The 'International Ataxia Awareness Day' is an international effort from ataxia organizations around the world to dedicate September 25 as International Ataxia Awareness Day.
The goal of IAAD is for every individual to participate in some activity, creating awareness about ataxia. You could share something you know about ataxia with one other person who has never heard of it, educate a group of people by speaking at a school or civic group, contact the media, or raise financial support.
Ataxia
Ataxia is a rare progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects balance, coordination and speech. As the condition progresses sight, hearing and the heart can be affected. Ataxia can strike at any time regardless of age, gender or race. There is no treatment or cure for ataxia.
The word 'ataxia', comes from the Greek word, ' a taxis' meaning 'without order or incoordination'. The word ataxia means without coordination. People with ataxia have problems with coordination because parts of the nervous system that control movement and balance are affected. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and eye movements. The word ataxia is often used to describe a symptom of incoordination which can be associated with infections, injuries, other diseases, or degenerative changes in the central nervous system. Ataxia is also used to denote a group of specific degenerative diseases of the nervous system called the hereditary and sporadic ataxias which are the National Ataxia Foundation's primary emphases.
