Health
Service dog helps boy with rare genetic disorder achieve ‘unbelievable’ progress
When a 3-year-old New York boy was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, hope came in an unlikely form — a golden retriever named Yammy.
Susan Bresnahan’s son, Patrick, was born in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, she told Fox News Digital.
Bresnahan, who has been a nurse for 20 years, noticed that her son wasn’t hitting any of the normal developmental milestones as he reached toddler age.
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“I knew in my gut that something was wrong,” she said during an on-camera interview.
Patrick Bresnahan, now 4, was diagnosed with a rare neurodevelopmental genetic disorder at 2 years old. (Susan Bresnahan)
A tough diagnosis
After seeing many specialists and undergoing genetic testing, the family learned that Patrick — just over 2 years old at the time — had a rare neurodevelopmental disorder called Timothy syndrome.
“After getting the diagnosis, it was the first good night’s sleep I had in two years, because I was losing my mind knowing there was something really wrong,” Bresnahan recalled.
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Timothy syndrome occurs when there is a mutation of the CACNA1C gene, according to Cleveland Clinic. Fewer than 100 people are diagnosed worldwide.
The disorder, which is life-threatening, can affect a child’s heart, cognitive abilities, nervous and immune systems, and physical appearance, the same source stated.
Initial symptoms can include certain physical characteristics, irregular heart function, seizures, trouble communicating, and developmental delays, the last of which Bresnahan first noticed in her son.
“I was losing my mind knowing there was something really wrong.”
In many cases, Breshanan said, the CACNA1C mutation can be mistaken for autism, when the autism is really just a symptom of the genetic disorder.
“In Patrick’s case, I feel strongly that if I wasn’t a nurse, especially in pediatrics, I would be walking around saying my child has autism, but he doesn’t,” she noted.
Timothy syndrome occurs when there is a mutation of the CACNA1C gene, according to Cleveland Clinic. Fewer than 100 people are diagnosed worldwide. (Susan Bresnahan)
Although there is no cure for the syndrome, certain treatments can help manage symptoms and improve outcomes.
Nearly 80% of diagnosed cases lead to fatal heart conditions in early childhood, according to Cleveland Clinic.
‘Had to do more’
Experts recommend early intervention after a diagnosis of Timothy syndrome.
“Besides the occupational therapy and speech therapy, I just felt like I had to do more,” Bresnahan told Fox News Digital.
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“So I asked a neurologist what their thoughts were on a service dog, because Patrick just had no motivation to move.”
The family started the process of getting a service dog at ECAD (Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities) in Torrington, Connecticut, which matches up families with dogs suited to their needs.
The Bresnahan family had to raise $25,000 for their portion of the cost to receive a service dog. “It was amazing how people came forward to support us,” Susan Bresnahan said. (Susan Bresnahan)
Each ECAD dog receives more than 1,500 hours of training, according to Bresnahan. The person seeking a dog must also complete a two-week course at the ECAD facility before they are matched with the animal that best suits their specific needs.
The service dogs can be trained to open and close doors, turn on lights, retrieve items and steady people while walking or going upstairs.
‘Match made in heaven’
The Bresnahan family had to raise $25,000 for their portion of the cost to receive a service dog.
Within three weeks, they had received the full amount through donations from friends, family and community members.
“It was unbelievable,” Bresnahan recalled. “I just cried for three weeks straight — it was amazing how people came forward to support us.”
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A couple of years after starting the process, Patrick received his dog, Yammy.
“Within two weeks, he was doing like 12 new things he had never done,” she said. “I really couldn’t believe my eyes.”
“It was a sense of security, having the dog next to him,” Bresnahan said. Yammy has also increased Patrick’s social ability and self-confidence, she added. (Susan Bresnahan)
Where Patrick used to walk slowly and move “clumsily,” he suddenly began walking, running and moving much more easily and smoothly with Yammy.
He even started climbing steps, something he had never attempted before.
“It was a sense of security, having the dog next to him,” Bresnahan said. Yammy has also increased Patrick’s social ability and self-confidence, she added.
“It’s just a huge physical therapy session all day long, along with the love and security.”
While many people think of service dogs as a solution for the vision-impaired, Bresnahan said they are ideal for a developmentally delayed child.
“It’s just a huge physical therapy session all day long, along with the love and security.”
Yammy comes along to all of Patrick’s doctor’s appointments, providing unspoken support and comfort.
“It’s a distraction, it’s a friend,” Bresnahan said. “When he pets him, I feel like his anxiety goes down. It’s just been a beautiful thing — it’s like a new family member.”
Where Patrick used to walk slowly and move “clumsily,” he suddenly began walking, running and moving much more easily and smoothly after receiving his service dog, said Susan Bresnahan. (Susan Bresnahan)
“As Patrick’s mother, I can say that Yammy and Patrick are a match made in heaven,” she went on.
“Receiving a service dog allows Patrick to thrive and push himself to continue reaching new goals.”
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Today, at 4 years old, Patrick is doing well, although he is at risk of cardiac problems and seizures. He receives EKGs each year to monitor his heart’s electrical activity.
“He’s the only one in the whole world with this exact mutation, so there’s really no one to compare it to,” Bresnahan said. “So we just have to keep monitoring and hoping.”
“It’s just been a beautiful thing — it’s like a new family member,” Susan Bresnahan said of her son’s service dog. (Susan Bresnahan)
While Patrick’s progress is still “very delayed,” she said, it’s “going in the right direction.”
“And he’s the happiest kid alive.”
Bresnahan, who stays in touch with scientists who are researching the disorder, is hopeful for new treatments or therapies in the future.
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For other parents whose children aren’t hitting the expected developmental milestones, she recommends seeking out genetic testing.
“It’s just a mouth swab — and the amount of information you can get from that swab can change your life.”
More than a third of Americans report making New Year’s resolutions, statistics show, many of which are focused on kicking bad habits.
Whether it’s smoking, overeating, drinking excessive alcohol or “doom-scrolling” on social media instead of sleeping, 72% of U.S. adults report having at least one unhealthy behavior, according to data from the United Health Foundation.
Dr. Adi Jaffe, a California-based psychologist, knows firsthand the dangers of unhealthy habits, as he once struggled with drug addiction himself.
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“I got trapped in the world of drugs and alcohol, from the middle of high school until a few years after college,” he shared with Fox News Digital during an on-camera interview.
Dr. Adi Jaffe, a California-based psychologist, struggled with drug addiction in his youth and now helps others overcome unhealthy habits. (Adi Jaffe, PhD)
“Addiction doesn’t separate by gender or age or race or income — people from all walks of life are impacted.”
Jaffe ultimately spent time in jail before getting clean and returning to school, earning two master’s degrees and a PhD in psychology.
“I wanted to understand what happened to me — and then what I’ve done over the last 15 years, hopefully, is bring those lessons to others who are struggling.”
“Addiction doesn’t separate by gender or age or race or income — people of all walks of life are impacted.”
Today, Jaffe focuses on helping people beat addiction and improve their mental health. In his upcoming book — “Unhooked: Free Yourself from Addiction Forever” — he shares a step-by-step program to help people free themselves from harmful habits.
Jaffe shared with Fox News Digital some of his tips and insights.
Recognizing the behavior
While many people think of addiction as involving drugs or alcohol, Jaffe noted that it can take many forms.
Many people assume that the behavior itself is the problem, the psychologist said — but there is almost always an underlying reason for those unhealthy or harmful choices. (iStock)
“If you engage in a behavior of any sort over long periods of time that robs you of your ability to be fully present in your life — and it bothers you, but you can’t find yourself stopping it, even though you’ve tried over and over — to me, that qualifies,” he said.
In addiction to substance abuse, addictive behaviors might include “doom-scrolling” on your phone for hours a day, binge-eating, gambling or indulging in other unhealthy activities.
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People can be addicted to work and success, too, Jaffe noted.
“When things get hard and get tough, they want to go to work,” he said. “They believe success or performance will make them feel better, but it can cause damage just like other addictions.”
“Doom-scrolling” on social media is a potentially addictive behavior, the psychologist noted. (iStock)
Social media is another form of addiction, the expert said.
“When your phone buzzes or pings, you don’t know what’s there, so it’s a novelty that’s interesting, and it releases dopamine,” he said. “You almost literally cannot help yourself.”
Identifying the ‘hooks’
Many people assume that the behavior itself is the problem, Jaffe said — but there is almost always an underlying reason for those unhealthy or harmful choices.
“The behavior was actually a medicine of sorts for a problematic undercurrent.”
“The reason you do it is that at some point earlier in your life, there was pain or struggle or emotional discomfort,” he said.
“And you discovered that when you engaged in the behavior, that discomfort went away. So the behavior was actually a medicine of sorts for a problematic undercurrent.”
More than a third of Americans report making New Year’s resolutions, statistics show, many of which are focused on kicking bad habits. (iStock)
For Jaffe, when he was 14 or 15 years old, his “hook” was social anxiety.
“And when somebody handed me a bottle of vodka at some sleepaway camp, I drank it because I didn’t want to look awkward,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Once I started drinking, I had no anxiety and felt like I belonged. I felt like I could talk to people. And so I realized that alcohol had ‘solved’ this problem.”
“Once I started drinking, I had no anxiety and felt like I belonged. I felt like I could talk to people. And so I realized that alcohol had ‘solved’ this problem.” (iStock)
Everyone has different hooks, Jaffe said, but there are similarities and patterns.
“We start living our lives trying to escape the discomfort of the hooks.”
Replacing the habit
Once people have identified an unhealthy behavior, one of the biggest mistakes they make is just trying to stop it without a plan, according to Jaffe.
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“We try to stop ourselves from doing what we don’t like,” he noted. “Especially around New Year’s, people might say, ‘I’m going to stop eating bad foods or I’m going to stop being lazy,’” he said.
Research has shown, however, that the most important aspect of kicking a bad habit is to replace the negative behavior with a positive one, the psychologist noted.
The most important aspect of kicking a bad habit is to replace the negative behavior with a positive one. (iStock)
“We have to stop trying to just eliminate bad habits — it doesn’t work,” Jaffe said. “We have to replace them with something else.”
For example, if someone wants to quit smoking, they might keep gum or sunflower seeds in their pocket, he said.
“You just have to keep going.”
Or, if someone is too focused on work, that might mean letting go of some tasks and delegating them to other people.
Jaffe also emphasized that the process of kicking a bad habit isn’t always perfect or seamless, and that slipping up from time to time doesn’t equate to failure.
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“It’s okay to fall flat on your face a number of times while you’re working on changing this,” he said.
“You just have to keep going.”
Jaffe’s book, “Unhooked: Free Yourself from Addiction Forever,” will be available on Jan. 7.
For long-term brain health, older adults might want to carefully consider how they spend their downtime, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of South Australia assessed the 24-hour activity patterns of nearly 400 people over age 60.
When it comes to brain health, the study found that the context or type of activity individuals engage in matters, news agency SWNS reported.
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Some sedentary behaviors are better for cognitive function than others, according to the findings, which were published in The Journal of Gerontology Series A.
Mentally stimulating behaviors, such as reading, listening to music, praying, crafting and playing a musical instrument — as well as social behaviors like chatting with others — are beneficial for memory and thinking abilities, the study noted.
Mentally stimulating behaviors such as reading, listening to music, praying, crafting and playing a musical instrument are beneficial for memory and thinking abilities, a new study noted. (iStock)
The research team referred to the “valuable insights” that could help reduce instances of cognitive impairment. More passive activities, like playing video games or watching TV, do not offer the same benefits as reading, praying and other activities, they noted.
More than 55 million people around the globe have dementia, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. Another 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year.
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Dr. Maddison Mellow, researcher at the University of South Australia, said that not all sedentary behaviors are equal when it comes to memory and cognitive health.
“The context of an activity alters how it relates to cognitive function, with different activities providing varying levels of cognitive stimulation and social engagement.” (iStock)
“In this research,” she said, “we found that the context of an activity alters how it relates to cognitive function, with different activities providing varying levels of cognitive stimulation and social engagement.”
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She said that scientists “already know that physical activity is a strong protector against dementia risk, and this should be prioritized if you’re trying to improve your brain health,” as SWNS reported.
“Even small, 5-minute time swaps can help.”
“But until now, we hadn’t directly explored whether we can benefit our brain health by swapping one sedentary activity for another.”
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She went on, “And while the ‘move more, sit less’ message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviors and cognitive function.”
It’s wise to “prioritize movement that’s enjoyable and gets the heart rate up,” she also said.
And “even small, 5-minute time swaps can help.”
“A more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviors and cognitive function.” (iStock)
A recent study published by the RAND Corporation in California also identified several major predictors occurring around age 60 that could likely lead to cognitive impairment and dementia in individuals by age 80, as Fox News Digital previously reported.
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Researchers evaluated 181 potential risk factors, including demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle and health behaviors, health history, psycho-social factors and more.
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The list of predictors, according to RAND, included “never exercising” and “low engagement in hobbies.”
The study results suggested that “maintaining good physical and mental health is beneficial not just to staying in shape, but also to staying sharp and delaying cognitive decline,” study co-author Peter Hudomiet, a RAND economist in California, told Fox News Digital.
Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.
Babies born in the year 2025 will begin the newest generation – Generation Beta.
Following Generation Alpha (2010 to 2024), Gen Beta will comprise a new group of kids born between 2025 and 2039.
The Australian research firm McCrindle predicted that Gen Beta will make up 16% of the world’s population by 2035, and many will live to see the 22nd century.
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The research and analysis group, led by demographer and futurist Mark McCrindle, wrote in an article that Gen Beta “represents a pivotal chapter in our evolving world.”
Gen Beta will make up 16% of the world’s population by 2035, Australian research firm McCrindle projected. (iStock)
“We named them Alpha and Beta to signify not just new generations, but the first generations that will be shaped by an entirely different world,” McCrindle stated.
Gen Beta will face a variety of fast-changing global factors, like evolving technology, societal challenges, sustainability and climate, experts say.
“The DNA of children doesn’t change, but the culture does – and it has a dramatic impact on how kids turn out.”
As Gen Beta will mostly be the children of younger millennials and older Gen Zers, their parents will prioritize “adaptability, equality and eco-consciousness in their parenting,” McCrindle predicted.
“This will result in Generation Beta being more globally minded, community-focused and collaborative than ever before,” the article reads. “Their upbringing will emphasize the importance of innovation not just for convenience, but for solving the pressing challenges of their time.”
Gen Beta will be the children of younger millennials and older Gen Zers. (iStock)
High-tech kids
As artificial intelligence grows in prevalence and access to technology continues to increase, Gen Beta’s digital and physical worlds will be “seamless,” according to analysts.
“Generation Beta will live in an era where AI and automation are fully embedded in everyday life — from education and workplaces to health care and entertainment,” McCrindle wrote.
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The research group predicted that Gen Beta will likely be the first generation to experience autonomous transportation “at scale,” as well as wearable health technologies and immersive virtual environments as “standard aspects of daily life.”
“Generation Beta will live in an era where AI and automation are fully embedded in everyday life,” McCrindle predicted. (iStock)
“Their formative years will be marked by a greater emphasis on personalization — AI algorithms will tailor their learning, shopping and social interactions in ways we can only begin to imagine today.”
As Gen Beta kids enter a world of “always-on technology,” digital interactions will be key to social connections, education and careers, the analysts noted.
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“We predict Generation Beta will embody the balance between hyper-connectivity and personal expression,” McCrindle said. “They’ll redefine what it means to belong, blending in-person relationships with global digital communities.”
Generational parenting
The fate of Gen Beta kids will largely hinge on their millennial and Gen Z parents, who welcome technology as a learning tool but are also wary of the risks of overexposure, according to experts.
“You can’t change the world, but you can change how you’re parenting.”
Educational psychologist and parenting expert Dr. Michele Borba noted that parents will need to pay attention to what Gen Beta needs to thrive.
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“The DNA of children doesn’t change, but the culture does – and it has a dramatic impact on how kids turn out,” California-based Borba said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“That said, you can’t change the world, but you can change how you’re parenting.”
Paying attention to what drives your child is crucial to their development and happiness, according to one psychologist. (iStock)
“The first step [for parents] is to recognize the changes that are happening … so they can make sure they’re raising a strong generation of kids who can handle a new world,” she added.
Gen Beta will be a “generation of digital natives,” born into a world where their chores, shopping and even homework can be done for them, according to the psychologist.
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“Critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication – those will all be impacted by AI,” Borba predicted.
The psychologist encouraged parents to remain calm during uncertain times, since children will mirror their response. (iStock)
She suggested that parents teach their Gen Beta kids to be adaptable, as things like technology and job markets will see major changes in their lifetime.
Borba also encouraged parents to remain calm during uncertain times, as children will mirror that response.
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The psychologist also stressed the importance of children getting enough social interaction, especially if they don’t have siblings.
“What’s crucial to the well-being of our children is strong social relationships,” she said.
Social regression has already impacted the youngest generations, Borba warned, resulting in shorter attention spans and a fear of taking risks.
Parents should teach their kids social skills to balance a reliance on growing technology, a psychologist advised. (iStock)
For parents raising kids of an entirely new generation, she went on, it’s essential to pinpoint and nurture their strengths.
“Figure out who your kid is,” she advised. “From a very early age, figure out what drives them, not what you want them to become.”
Fox News Digital reached out to McCrindle requesting comment.
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