Dr. John M. Freeman, an internationally renowned Johns Hopkins pediatric neurologist and expert in pediatric epilepsy who had also been a medical ethicist, died Friday of cardiovascular disease at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. The longtime Ruxton resident was 80. "Few Hopkins physicians have had a more profound effect than John Freeman on how we treat young patients who suffer from epilepsy and congenital abnormalities and how we address the often-difficult ethical issues surrounding these potentially heart-breaking cases," said Ronald R. Peterson, president of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine. "The sensitive, compassionate patient care to which the Johns Hopkins Hospital is dedicated has been enhanced immeasurably by John Freeman's unwavering concern for patient dignity and determination to improve the lives of those entrusted to his care," said Mr. Peterson. John Mark Freeman, the son of Leon L. Freeman, a real estate developer, and Florence Kann Freeman Lippman, a volunteer and homemaker, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and raised in Great Neck, N.Y. After graduating in 1950 from Deerfield Academy in Deerfield. Mass., Dr. Freeman earned a bachelor's degree in 1954 from Amherst College where he was an honors graduate, and went … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 6-Jan-2014 Contact: Steffanie Marchese steffanie.marchese@autismspeaks.org 646-385-8537 Autism Speaks NEW YORK, N.Y. (January 6, 2014) Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced the award of nearly $2.7 million for the funding of 13 new research projects over the next three years. These grants will address Autism Speaks' Early Access to Care initiative to reduce the average age of diagnosis and increase access to high-quality early intervention for all children affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASD). They will also advance the understanding of autism's environmental risk factors, and continue the development of effective and accessible treatments for ASD and its related medical conditions. "Our Scientific Review Panel has recommended each application after thoughtfully considering critical reviews by expert panels of external reviewers, including community advocates," says Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer Rob Ring. "The funded work in this group of projects touches upon some of the most important areas of unmet need facing the autism community today, including the issue of wandering, the safety of new treatments and the effective delivery of services to low-resource communities," Dr. Ring adds. The new grants include: Early Access to Care Environmental Research Developing new treatments Full descriptions … Continue reading →

A revamped screening tool that relies on parents answering just 20 questions is far more accurate than previous assessments at helping flag young kids at risk for autism, researchers say. With the updated questionnaire, doctors identified fewer children at risk for autism, but more of those who were spotted in the test were ultimately diagnosed with the developmental disorder as compared to earlier screening tools, according to findings published late last month in the journal Pediatrics. This checklist can more accurately identify children likely to have autism so they can get the treatment and support they need, said Alice Kau of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which funded the study. Given that the typical autism diagnosis occurs at age 4, it also offers the possibility of detecting autism much earlier. Thats significant, Kau said, since research shows that earlier intervention generally leads to better outcomes. The study looked at an updated version of an existing screening method. The revised assessment known as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised with Follow-Up, or M-CHATR/F is designed for pediatricians to administer during regular well-child visits at ages 16 to 30 months. Based on parent … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only For the media: Members of the iTREAT team will be available for interviews from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6. Newswise CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Jan. 6, 2014 A University of Virginia Health System team is working with local rescue squads to diagnose stroke patients before they reach the hospital, enabling more patients to receive lifesaving treatment and have a full recovery. Working through UVA Innovations USEED fundraising program, UVA clinicians are raising $10,000 to equip two additional local ambulances with the iTREAT mobile telemedicine kit. The goal: Connect paramedics through a secure video link with UVAs specially trained stroke neurologists and emergency medicine physicians, who can diagnose stroke patients while theyre in the ambulance and enable treatment to begin as soon as patients arrive at the hospital. The longest delay in treating folks is not once they get to the hospital but before they get to the hospital, said stroke neurologist Andrew Southerland, MD. Why Is a Speedy Diagnosis Important? Fast diagnosis and treatment is vital because the most effective treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients the clot-busting drug tPA is only safe and effective if delivered within three hours of when symptoms begin. … Continue reading →

January 6, 2014 Stroke are common in the United States and quick treatment matters. A group of UVa. doctors is developing a method of treating stroke patients in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, with an iPAD. Through a secure video link, local EMT's can communicate with neurologists at UVa. hospital and begin the stroke treatment sooner. In an area like Central Virginia where ambulance rides can be longer than 30 minutes, this technology could help save lives. The UVa. team is working with Albemarle, Nelson, Greene, and Louisa counties to get the technology called "iTREAT". They hope to have the equipment set up in the next several months. Andy Southerland, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Public Health Sciences in the Division of Stroke and Vascular Neurology at UVa., said, "Depending on how well it works, the sky is the limit. This is the type of research with rapidly advancing technology and interest in more rapid interaction with stroke patients on the way to the hospital that could be broadened to greater Virginia and even nationally in other rural areas like Central Virginia." Each "iTREAT" unit is estimated to cost $5,000. The group is fundraising to get two … Continue reading →