Kennedy Krieger Partners with Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to Create Wallet-Sized Autonomic Dysreflexia Cards

(Baltimore, MD) — The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's Paralysis Resource Center has created wallet-sized Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) cards, available to the public free of charge. These cards have been produced in collaboration with medical personnel at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute to educate and empower individuals living with paralysis, as well as their caregivers and medical professionals.

Autonomic Dysreflexia is a sudden increase in blood pressure, resulting from harmful, painful or injurious stimuli applied below neurologic levels in persons with a spinal cord injury (SCI). If left untreated, it can lead to stroke, seizures, or even death. Available in pediatric and adult versions in print, and also in Spanish online, the cards allow individuals to fill in their personal health information, including medical history and emergency contacts and include a description of AD, common causes, signs and symptoms, as well as suggestions for what to do when one is faced with the symptoms of AD. For first responders, school nurses and physicians, the card provides treatment recommendations. No other pediatric-focused cards exist.

To order copies, please call (800) 539-7309, or visit www.christopherreeve.org/adcard to download a copy or complete an electronic order form.

About The International Center For Spinal Cord Injury At The Kennedy Krieger Institute

The International Center for Spinal Cord Injury (ICSCI) at the Kennedy Krieger Institute is dedicated to innovative research and restoration recovery of chronic spinal cord injury and paralysis in children and adults. The interdisciplinary team at ICSCI is committed to the philosophy that with the right combination of therapies, recovery is always possible-even many months or years after an injury. The center’s therapy programs follow techniques that have shown great promise in helping individuals with chronic spinal cord injuries recover sensation, movement and independence, as well as achieve improved health and quality of life. For more information on ICSCI, visit www.spinalcordrecovery.org. For more information on Kennedy Krieger Institute, visit www.kennedykrieger.org.