JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - For eight years, 30-year-old Nicole Dehn couldn't drive. In 2005, she had a seizure while driving and lost her license. "I was very, very depressed. I mean, it"s a huge let down," Dehn said. Dehn had her first epileptic seizure when she was just 6-months-old, and they got progressively worse. When medication failed, her only option was an invasive brain surgery that usually takes months to recover from. "You actually remove a piece of the skull temporarily and then the surgeon has to go and physically remove or cut away the epileptic tissue," said Dr. Jerry Shih, director, comprehensive epilepsy program, Mayo Clinic, Florida. Dehn, however, opted for a different type of procedure called laser thermal ablation. A small hole is made in the back of the head and a laser probe is inserted into the skull. Using MRI guidance, heat from the laser then destroys the tissue causing the seizures. "We're very excited. She is excited. Our patients have really all enjoyed having this option for them as a procedure," Shih said. Eight months after her procedure, Dehn is back to driving and has been seizure-free ever since. "Having my license back now, everything has just … Continue reading →

Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. (PRNewsFoto/Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.) MAPLE GROVE, Minn., April 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. (Upsher-Smith), will highlight new pooled phase 1 data from studies in healthy adults comparing the adverse event profile of USL255 (Qudexy XR) with immediate-release topiramate in a poster presentation at the 66th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) being held April 26 to May 3 in Philadelphia. Upsher-Smith, a fully integrated pharmaceutical company committed to the development of new treatments for diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), will be sponsoring 13 poster presentations at the meeting. Qudexy XR (topiramate) extended-release capsules, which received Food and Drug Administration approval on March 11, 2014, is a once-daily, broad-spectrum antiepileptic drug specifically engineered to deliver a smooth pharmacokinetic (PK) profile. Qudexy XR is indicated as initial monotherapy in patients 10 years of age and older with partial-onset seizures or primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures. It is also approved as adjunctive therapy in patients 2 years of age and older with partial-onset seizures, primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures and seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. All strengths of Qudexy XR may be swallowed whole or administered by carefully opening the capsule and sprinkling the entire contents on … Continue reading →

HOBOKEN The Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) is teaming with Hoboken-based community action agency Hopes for the fourth Annual Rockn 4 Autism Awareness benefit concert on Saturday, May 3. The event will feature a welcome from Mayor Dawn Zimmer and a performance by the hometown band Fuzzy Lemons. Cindy Vero from 103.5 FMs KTU radio station will host the festivities. Children can look forward to face painting, games and fun-filled activities. More than 100 businesses supported the cause last year and raised over $20,000. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that one in 88 children has autism and there are currently one million people living with autism in the United States. The charity concert will have resource tables staffed by parents and professionals to provide information and take-away materials. The indoor/outdoor event will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. at Hopes Auditorium, 301 Garden St. Tickets are available here. For more details, visit the R4AA Facebook page, hopes.org or call (201) 792-1091. More here: Hoboken concert to raise autism awareness … Continue reading →

April is Autism Awareness Month, so our Jennifer Borget met with the Autism Society of Greater Austin's executive director to find out more about the disease and what can be done to help those who have been diagnosed with it. Autism is a developmental disability often characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication. With symptoms generally emerging in the first two to three years of life, autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning the way it affects different individuals can vary greatly. Suzanne Potts, executive director of the Autism Society of Greater Austin, said that while the number of new diagnoses of autism is increasing each year, that's not necessarily a bad thing. "We are seeing a rise somewhat in the numbers based on diagnostic criteria, but we really feel like that's because the criteria's getting clearer and medical providers are getting the information out to families," Potts said. She added that early detection is crucial and leads to better outcomes for those diagnosed. The Autism Society of Greater Austin provides the latest information regarding treatment, referrals, support, education and advocacy. Click here to visit the organization's website. Follow this link: Autism Awareness Month … Continue reading →

Los Angeles (PRWEB) April 21, 2014 Shannon Penrod and Nancy Alspaugh-Jackson, hosts of Lets Talk Autism with Shannon & Nancy, a segment on Autism Live, are teaming up with the autism community on April 23, 2014 to spearhead the Coverage for Autism Now or CAN campaign. Organizations such as Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), ACT Today!, Special Needs Network, Love My Provider and My Thiero Boys are participating to help raise awareness of the need to provide coverage to the many families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The two moms are asking everyone to stand in solidarity and join the movement by writing CAN somewhere visible on their body or clothing, take a picture and post it on Autism Lives Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/AutismLive. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) one in every 68 children in the United States is diagnosed with ASD, with one in 42 boys and one in 189 girls diagnosed. This makes it more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, pediatric cancer and pediatric AIDs combined. California has an autism mandate and offers coverage for autism treatment through its state exchange. While insurance reform has helped many, … Continue reading →

Stroke survivor Alvin Tay shares an inspiring story on how he battled stroke, and learned to live again. FEATURE By Alvin Tay Before I had a stroke, I took health very lightly. I was your typical Malaysian who would travel extreme distances just to get a good bowl of kari laksa or bak kut teh. I would drop everything I was doing to join my makan and drinking kakis when they called. Sports and exercising never really made it onto my list of things to do as I was not a big fan of sweat. I worked long hours as a regional director of a multinational corporation, and never knew what enough sleep and rest felt like. My life was filled with stress but I always went about thinking that age was just a number, and I could start relaxing when I retired. The wake up call On June 10, 2013, I got a wake up call. Sudden numbness struck my face, arms and leg. It was a terrifying feeling, like I didnt have bones and simply couldnt control my body motions. I felt dizzy and had trouble walking. The right side of my body had lost its balance and … Continue reading →