A new study from researchers at Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, shows improvement towards universal early screening for autism. The report, published online today in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, also found that few approaches to early detection, such as screening during well-child visits, were evaluated to understand their impact on early diagnosis and access to services. The study, which identified and examined 40 previously published studies on programs for early detection of ASD and 35 various approaches, found the need for a multipronged approach in assessing children for autism in order to increase early detection. These findings raise concerns about whether current methods are enough to reduce the average age of autism diagnosis and increase access to high-quality early intervention. Early intervention is crucial for enhancing the development of communication, learning and social skills in children with autism. "The good news is that we found universal screening for autism risk to be feasible and practical," says lead author Amy Daniels, Autism Speaks assistant director for public health research. "We also see that it seems to work best in the context of a toddler's well-child visits to a pediatrician … Continue reading →

Towson, MD. Owen Skerry slumped into the last row of golden seats and cupped his ears, a preemptive strike to block out the noise usually generated on game days. But on this Sunday, there was only silence inside an empty SECU Arena, and it threatened to disrupt the routine so important to the 4-year-old autistic child, whose father, Pat, coaches the Towson mens basketball team. Can you tell me whats wrong? Owens mother, Kristen, asked as he rocked around and kicked a nearby chair. It turned out he wanted juice. Kristen pointed to Owens lap, at the computer application that helps improve his verbal skills. Can you show me on here? Can you show me juice? she asked. Owen tapped the screen twice, and an automated voice piped through the speakers. Candle juice, it said. Owen giggled at the nonsense phrase. He had developed a keen sense of humor with his limited vocabulary, asking for popcorn and bagels during bath time. These small moments of growth were cherished by the family, but having an autistic child means the process is never over. To the Skerrys, the process involves reviewing the days schedule before leaving the house in the morning so … Continue reading →

The introduction of checklists and better feedback for ambulance crews as part of a national quality improvement project has significantly improved the standard of care for heart attack and stroke patients across England, a major new study has shown. Between them, heart attack and stroke are the most common cause of death in the UK. There are more than a quarter of a million heart attacks (acute myocardial infarction) in the UK each year and two fifths result in sudden death. There are another 150,000 incidents of stroke annually. Timely treatment given by ambulance clinicians before a patient reaches hospital is a major factor in their chances of survival and recovery. Paramedics are using standardised packages of assessment and treatment known as 'care bundles' for these and other emergency conditions. A care bundle is a series of actions that are clinically recognised to improve a patient's prognosis. For heart attack, it involves: taking verbal pain scores; giving aspirin; administering a drug called glyceryl trinitrate (GTN); and offering pain relief. For stroke it includes: the FAST (face, arm, speech, time) assessment; a blood glucose reading; and a blood pressure reading. Crucially, these care bundles should be followed in full whenever a … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 30-Jan-2014 Contact: Daphne Watrin d.watrin@iospress.nl 31-206-883-355 IOS Press Amsterdam, NL, January 30, 2014 About 80% of stroke survivors experience hemiparesis, which causes weakness or the inability to move one side of the body. Core stabilization exercise to improve postural stability and independent walking in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients could be enhanced by real-time video feedback, report researchers in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience. Stroke is the most common cause of permanent disability in adults. Stroke patients generally show muscle weakness of limbs and trunk on the affected side. Walking performance is often affected by muscle weakness, spasticity, contracture, pain, sensory and visual impairments, and postural instability. One of the main goals of stroke rehabilitation programs is to improve posture and help patients to walk independently and safely. Core stability exercise has been used with success in athletes and orthopedic patients with lower back pain and has also been reported to improve trunk stability in stroke patients, which is essential for balance and extremity use during daily functional activities and higher level tasks. Researchers hypothesized that that the effects of core stabilization exercise in stroke patients could be enhanced by augmented, or real-time, video feedback. Augmented feedback can provide … Continue reading →