Epileptic seizures can usually be controlled with anti-epileptic drugs Tsarai Moto*, 25, from Musami village in Mashonaland East Province about 80km from Harare, has to travel to the capital for her anti-epileptic medication every month because of shortages of the drug in her area. She told IRIN that during these trips, she frequently experienced seizures as a result of having gone for days without taking her medication. My money and valuables have been stolen during the seizures and left me stranded, she said. Moto is one of an estimated 2 percent of people affected by epilepsy in Zimbabwe, according to the Epilepsy Support Foundation of Zimbabwe (ESFZ), an NGO that provides medical and psycho-social support services to people with the condition. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. These seizures can be successfully controlled with anti-epileptic drugs, but according to WHO nine out of every 10 people with epilepsy in Africa go untreated. ESFZ estimates that 86 percent of people with epilepsy in Zimbabwe are not receiving medication, especially those in rural areas. Moto said people in her community viewed her as insane and that her frequent seizures had prevented her from completing primary school. According to a … Continue reading →

Encino, CA (PRWEB) August 12, 2014 Working With Autism (WWA) has been working tirelessly to help families gain access to a larger number of funding sources for Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Intervention for their children, and by actively engaging with funding sources available in Los Angeles and Santa Clarita Counties, WWA has helped families access high quality and affordable ABA services. With a boost in the number of Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBA), WWA is poised to offer its services to residents of Los Angeles, San Fernando, and Santa Clarita and enable the families to leverage funding available from a number of Insurance carriers. Through the very nature of WWA's endeavors and in consonance with its guiding beliefs, it strives and ensures that only the most professionally equipped and highly compassionate individuals join its team. With the addition of the new BCBA certified supervisors, families can effectively receive the support, time, and encouragement needed to successfully complete an ABA program. "We are thrilled to welcome such positive, dedicated, and well-versed BCBA's to WWA. The multitude of their experiences will further enhance the strength of our program, as well as enable WWA to offer an even broader range of services to … Continue reading →

Uniform Advantage Partners with The Dan Marino Foundation to Raise Awareness About Autism In recognition of Autism Awareness, Uniform Advantage is partnering with The Dan Marino Foundation this Fall 2014 by donating $1 from the sale of each of its Autism Awareness White prints. The total contributed will be over $2,000 to help support Autism programs. To learn more, please visit http://www.uniformadvantage.com/a-day-in-scrubs/ua-gives-back/dan-marino.asp. Most health insurance plans are no longer allowed to deny, limit, exclude or charge more for coverage to anyone based on a pre-existing condition, including autism and related conditions. All Marketplace health plans and most other private insurance plans must cover preventive services for children without charging a copayment or coinsurance. This includes autism screening for children at 18 and 24 months. There is no cure for ASD but early detection and treatment services at a very young age can help improve a childs life overall. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated that: ASD is almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 42) than among girls (1 in 189). It is estimated to cost at least $17,000 more per year to care for a child with ASD compared to a child without ASD. Costs … Continue reading →

Stroke Prevention When a Stroke Occurs: Quick Stroke Treatment Can Save Lives Ischemic Stroke Treatment Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment Medical treatments may be used to control high blood pressure and/or manage atrial fibrillation among high-risk patients. Those medicines include: Additionally, when arteries show plaque buildup or blockage, medical procedures may be needed. Such as: If youre having a stroke, its critical that you get medical attention right away. Immediate treatment may minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and prevent death. There are two types of strokes: hemorrhagic or ischemic. An ischemic stroke occurs as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. It accounts for 87 percent of all stroke cases. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures and spills blood into brain tissue. The most common cause for the rupture is uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure). There are two other types of weakened blood vessels that also cause hemorrhagic stroke: aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Treatment differs depending on the type of stroke. The only FDA approved treatment for ischemic strokes is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, also known as IV rtPA, given through an IV in the arm). tPA works … Continue reading →

Blood vessel tears that lead to strokes may be associated with but not necessarily caused by treatments involving neck manipulations, researchers say. The blood vessel tears, called cervical artery dissections account for about two of every 100 strokes overall, and from eight to 25 of every 100 strokes in young and middle aged adults. What happens with the dissection is that there is a tear in one of the layers of the artery wall in the neck that can result in (a) stroke if a blood clot forms, Dr. Jos Biller told Reuters Health in a phone call. Biller, a neurologist with the Loyola University Chicago Strich School of Medicine, was lead author of a joint statement on neck manipulation and stroke risk from the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association. The statement was published in Stroke. Biller said cervical artery dissections have been reported after blunt or penetrating injuries and also in association with a variety of other conditions. They can occur after a sudden movement that can hyperextend or rotate the neck that may happen with certain sporting activities, with whiplash or violent coughing or vomiting movements, or with neck manipulation therapy, Biller said. Healthcare providers … Continue reading →