countries is considered as one of the most  common serious genetic (inherited) diseases. Both Arab parents could be the  carriers for the disease. A child with CF is likely to have lung and heart problems as well as complications in the pancreas, intestines, bile duct and  the liver.    Deaf Arab children and adults . Blind Arab children and adults Each project will receive the following services: Development of Arabic language web site Compile international resources and information about a specific  condition. Cooperate with foreign support groups for information exchange Assist Arab families to establish local support groups Establish a resource to answer Arab family questions. Continue to update and expand our services for different projects. Note: Above list is updated on continuing basis . Volunteers We welcome volunteers' support to our various services. Please fill out the FORM and mail it to our address below.  Volunteer services are extremely important. As a volunteer, you may help from anywhere in the world. The first step is to familiarize us with your skills and resources. Feel free to send a resume to outline your skills.  Some volunteers may wish to be "Pen Pals" just to exchange E.mail letters with  Arab family members and with their children. Other volunteers may have special experience in caring for children with special needs as professionals or as family members. .	.
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. Genetic  Diseases In Arab Countries		. Inter-family marriages (consanguineous marriage) have been among the main causes for birth of children with special needs.  A Bahraini study reported that: " The rate of cousin marriage was 39.4% in the present generation and 45.5% in the previous generation, indicating a high rate of consanguinity, decreasing significantly over time.  The rate of first cousin marriage was 21%. Interestingly, while 53%  of respondents were in favor of consanguineous marriage, 62%  agreed it could cause genetic disease and 47.8% agreed it could cause social problems. Cystic Fibrosis: Mortality in the neonatal period was 60%. The first cousin marriage rate among these families was 63%. References:  Al-Arrayed SS: The frequency of consanguineous marriages in the state of Bahrain. Bahrain medical bulletin, 1995, 17:63-6. Al-Arrayed SS, Abdulla F:  Incidence of cystic fibrosis in Bahrain. Journal of the Bahrain Medical Society, 1996, 8:157-60. M.A.F. El-Hazmi: Genetic diseases in Arab populations  Eastern Mediterranean health journal 1999,  5 (6): 1102-1103. Albar MA : Counseling about genetic disease:  An Islamic perspective  Eastern Mediterranean health journal 1999,  5 (6): 1129-1133  .	..
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. Arabic Samples		Articles (Arabic language): Why my baby? Handicapped woman and the Arab society Arab Down Syndrome Child Arab family with handicapped children Brain paralysis One third of our children are sick! Blind woman in the Arab society Arab families hiding their handicapped children Arab Handicapped Centers: Activities of a Saudi handicapped children's center from Eastern Province Rehabilitation Society. Programs at an Arab handicapped children center  From Arab handicapped children Society	.
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. Arab Countries		. Key Facts About Arab countries: Population: 245 Million (USA pop: 281 million) One language (Arabic) in following 17 countries Algeria Kuwait Oman Syria Bahrain Lebanon Qatar Tunisia Egypt Libya Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates Iraq Morocco Sudan Yemen Jordan	.
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