By RACHEL AFFLICKMarch 25, 2014, 11 p.m. Living with epilepsy has its challenges but Ballarat resident Kamina Handyside is no different to everyone else. Living with epilepsy has its challenges but Ballarat resident Kamina Handyside is no different to everyone else. The mother of three has just applied to enrol in a behavioural studies course at university and is looking forward to a bright and healthy future. Having developed epilepsy in 2008 while pregnant with her second child, Ms Handyside found herself falling into dreamlike states and experiencing strange sensations and hallucinations. After numerous tests and hospital visits she was diagnosed with right temporal lobe epilepsy, but finding a successful treatment took much longer. I ended up in bed for 30 days having 30 seizures a day, Ms Handyside said. It certainly impacted our whole family. She also lost four years of memories, including during and after two of her pregnancies. Today is Purple Day, an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness of epilepsy. See more here: Purple Day raises awareness of epilepsy challenges … Continue reading →

SPRINGFIELD Parents of children with seizure disorders will be among those testifying before state lawmakers Tuesday, seeking to add epilepsy to the list of allowable compassionate uses under the state's new medical marijuana law. The law currently lists 35 debilitating medical conditions for which marijuana can be obtained and used as a treatment among them cancer, Chron's disease, glaucoma and severe fibromyalgia. About 2.2 million people in the U.S. have epilepsy, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago contends it is appropriate to allow patients, parents and doctors the ability to determine if marijuana is an appropriate treatment in each individual epilepsy case given evidence of the impact that cannabidiol (CBD), a compound found in marijuana, can have on seizures. "Right now, there is anecdotal evidence that the cannabidiol has helped people reduce seizures," said the organization's director of communications, Morgan Murphy. The hearing before the Senate Public Health Committee on SB 2636 is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday in Room 409 of the Illinois State Capitol. The proposed amendment would allow access to medical marijuana to both adults and minors suffering from seizure disorders. "Medical marijuana has been found to produce significant benefits for patients … Continue reading →

Risperdal is approved by the FDA to treat irritability in children and young adults with autism. The FDA first approved this use in 2006 and was the first drug used to treat behaviors associated with autism. At that time, the FDA released results from controlled-trials which found that children on Risperdal showed improvement for some behavioral symptoms versus those on the placebo. The side effects reported by the FDA included weight gain, constipation, drowsiness, and fatigue. What is Autism Spectrum Disorder? There are over 2 million people affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the U.S. It is a common term for complex disorders of brain development. This can affect motor coordination, attention, intellectual disabilities, and/or physical health issues. It is important to note that those on the spectrum are affected by the disorder in different ways. The disorder is more common among boys than girls. Its not entirely clear what causes autism spectrum disorder, and there is no one single cause. Research shows that environmental factors such as illness during pregnancy, and genetic factors, such as mutations can both contribute to different types of autism. Women can help reduce this risk by getting enough folic acid before and during … Continue reading →

Ed Asner was in the throes of a custody battle when a psychologist examining the family remarked that his son seemed to lack empathy. Two weeks later, doctors at UCLA's Center for Autism Research and Treatment revealed that Charles, then 7 or 8, was on the autism spectrum. "I thought he was utterly charming, and I was in love with him," Asner, 84, said. "I was his slave, so I don't care what title you put on it. He was my boy and I would do whatever I had to do to treat him." Today, his boy is 26 years old, and the Emmy recipient and former Screen Actors Guild president also has a grandson, Will, who is similarly afflicted, although to a different extent. A longtime supporter of the advocacy organization Autism Speaks, Asner finds that people living with the disorder have wonderful qualities including phenomenal brain power and honesty that more than make up for their struggles with interpersonal relationships. "They believe there's a pony in the tent someplace," he said, deeming such people "a motherlode of discovery." On April 2, the Santa Ana-based Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders will host Asner at "Autism and the Arts" … Continue reading →

BSL Stroke Treatment BSL clip explaining Stroke treatment. By: SignHealth … Continue reading →