Our prayers go out to everyone who has been affected and to those that are fighting the fires.<br />Karen
 

I Have a sister that lives in Santa Barbara. She Decided to leave and let her house burn and come and live in my Ski home in Utah. I have not heard from her in two days. CellPhone is full and no answer at her home, Her jet is still in the hanger. I guess I will be flying to California<br />God Bless EVERYONE caught in this horrific fire. Leave as fast as you can<br />CK,UTAH
 

xxx
 

Our prayers are with everyone that has been affected. Thank you to all the firefighters, police office, and to all the people that are giving their time to help other people. And to those that are flying it must be hard because of the winds. Thank you to all.
 

my mormor was evacuated, and stayed with my aunt, she is back home in her house tonight, she was safe and so was her home, but so many are displaced . . . still in my thoughts
 

....Dear Mr. Decker,.......... ......I am sitting here watching you on CNN about special needs children and the treatment they receive........... ......I am in Canada, however, I did want to speak to a disability that is hidden, does occur in children, and can mis-diagnosed as ADHD.  This disability crosses our borders.  Unaddressed, as it is today, it can create life-long psychosocial problems.  I did not have hyperacusis as a child (I did prefer quiet activities) but it came on gradually over-time, finally getting to such a degree (age 53) that I could no longer function in office environments, for example.  As well, I was fortunate with respect to being able to work because, for many years, I worked for senior physicians and, therefore, had my own office which came with the job.  It was only at cutbacks, that I became unable to work and my life has been pretty much.. not good.. because of lack of treatment options available, as well as government and societal response, speaking of bullying/abusive behaviors from others........... ......My son was diagnosed ADHD.  I am not suggesting that he had hyperacusis, however, no - one ever tested for it either - it was unknown at the time mostly, I must admit.........I can say that my son was closed off behind office dividers in the back of the class, and in Grade I, another parent told me that she had seen my son's teacher tell him to come to the front of class and take his pills "because if he didn't he was crazy.."  Terribly abusive and damaging in itself........... ......But, what if he had hyperacusis?   Responses/behaviors being very similar........... ......Autistic children can have hyperacute hearing.  This is a collapsed tolerance to sound in specific frequencies.  Hyperacusis is global intolerance to sound... ........ ......Treatment for hyperacusis is not covered either in Canada or the US.  I believe that, for children particularly, this must be done to rule it out before dx of ADHD/conduct disorder/obstructiveness, disruptiveness and all those pejoratives become a part of a child's school record........... ......I speak to hyperacusis, which is, essentially, a collapsed tolerance to sound.  It is spoken to as "rare" as a primary condition, but research reveals that it may not be as rare as people think - as a primary condition.;.......... ......This is a link from the UK (there is very little research done in this in Canada and the US that is not in trials) that speaks to hyperacusis in children........... ........http://www.deafnessresearch.org.uk/factsheets/hyperacusis-in-children.pdf............ ..........Hyperacusis in Children<br />..Pawel J. Jastreboff, Ph.D., Sc.D, Professor of Otolaryngology and Director of Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Center, Department of Otolaryngology at Emory University.......<br />......http://www.audiologyonline.com/askexpert/display_question.asp?question_id=91............ ......Marsha Johnson, Oregon Tinnitus and Hyperacusis Clinic........Hyperacusis in Children..........http://www.tinnitus-audiology.com/children.html............ ......Helping Children with Hyperacusis..........http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/helping-children-with-hyperacusis-53748.html............ ......Currently, hearing tests performed in Canada and the United States do not specifically test for LOL's (Loudness Discomfort Levels) which would reveal hyperacusis, or, as I said, ruled out.  .......... ......I do not understand why this is not done.  I fear that many children with hyperacusis, undiagnosed under the current system, will be treated as ADHD, put on Ritalin, family therapy, the constellation for ADHD.  None of this will work (aside from taking medication that won't help in this instance) if the child has a collapsed tolerance to sound that has never either been acknowledged or treated.  These children will always react to background noise, etc.  And many will, for example, run to get away from the sound - at which point, they get into trouble at school (in some cases, to the degree you are speaking to).  Then these children are treated as if their behaviours are volitional........... ......I entreat you to look into this, because it so important for these children who do, in fact, have hyperacusis.  Particularly when, at a young age, TRT treatment as Dr. Jastreboff speaks to, is of so much benefit and could help prevent life-long effects of the labeling that occurs within the school system - and the teasing, and so on.  Children to know about hyperacusis with respect to children in the class who may have it.  Certainly, "teachers" need to know.  People have a tendency, for example, to raise their voices in discipline - this occurs naturally, however, if you raise your voice to a child with hyperacusis, you will potentially get a behavioral response similar to acting out/ADHD.  All because the teacher speaks to loudly........... ......There needs to be education around this disability.  There isn't any to date except for specialists' websites.  Certainly not within school systems.  No-one has ever heard of it........... ......Yours truly,.......... ......Anne Faulkner....