The prevalence of autism in the U.S. has soared in recent decades. There is no single verifiable cause and no magic pill for treatment. But new research suggests earlier diagnosis is possible and, with that, hope for a better outcome. The earlier we start good targeted intervention, the better chance we have at molding some of the brain circuits that we know are important for language and social interaction and the things that are impaired in autism, said Dr. Shafali Jeste, an autism expert at the University of California, Los Angeles. There is no blood test to quickly alert parents that their young children need help. Instead, diagnoses often dont come before age 4 or 5 and are made when behaviors seem atypical or when childhood milestones are missed. Beyond regular developmental screenings by doctors, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages parents to contact their doctors if they suspect a problem with the way their child plays, learns, speaks, acts or moves. Last year the CDC raised its autism prevalence estimate to 1 in 68 American children from 1 in 150 in 2000. The advocacy group Autism Speaks says that the number of children in the U.S. … Continue reading →

In 1993, neurologists Harold P. Adams Jr., MD, and Jose Biller, MD, and colleagues proposed a new way to classify strokes. It became known as the TOAST classification. Twenty-two years later, the TOAST classification remains an effective and easy-to-use system that is routinely employed in stroke studies around the world, Drs. Adams and Biller report in the journal Stroke, published online ahead of print. Dr. Adams is a professor of neurology and director of Cerebrovascular Disease at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Dr. Biller is chair of the Department of Neurology of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. The original article that Drs. Adams, Biller and colleagues wrote describing the TOAST classification has been cited more than 4,600 times, making it one of the most cited articles ever published in Stroke. Stroke, published by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, is the leading medical journal on stroke care. TOAST is used to classify ischemic strokes, which are caused by blood clots and account for about 85 percent of all strokes. A wide range of diseases can cause blood clots in the brain. Establishing the most likely cause influences both short-term and long-term prognoses. It also affects … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise MAYWOOD, IL In 1993, neurologists Harold P. Adams Jr., MD, and Jose Biller, MD, and colleagues proposed a new way to classify strokes. It became known as the TOAST classification. Twenty-two years later, the TOAST classification remains an effective and easy-to-use system that is routinely employed in stroke studies around the world, Drs. Adams and Biller write in an article in the journal Stroke, published online ahead of print. Dr. Adams is a professor of neurology and director of Cerebrovascular Disease at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Dr. Biller is chair of the Department of Neurology of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. The original article that Drs. Adams, Biller and colleagues wrote describing the TOAST classification has been cited more than 4,600 times, making it one of the most cited articles ever published in Stroke. Stroke, published by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, is the leading medical journal on stroke care. TOAST is used to classify ischemic strokes, which are caused by blood clots and account for about 85 percent of all strokes. A wide range of diseases can cause blood clots in the brain. Establishing … Continue reading →

BrainAttack App is an easy-to-use tool that helps doctors save the lives of stroke patients. The App helps doctors follow standard medical criteria to quickly determine patient eligibility for life-saving treatment known as tPA. The Brain Attack App offers a speedy & thorough process to determine tPA eligibility. Doctors can have confidence they are following standard of care guidelines.The App features tPA eligibility tool and NIH Stroke Scale.-Criteria based on current practice parameters.-Criteria established and tested by practicing Neurologists.-Highly interactive tool using native Android touch features.-App does not require internet connectivity.-Provides real time feedback to user with color coded background based on responses to criteria.-Ability to go back and forth to adjust user responses.-Final summary result can be emailed.The Stroke Scale is an implementation of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The NIHSS is a systematic assessment tool that provides a quantitative measure of stroke-related neurologic deficit.-Native Android App based Stroke Scale that does not require internet connectivity to use.-An easy to use interface that updates the Stroke Scale based on user responses to each Stroke Scale question.-A Summary View of the user responses to all Stroke Scale questions and final Stroke Scale result.-Ability to email the Stroke … Continue reading →