So What Is ALS &
Why Is Everyone Dumping Buckets Of
Ice Water On Their Head???

#ALSIceWaterChallenge #StrikeOutALS

  Be sure to check out: The cutest #ALSIceBucketChallenge yet!!

 “ALS can strike anyone” – ALS Association Website

If you are on online at all, chances are you’ve seen a video of someone dumping a bucket of ice water on their head and naming names. What’s it all about?

What is ALS?
ALS stands for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It is commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. On their website, ALS Association describes the disease: “Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons reach from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles throughout the body. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS eventually leads to their death. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. With voluntary muscle action progressively affected, patients in the later stages of the disease may become totally paralyzed.”

What are the symptoms of ALS?
Symptoms of ALS can include”

• Muscle weakness in hands, legs, feet, ankles, arms, shoulders or tongue 
• Muscle cramping and/or twitching in the arms, hands or tongue
• Slurred speech, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing
• Difficulty holding head up and/or standing up straight

What causes ALS?
In a small percentage of cases, ALS is inherited. Additional causes are unknown.

          “Approximately 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. The incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time.”
– ALS Association Website

Is there treatment?
There is no cure for ALS. Current treatments work to slow the progression of the disease. Symptom treatments focus on: medication, various therapies, and nutrition.

What is the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?”
Some people are calling the ALS #IceBucketChallenge the most successful social media campaign yet. It is a viral fundraising campaign raising money for the ALS Association and raising awareness of the disease. 29 tear old Pete Frates lives with the disease and started this sensation in his ongoing devotion to raising ALS awareness. Current donations to ALS total more than 15% higher than those of a year ago!! Read more on the ALS website.

How does the “ALS Ice Bucket Challenge work?
ALS Ice Water Challenge is a challenge or dare. You are called out by someone who has completed the challenge to either dump a bucket of ice water on your head or donate $100 to the ALS Association. Once you complete the challenge, it is your turn to nominate 3 people to do the same.

Is it really working?
YES!! Not only is the challenge spreading the word about ALS like wild fire, but as of today, the “ALS Association has received $31.5 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 20).” – ALS Association Press Release

So now you know what the seemed craziness is all about. Now it’s your turn! Parenting Beyond nominates YOU!!

Donate Now 🙂

“The ALS Association is the only national non-profit organization fighting Lou Gehrig’s Disease on every front. By leading the way in global research, providing assistance for people with ALS through a nationwide network of chapters, coordinating multidisciplinary care through Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence, and fostering government partnerships, The Association builds hope and enhances quality of life while aggressively searching for new treatments and a cure. For more information about The ALS Association, visit our website at www.alsa.org.” – ALS Association Website