Archive for February, 2013

How Orton Gillingham approach can help people who suffer from Dyslexia

| February 28, 2013 | 0 Comments

Orton Gillingham is an approach used with people who have difficulty with spelling, writing, and reading of the sort that is associated with people who suffer from dyslexia. It is not a program or a system but a properly practice and simple to understand approach. In the hands of experienced and trained instructors, it is powerful approach that offers exceptional depth, flexibility and breath.

The instructional practices and curricular content which is a part of Orton Gillingham Method is derived from two main sources:

  • Time tested practices that have been used for over 70 years
  • Scientific studies and evidences on how people write and learn

This approach understands that many people have difficulty in understanding simple concepts. It also understands that people who suffer from dyslexia find it even more difficult to assimilate basic literacy skills Orton Gillingham training programs are best suited for people who suffer from dyslexia as it understands their problems and makes it easy for them to understand concepts and ideas.

The approach is names after Anna Gillingham and Samuel T. Orton who were the foundational contributors of this approach. Samuel T Orton was a neuropsychiatrist who focused his attention on people who suffered from reading failure and had difficulties in processing language. Using his experience, he brought together the principles of remediation and neuroscientific information. In 1925, he identified that dyslexia can have an negative impact on the literacy skills of people.

Anna Gillingham was a psychologist and educator who had excellent command of the language. She was encouraged by Dr. Orton to publish instructional material that provided a strong foundation for teacher training and student instruction. The instructional material published by Anna Gillingham is today known as Orton-Gillingham Approach.

Most schools for learning disabilities that follow Orton Gillingham Approach follow one-on-one student-teacher instructional approach. The successful adaption of this approach has clearly demonstrated the value and significance of classroom instructions. Helping people with writing, spelling and reading difficulties is the dominant focus of this approach. This approach can also be used on people who exhibit difficulty in understanding the concepts of mathematics.

This approach has always focused its attention of people who suffer from literacy skills. People who suffer from dyslexia must have some knowledge of the language and its relationship with the writing system if they want be become competent writers and readers. Since they suffer from dyslexia, they need more help when compared to normal people in organizing and understanding the raw material of language. Orton Gillingham training programs help dyslexic learners understand the concept of language which helps in improving their reading and writing skills.

Benefits of Microdermabrasion

| February 15, 2013 | 0 Comments

Microdermabrasion is a term used to describe the process of applying rough grains of diamonds, bristle and crystals to peel off the outer surface of the human skin. The outermost layer of the human skin is called the stratum corneum which helps in rejuvenating the skin and helps in treating problems like sun damage, discoloration and wrinkles. Most people prefer using this procedure because it is a simple, painless and non-surgical way of getting rid of the dead cells of the skin. A microdermabrasion system usually contains a vacuum suction, a pump, connecting tube and a hand piece.

Microdermabrasion machine is also used by people to treat simple skin problems like sunburns and acne. It can also be used to treat severe problems like hyperpigmentation and melasma. Microdermabrasion can be administered to people from the age of 12 up to 60. The frequency of the procedure will depend on skin sensitivity and tolerance level of the patient. Since the outer skin of the humans regenerates itself every 28 days, microdermabrasion must be done at least 2 to 3 times in a month in order to get significant results.

Both microdermabrasion and dermabrasion are closely related as they both deal with exfoliation of the outermost surface of the human skin. However, microdermabrasion is preferred over dermabrasion because it is less risky and takes less time to heel. However, some of the side effects that patients undergoing microdermabrasion could suffer from include skin tightness, sensitivity to sunlight and light bleeding. Even though hands, chests, legs and neck can be treated using microdermabrasion, most people prefer using microdermabrasion to treat their face.

Benefits

Microdermabrasion can be used to treat several skin problems like hyperpigmentation, scars, discolorations, melasma, sun damage and acne. Some people also use it as an alternative to plastic surgery because it is cheaper and less invasive when compared to plastic surgery. Some people use microdermabrasion regularly to improve their appearance. Another benefit of this procedure is that it improves the sensitivity of the skin which causes it to absorb more nutrients and improves the appearance of the treated area.

The Procedure

Microdermabrasion is a non-invasive procedure that takes about 5 to 50 minutes to complete. It is usually done by cosmetician or dermatologist with the help of a microderm machine. Some people do this procedure in their home using a facial sandpapers and scrubs, followed by application essential oils and moisturizers. Microderm machines are usually built with crystals like magnesium oxide, sodium chloride, aluminium oxide and diamonds that are pressured by a pump to produce abrasion of the patient’s skin. The vacuum is used to raise a small portion of the human skin which the machine works on and the thereafter removes the abraded skin cells and crystals. The number of times the machine passes over the treated area and the speed of the machine determine the effectiveness of the treatment.