HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - More than 2,000 marchers turned out for an annual autism awareness walk to support legislation that would mandate health insurance coverage for children with the disorder. There are 34 states that mandate health insurance coverage for autism. Hawaii could become the 35th state under Senate Bill 2054. Many of Saturday's marchers include the families of children with autism, including 14-year-old Luke Pinnow, who was born on the Big Island. Luke is also at the center of the measure, which has been nicknamed "Luke's Bill." His mother said they have paid a high price for his treatment. "Everything that we can, we've paid out and done for him and we have nothing left, so we're really hoping that this does not happen to other families," said Geri Pinnow. According to "Hawaii Families for Insurance Fairness," private treatments can cost up to $60,000 a year. Supporters said mandating health coverage won't add that much to insurance costs. "What we know from other states is that the actual cost increase is about 31 cents per member per month, which is just mere pennies for the families and the children who really deserve treatment. I think that's not asking for a … Continue reading →

If Dr. Mateja de Leonni Stanonik wants people to know two things about stroke, theyre this: Speed is of the essence for treatment, and FAST an acronym to help people recognize the first signs of stroke can save your life. I cant tell you how important it is for people to present to the emergency room if they have symptoms as soon as possible, but certainly in the first three to 4 hours, she said. My overall goal is for people to realize that strokes are treatable, but they are only treatable if this time window is achieved. The faster a patient gets clot-busting medicine, the better the outcome, and if they get the medicine in the first 60 minutes, the outcome or resolution will likely be the best. De Leonni Stanonik is chairwoman for the Tucson Heart & Stroke Walk, which is at 8:30 a.m. next Sunday at Reid Park. A neurologist with the Center for Neurosciences in Tucson, de Leonni Stanonik is a former surgeon general for Slovenia and is a member of the board of directors for the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association for Southern Arizona. The association is now heavily promoting stroke awareness, treatment … Continue reading →

Aventura Hospital and Medical Center - Stem Cell Therapy In this video Dr. Coy discusses how he is studying stem cells in the heart. Steam Cell Therapy is an exciting technology that is now harvesting cells that ar... By: HCAEastFloridaHealth … Continue reading →

Plantar Fasciitis Foot Pain Treatment: Dr. Robert Wagner Discusses Innovative Stem Cell Treatment Dr Robert Wagner discusses how a common foot pain diagnosis of plantar fasciitis responds well to innovative stem cell treatment, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) ... By: StemCell ARTS … Continue reading →

Stem-cell treatment for blindness A legally blind Bexley man will undergo an experimental eye procedure that offers the promise of better vision. By: TheColumbusDispatch … Continue reading →

Families for Effective Autism Treatment have a rally planned at Confederation Building on Wednesday, World Autism Day. The provincial government announced additional resources in this week's budget to try to reduce lengthy wait times for the diagnosis of children with autism. It typically takes up to two years to see an occupational therapist, speech pathologist or behavioural therapist. Government is planning to hire 22 new specialists including a developmental pediatrician at the Janeway. Spokesperson Ed Knox says while they're pleased with the announcement, more also needs to be done to help treat children once they're diagnosed. He says World Autism Day is all about raising awareness. He says they would like to see children diagnosed within three months of a referral from a family doctor. The rally is plannedfor noonon Wednesday, April 2ndat Confederation Building. Continued here: Autism Treatment Advocates Planning Rally … Continue reading →

THURSDAY, March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Palliative care that minimizes suffering and improves quality of life should be provided to patients who've survived a stroke, experts say. The care should be a team effort involving patients, families, stroke specialists and health care providers such as neurosurgeons, neurologists, primary care doctors, nurses and therapists, according to the new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA). "The majority of stroke patients need access to some form of palliative medicine," statement lead author Dr. Robert Holloway, chairman of the neurology department at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y., said in an AHA/ASA news release. "The stroke team and its members can manage many of the palliative care problems themselves. It encourages patient independence and informed choices," he explained. The statement appears March 27 in the journal Stroke. It says that as a stroke patient or family member, you should expect your health care providers to discuss your preferences, needs and values in relation to medical decisions, and to ask what aspects of recovery are most important to you. These professionals should also clearly outline the prognosis and provide information on how to deal … Continue reading →

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter Latest High Blood Pressure News THURSDAY, March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Controlling blood pressure after suffering a stroke can reduce the odds of having another stroke by more than half, a new study finds. But fewer than one-third of patients maintain a consistently low blood pressure more than 75 percent of the time, according to the two-year study. "This study showed that consistency of blood pressure control is an important factor influencing risk of another stroke, heart attack or death from vascular causes," said the study's lead researcher, Dr. Amytis Towfighi. Key lifestyle changes and at-home blood pressure monitoring might help these people avoid another stroke, said Towfighi, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Blood pressure varies, Towfighi said, and getting a decent blood pressure reading at an occasional checkup might not be enough for your doctor to make effective treatment decisions. "Use of home blood pressure monitors may give those with high blood pressure a better picture of their own consistency of blood pressure control," she said. "They should be encouraged to measure and record their blood pressure and share their blood pressure logs … Continue reading →