Health

Why Should You See a Vascular Specialist?

Published

1 year ago

November 17, 2021

A vascular specialist refers to the highest certification one can get for the specialized care of veins and arteries. Although you can get treatment from a general practitioner for some vein conditions, a vascular specialist has advanced training and clinical experience to offer the best level of care concerning vascular diseases and disorders. As a vascular specialist, Kristen Forsythe FNP, has met the highest standards of education, knowledge, and training in the field of vascular surgery. In simple terms, a vascular surgeon is a medical practitioner with board certification in vascular surgery.

What Do Vascular Specialists Treat?

Vascular specialists have the knowledge to address disorders and conditions affecting the entire vascular system. This way, a vascular specialist can offer what you need precisely when you need it rather than trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. A vascular specialist provides a wide range of services, including:

Varicose veins treatment
Sclerotherapy
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Carotid artery diseases
Dialysis
Peripheral artery disease

When Should You See a Vascular Specialist?

To put it simply, you should see a vascular specialist when you are diagnosed with a vascular condition or show symptoms of vascular disorders. You may also need to see a vascular specialist if your primary care physician advises you to. If you have a disease that puts you at risk for vascular disease or condition, you may need to see a vascular specialist regularly as a precaution. Below are some conditions that may need the attention of a vascular specialist:

Arterial Disease

Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. While a cardiovascular specialist will focus exclusively on treating blood vessels in the heart, a vascular specialist deals with blood vessels in the rest of the body.

Peripheral arterial disease is a condition that limits blood flow to the limbs. The restriction results from the narrowing of the peripheral arteries due to the buildup of plaque. A vascular specialist can conduct various procedures to treat the condition.

They can also treat renal artery disease, which comes about due to the blockage of the renal artery. If left unaddressed, it can result in hypertension which can cause permanent kidney damage.

Venous Disease

Veins carry blood from the rest of the body to the heart. Veins have valves that prevent the backflow of blood. Venous disease can damage the valves or other structures in the veins affecting the blood flow.

A vascular specialist can treat different venous disorders, including deep vein thrombosis, spider and varicose veins, phlebitis, and blood clots.

Dialysis Access Care

If you have kidney failure or end-stage kidney disease, you will need a kidney transplant or hemodialysis. Vascular specialists facilitate hemodialysis by creating and caring for the vascular access grafts.

In summary, a vascular specialist is a medical practitioner with advanced training and clinical experience to offer the best level of care concerning vascular conditions and disorders. They treat different conditions affecting the entire vascular system. You should see a vascular specialist if you have any symptoms or have been diagnosed with vascular disease.

Health

How to Help Your Child if You Think They Might Have Autism

Published

7 hours ago

February 3, 2023

Michelle Langton

Do you suspect your child might have autism, but you’re not sure? While only a professional diagnosis can tell you for sure, there are many ways you can support your child while you get a diagnosis and create a plan.

Here are some of the best ways to support a child you think might have autism.

Try a variety of therapies

While you’re in the process of getting a formal diagnosis, start trying different therapies with your child to see if anything resonates with your child. Every child with autism is different, so what works for one person may not work for another. There are several types of therapy you can try that are low-cost or free, including play therapy, speech therapy, floortime, ABA therapy, and more.

Although your child will need a formal Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis to get ABA therapy, it’s worth noting that once you have a diagnosis, you can get in-home therapy, which will make things easier on you and your child. Organizations like Golden Care Therapy in New Jersey will send an ABA therapist to your home to work with your child in their own environment. Getting in-home therapy will reduce the stress your child may feel from being in a new and unfamiliar place.

The more therapies you try, the better chance you have of getting a head start in supporting your child, whether or not they get diagnosed with autism.

Get your child some sensory toys

Kids with autism need to stim, which is just a fancy way of saying they need something to stimulate their senses in a way that allows them to mitigate and disburse the sensory overload they’re feeling. Without toys, kids will find ways to stim using just their bodies and their surroundings, but toys can be extremely helpful and less damaging depending on your child.

Every child is different, so it might take a bit to find toys they like. However, you can find some excellent suggestions from The Aspie World on YouTube. Some toys spin, squish, make noise, or are a series of magnets that can be reshaped. If your child is already fixated on certain types of toys, try to find something that matches their existing interest. For example, if they like soft textures, find some plush toys with a velvety-smooth texture. Try all types of toys to see if they help your child.

Seek a professional diagnosis

Getting a professional diagnosis is the best way you can support your child when you think they might have autism. Once you have a diagnosis, that opens the door to getting services that will help them immensely. Not just while they’re young, but it will help them in their adult life, too. For example, if your child moves out on their own, and they struggle with self-care and household chores, they’ll need a professional diagnosis to get in-home services from the state.

A professional diagnosis will tell you if your child is on the autism spectrum, or if they have a different disorder. Depending on the therapist you choose, they’ll likely be able to diagnose your child with any relevant comorbidities, which are common with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Learn about autism

Next to getting your child professionally diagnosed, learning about autism will help you support your child in many ways. There are many misconceptions about autism that can make it hard to spot the signs of autism. One of the best people to learn from is Tony Attwood. He’s considered the leading expert on Autism Spectrum Disorder and is extremely knowledgeable.

One of the most important things you can learn from Attwood is how to spot Autism in girls. For various reasons, it’s harder to spot autism in girls and some girls don’t get diagnosed until they’re in their 40s. Attwood gave an excellent talk about Asperger’s in girls back in 2015, and you’ll learn a lot from this speech.

Although Attwood’s speech focuses on Asperger’s, it is part of the autism spectrum. As a diagnosis, Asperger’s has been officially merged into the diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Support your child in every way you can

When you suspect your child might have autism, it’s important to support them in every way possible. While you’re seeking a professional diagnosis, start trying simple solutions, like play therapy and toys for stimming. See how they respond. Once you get a diagnosis, your child’s therapist will suggest next steps to help your child long-term.