Grad !

Tomorrow is the Credenda grad! I say this from being a student ! Good job everyone ! make sure you come to the ceremony tomorrow . 11am on Credenda. come support  our graduates !

  http://www.credenda.net 

Mental Health month - Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a condition in which people go back and forth between periods of a very good or irritable mood and depression The "mood swings" between mania and depression can be very quick. 

Causes, incidence and risk factors

Bipolar disorder affects men and women equally. It usually starts between ages 15 - 25. The exact cause is unknown, but it occurs more often in relatives of people with bipolar disorder.

Types of bipolar disorder:

• People with bipolar disorder type I have had at least one manic episode and periods of Major depression. In the past, bipolar disorder type I was called manic depression.
• People with bipolar disorder type II have never had full mania. Instead they experience periods of high energy levels and impulsiveness that are not as extreme as mania (called hypomania). These periods alternate with episodes of depression.

A mild form of bipolar disorder called cyclothymia  involves less severe mood swings. People with this form alternate between hypomania and mild depression. People with bipolar disorder type II or cyclothymia may be wrongly diagnosed as having depression.



Symptoms


The manic phase may last from days to months. It can include the following symptoms:

• Easily distracted
• Little need for sleep
• Poor judgment
• Poor temper control
• Reckless behavior and lack of self control 

  Binge eating, drinking, and/or drug use

• Poor judgment
• Sex with many partners (promiscuity)
• Spending sprees

• Very elevated mood 

• Excess activity (hyperactivity)
• Increased energy
• Racing thoughts
• Talking a lot 
• Very high self-esteem (false beliefs about self or abilities)

• Very involved in activities
• Very upset (agitated or irritated) 

These symptoms of mania occur with bipolar disorder I. In people with bipolar disorder II, the symptoms of mania are similar but less intense.

The depressed phase of both types of bipolar disorder includes the following symptoms:

• Daily low mood or sadness
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
• Eating problems 

• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Overeating and weight gain

• Fatigue or lack of energy
• Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty
• Loss of pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• Loss of self-esteem
• Thoughts of death and suicide
• Trouble getting to sleep or sleeping too much
• Pulling away from friends or activities that were once enjoyed

Signs and tests 

Many factors are involved in diagnosing bipolar disorder. The health care provider may do some or all of the following:

• Ask about your family medical history, such as whether anyone has or had bipolar disorder
• Ask about your recent mood swings and for how long you've had them
• Perform a thorough examination to look for illnesses that may be causing the symptoms
• Run laboratory tests to check for thyriod problems or drug levels
• Talk to your family members about your behavior
• Take a medical history, including any medical problems you have and any medications you take
• Watch your behavior and mood

• 
  

Treatment
Periods of depression or mania return in most patients, even with treatment. The main goals of treatment are to:

• Avoid moving from one phase to another
• Avoid the need for a hospital stay
• Help the patient function as well as possible between episodes
• Prevent self-injury and suicide
• Make the episodes less frequent and severe

The health care provider will first try to find out what may have triggered the mood episode. The provider may also look for any medical or emotional problems that might affect treatment.

The following drugs, called mood stabilizers, are usually used first:

• Carbamazepine
• Lamotrigine
• Lithium

• Valproate (valproic acid)

Other antiseizure drugs may also be tried.

Other drugs used to treat bipolar disorder include:

• Antipsychotic drugs and anti-anxiety drugs (benzodiazepines) for mood problems
• Antidepressant medications can be added to treat depression. People with bipolar disorder are more likely to have manic or hypomanic episodes if they are put on antidepressants. Because of this, antidepressants are only used in people who also take a mood stabilizer.
  
  Complications
  
• Stopping medication or taking it the wrong way can cause your symptoms to come back, and lead to the following complications:

• Alcohol and/or drug abuse
• Problems with relationships, work, and finances
• Suicidal thoughts and behaviors

This illness is hard to treat. Patients, their friends, and family must know the risks of not treating bipolar disorder.

So in the end if you or someone you love has Bipolar Just remember that there are always people who can help and know what you are going thru ! 

  http://www.bipolar.com.au/

Sick Kids Foundation

SickKids Foundation had a record-breaking year – with donations totalling $106.8 million. We can’t thank you enough.

“I am alive today because of SickKids”

Our mission: We inspire our communities to invest in health and scientific advances to improve the lives of children and their families in Canada and around the world.

By donating to SickKids, you enhance the care patients receive. You provide outstanding learning opportunities for staff and future generations of health-care professionals. And, you fund groundbreaking research that will lead to new discoveries, treatments and cures.

Please Donate !!!

http://www.sickkidsfoundation.com/donate

SickKids F

Amazing "Impress Yourself" Project from Information Processing 20 Clan

Here are some amazing final projects from the Information Processing 20 class. Students captured and edited audio, video, images to create a multimedia storyline. These projects were a lot of work. Each student took on the challenge and did a superb job! Well done! I hope you enjoy! Please leave comments for them.

The Clue in the Air
This is a Choose-Your-Own Adventure GoAnimate project.
GoAnimate.com: The Clue in The Air The Clue In The Air



Classical Guitar
A multimedia show about classical guitarists.

The Ride of Your Life
A video about the importance of persistence



I'm on Credenda Peeps
A multimedia show about being a Credenda student.

GoAnimate Projects

Congratulations Sarah and Brennan. Excellent work on these GoAnimate projects!

Attack at the Train Station
GoAnimate.com: An Attack at the Train Station



A Historic Adventure
GoAnimate.com: A Historic Adventure

Rube Goldberg Project Videos

These videos show the machines that physics students buildt to transfer energy from one device to another with the purpose of making a perfect cup of tea. Check it out!



And another one...

Newton's Laws Student Videos

Check out CatGal's Newton's Laws physics video. Great work CatGal!

Teen Leukemia

Leukemia is type of cancer that is very hard to understand I thought I would give you some information and links to further help you with anything else you do not understand.

I hope this post will help you with anything you may need to help someone who has i.t being a loved one , friend or someone you know. showing you care is the first step !

Leukemia is cancer that starts in the tissue then it starts to make blood. Normal blood cells start in the bone marrow called stem cells. There are different kinds of cells all of them do different things. White blood cells fight of infections, red blood cells carries oxygen and palettes help from blood cells. Your body makes these cells from the stem cells in your body. When you have leukemia your bone marrow makes odd white cells these odd cells are leukemia. Leukemia cells do not die off and reproduce like normal cells do like after you get sick. These cells crowed out normal blood cells and make it harder for them to come back.

There are different types of leukemia I know it sounds like there is only one.

Chronic – you may not show the first few symptoms. Slowly chronic leukemia gets worse as the blood cells get bigger, people with symptoms like swollen lymph nodes or infections.

Acute - these cells do not do anything normal cells can do. The cells increase and you get worse fast.

Acute lymphocytic - affects the lymphoid cells.

Some ways that might have caused leukemia

Radiation
diagnostic x rays
smoking
chemotherapy
family history

Symptoms of leukemia

Fevers or night sweats

Constant infection

Weak or tired

bleeding and easy bruising (bleeding gums, red spots under skin, purple patches)

Swelling or discomfort in your abdomen.

Weigh loss no reason

Pain in joints or bones.

Treatment –

When it comes to leukemia even though it is a bad type of cancer there are a lot of treatment options. These are some questions you might want to ask about leukemia.
Stem transplant
chemotherapy
targeted therapy
biological therapy

Chemo – in woman this treatment might damage ovaries, give irregular periods or might not have any periods. Woman who wants to have kids beforehand should talk about ways you can do so without hurting your ovaries with treatment.

You may want to ask your doctor these questions before you begin treatment:

· What type of leukemia do I have? How do I get a copy of the report from the pathologist?

· What are my treatment choices? Which do you recommend for me? Why?

· Will I have more than one kind of treatment? How will my treatment change over time?

· What are the expected benefits of each kind of treatment?

· What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment? What can we do to control the side effects?

· What can I do to prepare for treatment?

· Will I need to stay in the hospital? If so, for how long?

· What is the treatment likely to cost? Will my insurance cover the cost?

· How will treatment affect my normal activities?

· Would a clinical trial be right for me? Can you help me find one?

· How often should I have checkups?

You may want to ask your doctor these questions before having chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or biological therapy:

· Which drugs will I get? What will the treatment do?

· Should I see my dentist before treatment begins?

· When will treatment start? When will it end? How often will I have treatments?

· Where will I go for treatment? Will I have to stay in the hospital?

· What can I do to take care of myself during treatment?

· How will we know the treatment is working?

· Will I have side effects during treatment? What side effects should I tell you about? Can I prevent or treat any of these side effects?

· Can these drugs cause side effects later on?

· How often will I need checkups?

You may want to ask your doctor these questions before having radiation therapy:

· Why do I need this treatment?

· When will the treatments begin? How often will they be given? When will they end?

· How will I feel during treatment? Will I be able to continue my normal activities during treatment?

· Will there be side effects? How long will they last?

· Can radiation therapy cause side effects later on?

· What can I do to take care of myself during treatment?

· How will we know if the radiation treatment is working?

· How often will I need checkups?

You may want to ask your doctor these questions before having a stem cell transplant:

• What kind of stem cell transplant will I have? If I need a donor, how will we find one?

• How long will I be in the hospital? Will I need special care? How will I be protected from germs? Will my visitors have to wear a mask? Will I?

• What care will I need when I leave the hospital?

• How will we know if the treatment is working?

• What are the risks and the side effects? What can we do about them?

• What changes in normal activities will be necessary?

• What is my chance of a full recovery? How long will that take?

• How often will I need checkups?

·

Eating healthy and exercise is a big part of staying healthy and follow up care is also important.
You may want to ask your doctor these questions after you have finished treatment:

· How often will I need checkups?

· Which follow-up tests do you suggest for me?

· Between checkups, what health problems or symptoms should I tell you about?

All of these options are all depending on your age, type of leukemia, if you have leukemia cells in your cerebrospinal fluid.

Your doctor depending on the symptoms can suggest or prescribe certain treatment options. Like a specialist or go to a clinic that specialises in leukemia. If you have chronic leukemia then it is best to go and get treatment as soon as possible. The most important thing about choosing a treatment option knows your side effects. Last but not least stay calm . have lots of support around you even if not family members and positive it will take time though you will fight it and have a happy life.

Support from professionals -National Cancer Institute Information Resources

Telephone: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)

http://www.cancer.gov

Reenacting Hamlet... in the Kitchen

Get out the popcorn. Here's CatGal's reenactment of Hamlet!

Love is Louder - National Bullying Week

Dream big !

Voicethread !

Ophelia's Perceptive

This is Jessica's poem, inspired by Act 1 of Hamlet:

Ophelia’s Perceptive

He said “do you believe his tenders,
it fits your wisdom so far to believe it”
if what Hamlet says it true, I shall send away my heart’s defenders
then though will be giving more light than heat

Though shall show me the way to heaven
I will have troubles expressing my affection I am experiencing
I shall show him my true feelings when clock hits seven
Then blossoms the infants of the spring

But perhaps he loves me now
or so he says and just wants to be King
the virtue of his will, will want the bows
though heart will no longer have feeling nor a song to sing

Analysis of the Teenage Mind

This excellent video by Graham and Jeff remind us of some good study skills. What skills do you find help you in studying your school work?

Computer Science TV

This is Carter's project to demonstrate she understands the main components of a computer. Excellent work Carter! We can all relate to surfing TV channels hunting for a good show!