P o rt lattò © bseruer
Page A6
September 8. 2004
H ealth
Interested in Adoption?
Meet Katelynne,
Fred and Bailey,
ages 6, 5, and 3
Katelynne, Fred and Bailey are
endearing siblings waiting for an
adoptive family to give them the
chance to grow up together.
Katelynne is a very bright, out­
going girl. She loves looking at
books, playing with dolls, coloring,
swimming and horses. She also
enjoys playing with her foster sis­
ters and wants more siblings, plus
a mom and a dad.
Fred is a generally happy child
with an "awesome" smile. He en­
joys basketball, baseball, football,
running and hula-hooping. Fred
likes to please and loves to help out
around the house.
Bailey is a typically busy and
Bailey (left), Katelynne and Fred are looking for a stable and
loving home.
curious three-year-old. He loves to
be outside and enjoys playing w ith
cars, trucks, puzzles, games, and
Legos. Bailey likes animals and
enjoys gathering eggs on the farm.
Counseling has helped these
children through some difficult tran­
sitions and they are now ready to
bond with their new family.
T hese children are am ong
approxim ately 300 Oregon chil­
dren available for adoption. For
more inform ation contact the
Special Needs A doption C oali­
tion or DHS at 503 542-2392 or I
800331-0503.
THE
SPINACOLUMN
Dr. Billy R. Flowers
An ongoing senes of questions and answers about Amenca's natural healing profession
Part 14. Scoliosis Exam: The most important
test your kids will take all year.
My kids already get back- plete recovery.
trained to detect and correct spi­
to-school check-ups. Why
: How can I tell if my daughter nal disorders. It's a sim ple, pain­
snouk d I brother with yet another
might have scoliosis?
less, inexpensive procedure that
one?
can save your children years of
: Scoliosis, a lateral curva­
J discom fort and disfigurem ent
: The most common visible later in life. For a scoliosis
ture of the spine, is one test
pro probably not included in your sym ptom is very prom inent checkup, or for answ ers to any
children's back-to-school physi­ shoulder blade higher than the questions you might have about
cal checkups. And yet, it is dis­ other. H ow ever, the best check your ow n health, call us at the
turbingly common among teen­ for scoliosis is an annual pre­ num ber below.
age girls. If left untreated, scolio­ school checkup with a C hiroprac­
sis often leads to painful arthritis tor. The one professional best
of the spine. But if the disorder is
detected by age eight, before the
2124 N.E. Hancock Street, Portland, Oregon 97212
adolescent growth spurt, there is
Phone: (5 0 3 ) 2 8 7 -5 5 0 4
better than 50% chance for com ­
Q,
QA
A
Flowers' Chiropractic Office
Questions and Answers About Stroke
Know the
warning signs
one or both eyes; sudden trouble o f this disease, the third leading
w alking, dizziness, loss o f balance killer and the leading cause of adult
or coordination; sudden, severe disability in this country. Stroke
headache with no known cause.
can affect anyone, young or old,
by D r . T ed L owenkopf , P rovi ­
Can early treatment reverse the even if otherwise healthy, so it is
dence S troke C enter
effects of a stroke? Very early treat­ important to recognize the warning
What is a stroke? A stroke is a ment is the key. Once the blood signs ofastroke andcal!9-1-1 should
"brain attack," an injury to the brain supply to the brain is interrupted, they occur. Some people are at
that occurs when blood flow to the the brain tissue begins to die rap­ higher risk for stroke, although
brain is interrupted, usually be­ idly. The sooner treatment begins, “modifiable” risk factors can be con­
cause a bltxid vessel is ruptured or the greater the chance of reducing trolled with the help o f a physician.
blocked.
or completely reversing the injury- Risk factors within control include
What is a transient ischemic at­ time isbrain. Your chances of walk­ smoking, high cholesterol and dia­
tack or "m ini-stroke?" It's a sudden ing away from a stroke greatly in­ betes. Unmodifiable risk factors are
but temporary interruption of the crease if you and those around you an age greater than 55, a family
blood supply to the brain, resulting know how to recognize stroke and history of stroke or heart disease, a
in.symptoms that typi­
p rev io u s h isto ry of
cally last for several
stroke and race. Afri­
minutes, but not more
can A m erican s and
than 24 hours. Treat a
Hispanic people are at
TIA the sam e as a
higher risk
stroke - call 9-1-1 to
Is it true that Oregon
get to the h o sp ital
has a high mortality rate
quickly.
from stroke? The death
What do I do if I see
rate in Oregon from
so m e o n e h a v in g a
stroke is the 3rd high­
stroke? Call 9-1-1 im­
est in the nation. The
- D r . Ted Lowenkopf
mediately to get them
reasons are unclear,
to the hospital quickly.
and for the past two
Care must begin immediately.
im m ediatelycall9-l-l.
years I have helped to co-direct a
What are the effects o f stroke?
Can I fully recover from a stroke? study that has looked at how we
Depending on the location of the Yes. Recovery after the brain injury care for stroke patients in Oregon
stroke, it can cause devastating from a stroke generally occurs for and why Oregonians seem to be at
dam age, including paralysis or up to one year. Rehabilitation in­ higher risk. The Centers for Dis­
muscle weakness, vision loss, dif­ volves different therapies that ad­ ease Control and Prevention (CDC)
ficulty in speaking or swallowing, dress a patient’s specific areas of awarded us a two-year grant to
memory loss and even death.
disability. Aggressive rehabilita­ study this question. The hope is
What are the warning signs of tion increases the chance for re­ that based on the data w e've col­
stroke? If you or someone you know covery and returning to a produc­ lected, combined with data from
experiences any o f the following tive and independent life. Most other states with stroke registries,
symptoms, it may be a stroke: Sud­ stroke survivors are left with some that the CDC will create a national
den numbness or weakness of the disability, but many recover com ­ stroke registry.
face, arm or leg, especially on one pletely or have only mild impair­
Dr. Lowenkopf is the medical
side o f the body; sudden confu­ ments.
director o f the Providence Stroke
sion. trouble speaking or under­
Who should be concerned about Center, based at Providence St.
standing; sudden trouble seeing in stroke? Everyone should be aware Vincent Medical Center.
Recovery after
the brain injury'
from a stroke
generally occurs
for up to one year.
You must register to vote
every time your address
Make Your Vote Count
changes or your name changes. To check if your registration is current, drop by Multnomah
County Elections at 1040 S.E. Morrison St. or call 503-988-3720.
A Healthy Community Starts with You:
Community-Driven Strategies to Reduce
Cardiovascular Disease Among African Americans
Join Us for the 9th Annual Wellness Village
Saturday, October 16, 2004
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
at The Blazers Boys & Girls Club
S2S0 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Activities Include:
V Gospel Choir
V Wellness Walk
V Exhibits
V Cooking Demo
V Salsa Dancing
V Door Prizes
V Health Screenings
V Children’s Hut
a t _L7_r.
Cathedral
P ark
Under the
St. Johns
Bridge
Learn more about
the environmental '
cleanup of the Lower
Willamette River
SPO N SO R ED BY
Join your neighbors and
their families!
• Free prize drawings!
• Fun activities for kids!
• Learn about river
cleanup activities
• Learn how to safely
prepare Willamette
i
River fish
Portland Harbor Community Advisory Group
For more information contact MHC at 503-413-1850 or kareng©aahc-portland.org
Willamette Riverkeeper
• Harbor tours*
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
H ourly harbor-area boat tours w ill
Oregon Department of Human Services
SHINE Program
be available on a first-come-first
Lower Willamette Group
served basis. Space is lim ited.
Call 503-229-5457 to reserve
your spot. Must be 18 or older
in
■ ^ o r f l a t t i t (Dbg e ru e r
Call 503-288-0033 ads@ portlandob server com
Advertise with diversity
FO R M O R E IN F O R M A T IO N
w w w portlandharborcag org o r
http://yosemite.epa.govZR10ZCLEANUP.NSF/sites/ptldharbor
for boat tours. All other events
w ill be open to all ages.