Disability in Literature, News, Current Events, Pop Culture Spring 2012
I'll keep an ongoing list of links students have provided here. If you have a story you'd like me to share with the class, please e-mail me!
A NYT story about an able-bodied man who is featured as an amputee in ads for diabetes awareness; his image was altered.
A 13-year-old girl with a rare condition called "Progeria," which severely and prematurely ages her body, was featured in a program on TLC.
Here's a link to a Reddit thread about video gaming adaptations for those with disabilities.
Here's a link to a blog with a discussion of a recent episode of Switched at Birth that portrays a deaf character who is being arrested.
Here's a story about a bionic arm!
There's a character on the show Homeland who is bipolar. Check out the article on the show and the character here, and watch a clip where the actor (Claire Danes) discusses her role here.
Here's an article from the New England Journal of Medicine about a new tuberculosis vaccine.
Here's a local story about a young athlete with a prosthetic leg.
Researchers are trying to develop ways to use smartphone apps to help people deal with depression.
Here's a link to a CNN video about addiction. We may want to take a bit of time to discuss how addiction relates to or connects with disability. I'll note that this particular video touts the benefits of 12-step Programs (such as A.A.). The presenter claims it is "the only proven formula." That's really not true. There are critics of the 12-step programs, and the research literature doesn't support the idea that this format is superior to others; see this article at the New York Times for a fairly accessible overview of recent research.
Here's a story about how video games are accessible for the disabled (and how they could be moreso!).
Watch this promotional video for the 2012 Paralympics in London. More info from the Paralympic Committe here, and from the US Paralympic Team here.
You might be interested in this story about a 1920 account of black autistic-savant in Mississippi.
There's considerable controversy over this case of a family who chose to have some extensive surgeries and treatments for their severely disabled daughter. CNN also ran a story on the case, as did Time magazine.
Companion animals are increasinly common, as are disputes about their function and the laws governing them, as discussed in this story of a woman with PTSD who is facing eviction because of her cat.
Here's a story about research into Multiple Personality Disorder that suggests that sleep problems may be a factor.
For our discussion of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, you may be particularly interested in the new and emerging possibilities for AAC -- Augmentative and Alternative Communication described in this video.
Here is a New York Times article about Justin Canha, a young autistic man who attends high school in Montclair, New Jersey where he is enrolled in a program designed to help special education students transition to an independent life.
Laura Hildenbrand, author of the book Seabiscuit, has battled Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, as discussed in this article in the New York Times.
Recent research suggests surprising data on the influence of familial neuropsychiatric traits on personal interests.
The NYTimes has an interesting story on how some prisons in the U.S. are dealing with inmates who have dementia.
Here's a story about a blind man who is a musical prodigy.
For another story of controversy around medical treatments and disability, you might look at this story about a hospital denying an organ transplant to a girl with an intellectual disability.
For a video about a father working to improve things for his disabled child, take a look here.
Lots of researchers are working on looking at "alternative" therapies to help people cope with various disabilities, as you can read about in this article on yoga and stress-reduction, as well as VNS therapy and depression, and more information on VNS therapy.
Here is a story about music therapy, and a short youtube video to portray "A Description of Music Therapy through quotes, pictures and song."
Recent research on Rett syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum, has revealed a potential cure through bone marrow transplants.
There is a facinating new, segue style, motorized device, that is currently being produced by Turkish scientists in order to assist people with paraplegia.
Link between Fast Food and Depression?
Here's an article about a child with a rare disorder referred to as "Childhood Alzheimer's": Niemann Pick Type C (NPC); here's another story about two children with the same disease. Here's a link to more clinical information on NPC.
Addiction and Memory article here.
Mothers with depression and their tendency to wake up babies according to a penn state study http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57415798-10391704/study-shows-depressed-mothers-more-likely-to-wake-sleeping-babies/
Here is a video about how artificial limbs crafted to look more like the original shape of the leg help an amputee use the prosthetic more like the original leg. http://www.ted.com/talks/scott_summit_beautiful_artificial_limbs.html
This one addresses the new DSM edition coming out, which will change the criteria in the diagnostics of many disorders: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215142959.htm Here is another article to supplement that one which talks about how the new DSM could impact once diagnosed Autistic persons treatment: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120410163650.htm