Specific Purpose Statement: At the end of my speech, my audience will be familiar with the disease Encephalitis; an inflammation of the brain usually caused by a viral infection. Thesis statement: I will tell you about Encephalitis, by defining it, exploring its causes, discussing symptoms and diagnoses, and a few possible treatments. Introduction: I. Imagine for a second that you are 5 years old. A. Your friends call you up to go out and play on Sunday but you can’t because you have a fever of 105. 9°.
When you go to the pediatrician’s office and your fever will not go down using cold compresses, he sends you to the ER. B. Your admitted to the hospital and the doctors do a spinal tap which comes back negative and you now have quickly developed a rash, that turns out to be scarlet fever. C. No one knows what’s going on, you begin to have seizures and you’re going in and out of unconsciousness. D. You’re transported to the CCU (critical care unit) at Yale New Haven Medical Center and on the way you stop breathing but begin again with a fist to chest massage E.
A neurological specialist hooks electrodes up to your head to monitor your brain waves and run 100’s of blood test some that they would never get the results from. F. You haven’t spoke in 2 days, your motor skills are weak, your incontinent, and your whole family is scared to death; here we are the doctor comes in and tells your family you have Encephalitis and it’s affected the part of your brain that helps you to learn and speak, and has weakened all of your motor skills. G. For you this might just be another story, but for my sister this is the story of the day that changed her life.
She has had Encephalitis of unknown origins for 11 yrs. Although her life has been rough with medications, therapy, and her strength, she has not let this disease get the better of her. She is a sophomore in High School and plans to go to culinary school in 2 yrs. II. Now, I am going to tell you about Encephalitis, the horrible disease that tried to ruin my sister’s life. Body: I. Encephalitis: is defined as an inflammation of the brain A. This rare disease is a severe and potentially life threatening if prompt treatment isn’t received because the course of this disease is so unpredictable. B.
This illness occurs in two forms. C. The primary form is more serious, while the secondary is more common. D. However due to the milder nature of the secondary form; doctors tend to see more of the primary cases. II. Encephalitis can affect younger children and older adults more severe and there are many ways to catch this disease. A. According to wikipedia. org, an encyclopedia web site, it explains people usually get sick from a viral infection that results in Encephalitis. B. Arboviruses are the more frequent encountered agents, which are bugs, such as mosquitoes and ticks, holding dangerous viruses.
C. Other not so common ways of catching Encephalitis are illnesses such as the measles, rabies, mumps, and Herpes Simplex. D. The most world wide cause of Encephalitis is Herpes Simplex which causes inflammation of the temporal lobe and if not treated can be deadly. III. People with Encephalitis can suffer from many different symptoms as a result of the brain’s defense mechanism. A. When the brain attempts to fight off and get rid of the infection, the brain can swell, bleed and even kill cells. B.
Common symptoms are fevers, headaches, vomiting, drowsiness, and photophobia. (fear of light) C. Less common symptoms are weakness, seizures, stiffness of neck and limbs, slow movement, clumsiness depending on what part of the brain has been affected. D. Encephalitis, it first has to be discovered before any course of action can be taken, right? IV. Diagnosing can include any number of tests. A. Spinal Tap, a needle is inserted at the bottom of your back and fluid is drained. This fluid can then be analyzed to reveal any infections in the body. B.
EEG (Electroencephalography), this procedure takes about 30 minutes, electrodes are placed on the brain to measure brain waves. The patient’s brain is stimulated to produce brain activity, which is then measured on paper via the EEG machine. C. CT or MRI (computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging); brain imaging is used to check for brain swelling or other conditions of the brain. D. Brain Biopsy, rarely used due to the drasticness of the procedure, a small amount of tissue is removed form the brain and sent to the laboratory for analysis.
V. According to Medline. com there are many treatments for Encephalitis. A. Antiviral medications may be prescribed for the viral infections. B. Antibiotics will sometimes be prescribed for any bacterial infections. C. Anticonvulsants (a convulsions controller) are used to prevent or treat seizures. D. Corticosteroids (a steroid used to mimic the natural hormone your body produces by the adrenal gland, involved in metabolism and immune response) are used to reduce brain swelling and inflammation.
E. Sedatives may be needed for irritability or restlessness. F. Headaches and fevers can and usually are able to be treated with over-the-counter medicine. G. Most patient suffering from any form of Encephalitis are hospitalized for treatment. Conclusion: I. In my speech, I have informed you of the disease known as Encephalitis. A. I have made you aware of the symptoms and diagnoses, causes, treatments and how Encephalitis changed my family and can others. II.
I hope you now have the knowledge and awareness that I feel this disease deserves; I thank you for your time. Works Cited “Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. ” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 2006. Wikipedia. March 11, 2006 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “Encephalitis and Meningitis. ” Medline Plus: Trusted Information for You. January 24, 2006. March 11, 2006. “Encephalitis. ” Mayo Clinic Online: Tools for healthier lives. May 5, 2005. March 11, 2006. Smith, John. Telephone interview. March 11, 2006.