The law that creates the National Day for Persons with Deafblindness, to be celebrated on November 12, was published in the Official Gazette this Wednesday (21). The objective is to make the Brazilian population aware of the specific needs of organization and public policies for social inclusion, combating prejudice and discrimination against this part of the population. Based on the 2010 Census, the National Federation of Education and Integration of the Deaf (Feneis) estimates that the country has around 40,000 people with different degrees of deafblindness, which can be congenital, from birth; or acquired, when the senses of sight and hearing are affected throughout life. According to the social coordinator of Feneis, Laís Drumond, the new law brings the point of view of the deafblind population, which suffers from the struggle and barriers to access their rights, which are unique and different from the blind and deaf population. For her, the deafblind population has a unique identity and needs greater social inclusion. “We in the communities of people with disabilities need to help encourage this population with deafblindness to come together around this identity. In addition, it is necessary to facilitate communication through tactile Brazilian Sign Language”, she explains. Rights For Laís, Brazilians do not have access to information about the deafblind community, a small and almost invisible population. Therefore, it is necessary to increase access to information about the rights of this segment, diseases that can cause deafblindness, guidance on health and access to services. “As the deaf community is aware that it is necessary to monitor and generate more job opportunities, we provide this support and generate this communication between the communities”, she explains. Laís says that guaranteeing the free right of the deaf-blind also involves the development of tactile communications, which is how this population accesses the world, in addition to good training of support professionals, such as guides, caregivers and family members. Parkinson’s Disease Another law – published in the Federal Official Gazette this Wednesday (21) – creates Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month, which is now celebrated in April, and also establishes the red tulip, a symbol for publicizing the illness. With higher prevalence among the population over 65 years old, the World Health Organization estimates that 1% of this population develops the disease and among people over 85 years old, this percentage rises to 6%. Parkinson’s Disease manifests itself slowly through symptoms such as involuntary tremors in the extremities of the hands, slow movements, muscle stiffness and dizziness. The disease progresses differently between patients and can also affect speech, swallowing, sleep, respiratory and urinary systems. Treatment Treatment is usually multidisciplinary with neurologists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, nutritionists and physical education professionals. And it may involve drug, surgical, psychotherapeutic and physical therapy treatment. April is the birth month of James Parkinson, who gives the disease its name, as he was the first researcher to describe it, in 1817. Since 1998, the day of his birth, April 11, has been established as Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Campaign by the World Health Organization. With the new law, the month will be dedicated to publicizing Parkinson’s Disease and its symptoms, expanding research, scientific and technological development for diagnosis and treatment, in addition to ratifying the rights of people with the disease.
Agência Brasil
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