Experts To Lecture on Lyme Disease and Its Effect on Children
They will talk about the tick-borne disease at Holmdel High on April 26
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The peak Lyme disease transmission season in New Jersey is May through August. Knowledge about this devastating disease, the importance of quick treatment and understanding of typical co-infections, are concerns for anyone living in Monmouth County.
The Holmdel High School Parent Teacher Student Organization, in cooperation with the non-profit Lyme Disease Association, invites the public to learn more about the silent disease at "Lyme Disease Lecture Night" taking place on April 26, 7-9 p.m. at the Holmdel High School Auditorium, 36 Crawfords Corner Road.
Medical experts will talk about the physical, neurological, psychological and emotional aspects of Lyme disease and the infections that can come along with it.
Topics to be discussed include common misdiagnoses and symptoms, testing choices, IEPs and school dynamics, reasons people don't get better, treatment options, supportive therapies and the importance of early detection.
Speakers include:
- Robert Bransfield MD, a Lyme-literate psychiatrist in private practice in Red Bank and Riverview Medical Center
- Judith Leventhal PhD, a neuropsychologist from NY specializing in children and adolescents
- Gerald Simons PA-C, former physician assistant for Joseph Burrascano MD, foremost authority on Lyme and Tick-borne infections
- Pat Smith, president of the national non- profit Lyme Disease Association.
According to the Lyme Disease Association, those who should are people who suffer from M.S. Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Epstein- Barr Fibromyalgia, IBS, Vertigo ADHD, ADD, Autism, Learning Disabilities, Auditory Processing, Dyslexia, Autoimmune disorders, Scleroderma, Raynauds, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hypothyroid, Prediabetes, Heart palpitations, Heart Block, Carditis.
People who suffer from the following might also find the information helpful:
Sleeping difficulties, Night Sweats, Anxiety, Depression, Lethargy, Irritability, Migratory aches and pains, Chronic Neck Headaches, Back and sinus problems, Visual problems, Light or Sound Sensitivity, Tingling, Tics, Seizures, Brain Fog, Restless Leg, Temperature Regulation Cognition, executive functioning deficits.
Reservations are optional and can be made by calling 732-946-4463.
Bill Heller
2:50 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
From spring of 1992 to early '96 I battled Lyme Disease. I had the rash and was syropositive, so there was no doubt I had it, although not everyone gets the rash and tests positive. I got the runaround from a half dozen specialists similar to Joy Burdge's experience in the video above. It is sadly commonplace. Thank God for the fledgling Internet. I got involved with an AOL online support group, and got the phone number of a doctor in Jackson who knew what she was doing. She put me on a regimen of a double dose of two strong oral antibiotics, and I stayed on them until 30 days after I finally felt well, which took 9 months. I consider myself lucky as this finally cured me. I don't know Joy, but I can tell you she's neither crazy or a hypochondriac. And one of the most important things you can do to try to prevent getting infected, along with using DEET, is to take a vigorous shower after doing yard work, hiking, etc. Ticks like to crawl around for about a day before they bite in, and a good shower will usually wash them off. Baths are not nearly as effective.
petey
5:01 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Excellent article. The Lyme epidemic is RAGING, especially here in CT. I estimate HALF my neighborhood has Lyme, most are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Notice all the MS and ALS cases??? It's LYME folks, and people are DYING from misdiagnosis. My mother died of this disease, I now realize. Recently, two people I tried to steer toward appropriate Lyme treatment DIED, ages 57 and 67. Their doctors were IGNORANT about Lyme and they just watched their patients die. This is a PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTER.