STANFORD -- Nobody knows what causes autism, and scientists have all but given up on finding one gene, chemical or brain structure that explains it. But there are new clues about the biological complexities underlying this behavioral disorder, which affects one in 88 children, according to a weekend conference sponsored by Stanford University's Autism Center. Researchers at the conference told families about recent findings in brain chemistry, size, connections, and genetics that shed light on the disorder. Ultimately, such work will improve diagnosis and treatment. "If all this research just changes just one life, it's worth it," said Kevin Iudiello, of Burlingame, whose son Parker, 12, was diagnosed when he was 18 months old. "It can truly be amazing to have another person with you in life who thinks, sees and hears things like no one else in the world. It forces you to look at everything in life uniquely," said Iudiello, an entrepreneur and investment banker. "But I'm also acutely aware of the challenges of navigating autism." Although autism is rooted in biology, the most effective interventions so far are behavioral and educational; medicine plays a lesser role in its management. Researchers at the conference described emerging evidence about: … Continue reading →

Huntsville, AL (PRWEB) April 23, 2014 April is Autism Awareness Month but for Jeff and Nancy Karkut and their son Trae, every day is autism awareness. When a preschool teacher suggested Trae might have Asperger's Syndrome, Jeff resisted the diagnosis. His wife already had recognized some developmental delays in their son, but Jeff was basically in denial. After years of following medical advice to cope with their son's repetitive behavior, isolation, anger and social inhibition, the parents reluctantly turned to The Pinnacle School's Elk River Treatment Program. (Read the familys personal journey with autism at http://www.thepinnacleschools.com/testimonials/.) "I cannot begin to tell you how glad I am to have brought my son to this program," Jeff Karkut says today. "This is not a trip to Malibu or some fancy resort. But these are people who have the skill to help your child do things they never thought they could." Asperger's Syndrome is now more widely known as Autism Spectrum Disorder. On the 2nd and throughout April, autism organizations around the world participate in fundraising and awareness-raising events. The Autism Society is encouraging homes and businesses to "Light It Up Blue" that day with blue lights, and take note of Autism Month … Continue reading →

PUTRAJAYA: Understanding early signs of autism in children will enable parents to the right treatment and better progress, says a professor from the University of California, United States. Dr Connie Kasari said evidence of early intervention had shown a long-term positive impact for autistic children. She said effective intervention in behavioural aspects could increase higher cognitive skills, better language skills and improve social skills, as well. Families are less stressed and happier as the result of a combination of very structured and naturalistic strategies, she said when addressing autism concerns at the 2014 International Seminar Autism Malaysia here yesterday. She was presenting a working paper entitled, State of the Art-Early Intervention Strategies in Autism at the plenary session here. The seminar, organised by Permata, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and New York-based autism organisation, Autism Speaks, was attended by 1,000 local and foreign participants. Dr Kasari said the need to develop very early intervention should be carried out as early as 12 months of age because at that particular age, autistic babies might start losing social communication skills or fail to make progress. The earlier the child is diagnosed, the greater the chance of achieving significant improvement with the implementation of effective … Continue reading →

The majority of adults surveyed indicated they would want administration of clot-dissolving medications if incapacitated by a stroke, a finding that supports clinicians' use of this treatment if patient surrogates are not available to provide consent, according to a study in the April 23/30 issue of JAMA, a neurology theme issue. "In life-threatening emergencies involving incapacitated patients without surrogates, clinicians may intervene without obtaining informed consent, applying the presumption that reasonable people would consent to treatment in such circumstances. Whether this rationale applies to the treatment of acute ischemic stroke with intravenous thrombolysis [administration of clot-busting agent] is controversial because this intervention improves functional outcomes but is not life preserving. Nonetheless, the presumption of consent to thrombolysis for ischemic stroke has recently been endorsed by professional societies," according to background information in the study. Winston Chiong, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues examined presumption of consent by comparing preferences for treatment of acute ischemic stroke with thrombolysis and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR; in which the presumption of consent is generally accepted) in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 50 years of age or older. The participants were randomly assigned … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 23-Apr-2014 Contact: Franca Davenport f.davenport@imperial.ac.uk Imperial College London A new computer program could help doctors predict which patients might suffer potentially fatal side-effects from a key stroke treatment. The program, which assesses brain scans using pattern recognition software similar to that used in airport security and passport control, has been developed by researchers at Imperial College London. Results of a pilot study funded by the Wellcome Trust, which used the software are published in the journal Neuroimage Clinical. Stroke affects over 15 million people each year worldwide. Ischemic strokes are the most common and these occur when small clots interrupt the blood supply to the brain. The most effective treatment is called intravenous thrombolysis, which injects a chemical into the blood vessels to break up or 'bust' the clots, allowing blood to flow again. However, because intravenous thombolysis effectively thins the blood, it can cause harmful side effects in about six per cent of patients, who suffer bleeding within the skull. This often worsens the disability and can cause death. Clinicians attempt to identify patients most at risk of bleeding on the basis of several signs assessed from brain scans. However, these signs can often be very … Continue reading →