CDKL5 in Color

It's National Caregivers Day. This day exists to bring attention to the significant service caregivers, particularly unpaid family caregivers, provide to our society as well as the challenges and needs of this important group. In episode 9 of the CDKL5 in Color podcast we talk with Stephanie who does her best to balance her career as a geoscientist and educator with her caregiving duties. Adaptability is the name of the game when you're a parent caregiver to someone living with CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, and adapt she has. Stephanie's career is on a different trajectory than she originally anticipated, and in some ways she is finding new meaning in what work is valuable to her. It can be extremely difficult for many caregivers to make it work, and some caregivers leave their career completely. Did you know... According to the Family Caregiver Alliance: 69% of working caregivers have to rearrange their work schedule, decrease their hours, or take unpaid leave in order to mee...

Does your loved one with epilepsy have a Seizure Action Plan in place? It's an important tool to ensure the safe and timely response to seizures and seizure emergencies! On episode 8 of the CDKL5 in Color podcast we are talking seizure action planning and amplifying an awareness effort led by the Seizure Action Plan Coalition called " Seizure Action Plan Awareness Week ." Celebrated this year from February 10-17, Seizure Action Plan Awareness Week aims to educate patients, healthcare providers, and the general public about the importance of having a Seizure Action Plan. What is Included in a Seizure Action Plan? A Seizure Action Plan can be as individualized as necessary, but it generally includes: Basic identifying information (name, DOB) Emergency contact(s) A description of seizures (type, length, what happens) When to administer rescue medication and/or call 911 Any after care or comfort care needed What seizure medications are taken regularly Other helpful medical in...

    Advocacy doesn't come naturally for many of us, and yet it is an important skill to develop if your child lives with a rare disease like CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. What is Rare Disease Advocacy? The goal of rare disease advocacy is to improve the lives of those living with rare diseases, irrespective of the unique disease state. Luckily, rare disease advocacy is well coordinated and strong in the United States. The leading advocacy organizations' efforts are bolstered by the support of smaller patient advocacy groups who sign on to letters of importance or take action when recruited. It's an easy way for smaller groups to engage in advocacy. Here are two leading rare advocacy organizations to know: National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) - You can join NORD's Rare Action Network and be connected with advocates in your home state, as well as be informed about important advocacy calls to action. Everylife Foundation - Their Rare Disease Legislative Advocate...

When you're new to this diagnosis, you're hoping that some of what's on the symptom list won't apply to you. And maybe you get lucky, but I would say that GI is probably not one of the ones where you get lucky. If your child has a diagnosis of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, chances are they will struggle with constipation at some point. Why? Well, there are a variety of reasons for it. Factors that Can Contribute to Constipation Low Muscle Tone (Hypotonia) - Low tone can affect many areas of the body including the muscles involved in bowel movements. Feeding and Swallowing Difficulties - Difficulties in this area can impact overall digestion and bowel regularity. Gastrointestinal Issues - Reflux and vomiting can accompany constipation and further complicate things. Medications - Some medications our children take can cause constipation. Developmental Delays - These can impact one's ability to develop regular bowel habits and recognize the need to go to the bathroom....

We always celebrate the little things. Deshaun’s positive attitude will make you smile. She’s a busy first grade teacher raising her 15-year-old son, Braylon, who lives with CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. In episode 5 of the CDKL5 in Color podcast, we do a deep dive with Deshaun about making life fun with Braylon, the importance of inclusion, and how caregiver mental health matters. Music Is Powerful Braylon is a fan of all types of music, from the symphony to pop, and Deshaun was able to take him to see Harry Styles in concert! Despite all the challenges of making such a trip (limited changing spaces, accessibility, and all the things to pack), they had a positive experience and, thankfully, found support from the stadium staff. When asked how she knows if he enjoys himself when he cannot tell her himself, she reflects on how CDKL5 caregivers inherently know their kids and pick up on the cues they give to indicate they are content. Learning Who Therapy Is For Mental health was always jus...

First Comes Epilepsy Before our kids were diagnosed with CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder, they were diagnosed with epilepsy. In episode 4 of the CDKL5 in Color podcast we share our initial experiences receiving an epilepsy diagnosis for our infants. 1 in 26 people are affected by epilepsy in the US, but despite that statistic, neither of us knew much about the disease. We didn’t know that infants could have seizures or that epilepsy could be refractory and difficult to control. We also didn’t know that people could live with daily seizure activity. Marissa’s Story: At just four weeks old, Gregory started having seizures. After sharing videos of the strange movements with his pediatrician, we received a referral to a pediatric neurologist. During a planned one-hour EEG (where Gregory did not have any episodes) we were told everything was ok, but later on a longer EEG confirmed the seizures. Gregory was diagnosed with epilepsy at two months old. Amanda’s Story: Although Ava had been meeting mi...

In Episode three you’ll hear from CDKL5 mama, Rachel, who is raising her amazing nine-year-old daughter, Mimi, with her family in California. There are so many quotables in this episode! Rachel is an insightful speaker and her stories about life with Mimi are captivating. Please listen to the episode to hear it first-hand. I’ll take a shot at highlighting some of the discussion here. The Early Days and Diagnosis From early on, Rachel noticed that something was different about her new baby, Mimi. She was floppy, lethargic, didn't want to feed, and appeared jaundiced. At just three weeks old, odd movements led to a trip to the ER. Initially dismissed as overanxious parents, an EEG soon revealed that Mimi was experiencing seizures, leading to her being put on her first anti-seizure medication. Like most of us, Rachel wasn’t educated about epilepsy and thought that the new medication would resolve Mimi’s issues. However, when Mimi had another seizure despite being on medication, Rache...