Parkinson’s Disease (PD) – is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder. It is characterized by tremors, rigidity, slow movement, poor balance, and difficult walking. The brain stops making dopamine which controls the neurotransmitters which regulate movement. Researches hope to have stem cells replicate and become dopamine producing neurons and therefore wiping PD out. It is thought that PD may be the first disease to be amenable to treatment using stem cell transplantation. Diabetes – is caused by the pancreas not producing any insulin or not enough insulin to regulate blood sugars. Researchers are trying to find a way to have stem cells rejuvenate the pancreas and enable it to start producing efficient amounts of natural insulin.- Type 1 (commonly known as juvenile diabetes) – is believed to be an autoimmune disease. The body’s immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas that produces insulin. Your body stops producing insulin, causing you to be manufactured insulin dependent in most cases. This type is usually diagnosed in childhood or early adolescence and usually coincides with an illness or injury of some kind.- Type 2 (commonly referred to as adult onset diabetes) – is thought to have a genetic link and tends to run in families. Some risk factors for developing this diabetes type are: high blood pressure, high blood fat levels, gestational diabetes (becoming a diabetic while pregnant), high-fat diet, sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and aging.

Alzheimer’s Disease – is a progressive and fatal brain disease. Alzheimer’s destroys brain cells, causing severe problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. This disease severely affects a person’s work, hobbies, and social life. It gets worse over time and is fatal. Alzheimer’s is the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if researchers could find away to make stem cells revitalize the brain making this deadly disease non existent? Researchers are still examining cord blood stem cells and perfecting on how to use these cells for treatments. It is hoped as well as expected that in the future cord blood will be used to treat the diseases listed as well as breast cancer, heart disease, liver disease, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injuries, as well as stroke.

Definition of regenerative medicine: Cord blood stem cells are currently being evaluated and showing promise for use in regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine is a rapidly developing field of medicine and research focused on developing treatments which can repair, replace or regenerative damaged or diseased cells, tissues and organs.

Current regenerative medicine studies: Human studies evaluating cord blood stem cell therapies for type 1 diabetes, cerebral palsy, and brain injury are underway. Additional conditions currently being studied in preclinical animal research include: heart disease, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and liver disease.

Likelihood of benefiting from regenerative medicine: Current estimates indicate that 1 in 3 Americans could benefit from regenerative medicine.

Types of cells used in regenerative medicine: For use in regenerative therapies, current science suggests that access to autologous (one’s own) stem cells offers better treatment options for patients. The only way to guarantee access to one’s own cord blood stem cells is to store them in a family (private) bank.

• Leukemia – is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. The bone marrow makes unformed cells called blasts and in AML the blasts are abnormal. They do not develop into healthy cells and cannot fight off infection. The amount of abnormal cells (leukemia cells) grows quickly and crowd out the normal blood cells that the body needs.The different kinds of leukemiaAcute myelogenous leukemia – makes all blood cells abnormal (fast-growing)
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia - makes abnormal white blood cells (fast-growing)
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia – makes too many white blood cells (slow-growing)
• Chronic lymphoblastic leukemia – makes too many immature / abnormal white blood cells (slow-growing)
• Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia – is a very rare type that is only found in children and occurs most often in infants and children under four years old.
• Sickle cell disease: Sickle cell disease is an inherited, life-threatening blood disorder which causes red blood cells, normally round and soft, to form rigid crescent shapes, which clump together and block small blood vessels in the body. Sickle cell disease causes chronic pain, serious infection, and organ damage.1 Stem cell transplantation (including transplantation using cord blood stem cells) is the only curative treatment for sickle cell disease.
• Aplastic anemia: Aplastic anemia is a serious blood disorder that causes the bone marrow to produce insufficient quantities of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Stem cell transplantation, including transplantation using cord blood, is the best treatment option for many patients with aplastic anemia, because it usually cures the disease.
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma (also known as Hodgkin’s disease) – is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is a part of your immune system. Cells in the lymphatic system grow abnormally and may spread to the rest of the body. As it progresses, it compromises the body’s ability to fight infection.Severe aplastic anemia – is a disease of the bone marrow. Basically the bone marrow stops making enough of the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets to support the body. Unlike leukemia, the blood cells the bone marrow makes are healthy and normal the bone marrow just doesn’t produce enough of them. People with this disease are at risk for life-threatening infections or bleeding.Fanconi anemia – is a genetically inherited type of severe aplastic anemia.Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) – is a rare potentially life-threatening disease of the blood characterized by anemia and red urine due to the breakdown of red blood cells.
• Pure red cell aplasia – is a type of anemia that affects the production of red blood cells and not the production of platelets or white blood cells. The bone marrow stops making red blood cells.Amegakaryocytosis / congenital thrombocytopenia – a platelet disorder with low platelet counts and large platelet size.Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) – is defined by a usually severe defect in the T- and B- lymphocyte systems. It is often called the “bubble boy disease” after the world learned of David Vetter, the boy who lived for twelve years in a plastic, germ-free bubble.Sickle cell disease – is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. The red blood cells contain mostly hemoglobin* S, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. Sometimes these cells become shaped like a sickle and have a hard time passing through small blood vessels. The sickle cells cause blockage in the blood vessels and less blood can reach that part of the body. If tissue does not receive the normal amount of blood becomes damaged and this causes the complications of sickle cell disease.

Colic hurts. Any parent who has an affected child will know that there is almost no pain like it – the physical and vocal response to the problem can be highly tiring and its very difficult to stand by and cope as a parent. It’s often tough to ask – what the hell is going on inside my baby?! When the problem arises, as it’s so common many health visitors expect parents to be aware of the nature of the affliction and how to deal with it.

The fact is: no one knows what colic is, although it was thought for a time to be a intestinal problem, and related to trapped wind. However, the only thing that even the medical profession knows about the cause of such pain is that it causes up to three hours of crying a day, for more than three or four days a week. Your baby isn’t alone either: 20% of children, males and females, suffer colic as infants; usually when they are but a few months old. Apart from the application of gripe-water (a, shall we say, interestingly flavoured product) there was, for many, many years, no cure for this elusive problem. Until now.

Many parents instinctively rub their children when they are in pain. We all know that, just as we need to massage our limbs when we get cramp, they need physical stimulation so that blood flow and wind movements can be righted. Baby massage allows for intense and structured contact with colic-afflicted babies – and massage has been credited with ending problem completely.

Flowing from the head to the toes, this specialist form of massage sees babies have full, much needed skin to skin contact with their caregiver; a soothing prospect for those suffering pain. A particularly encouraged technique for parents of colicky babies is the stomach massage, which sees the masseuse rub the baby’s belly in a gentle, circular motion beneath the rib cage, an action that encourages the correct movement of digested food through the body.

Classes teaching baby massage techniques are available worldwide, and many families have now begun to reap the benefits of the special, quiet times massage allows them to spend with their children. The BBC recently ran an article on the enriching quality of the massage for mothers who have suffered from post-natal depression and their babies, noting that the bonding process can be strengthened by the intimacy of massage. It has also been suggested that the strong bond developed naturally by the massage can prevent behavioural disorders later in life, and that the muscle stimulation involved can see children sitting, and even walking much sooner.

Available at a number of Sure Start centres in the UK, baby massage provides at last a positive solution for parents suffering the effects of a colicky child. Correcting sleep patterns and ending infant anxiety, it is perfectly simple, and the perfect solution to a huge number of childhood ailments.

About the Author:
This article written by Lucy Curran. For further details on Baby Massage teachers in the UK visit www.busylittleones.co.uk

There are simple steps you can take to help avoid the possibility and occurrence of ear infections in your baby. There is no guarantee that your baby will not get an ear infection, but if you at least know you tried your best, it can help lessen the guilt you might feel.

Don’t Smoke
Smoke is a respiratory irritant that makes the Eustachian tubes swell and not function appropriately in both the smoker and household members exposed to them. Even if you smoke outside or in your car when your baby is not with you, second hand smoke is still on hand and gets into your clothes, which your baby can then breathe in.

Cold and Flu Season
Good hand washing and flu shots for the whole family are helpful. Getting the PREVNAR vaccine (pneumococcal) may help limit the number of ear infections as well. With the increased risk of colds and respiratory problems floating around during the winter months, keeping your baby in and away from other children as much as possible can help limit their chance of getting sick and getting an ear infection.

Feeding Positions
Feed your baby in an upright position. Milk can get into the Eustachian tubes if the baby is lying horizontally while eating. This may be hard when you are breastfeeding. When your baby gets big enough try having him sit in your lap as you feed him, instead of lying across your lap, lying in bed with you, or being held in the football position.

Avoid Pacifiers
There is scientific data to suggest that the prolonged sucking on a pacifier can cause an infection in the ear since the mouth and ear tubes are all connected. Some people go as far as to wean their babies either from the breast, the bottle or both by the first birthday.

Child Care
Reconsider your child care options. Kids in daycare settings get more viral upper respiratory infections (colds) which lead to the ear infections. If your baby is getting a lot of ear infections and is in daycare, look into having a friend or family member who has no other kids in their home watch your baby for you while you work.