Darcie and Evie Chapman, from Cheshire, both have Dravet Syndrome Their seizures can be triggered by excitement and extremes of temperature The syndrome also causes developmental delays and behavioural problems Their seizures are now successfully controlled using medication May be eligible for treatment with special high-fat diet when they are older By Emma Innes PUBLISHED: 05:37 EST, 5 June 2013 | UPDATED: 05:49 EST, 5 June 2013 415 shares 28 View comments Two-year-old twin sisters are not able to enjoy playing in the park or to go on holiday because the excitement could kill them. Darcie and Evie Chapman, from Warrington, Cheshire, are the only twins in the UK to have a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. Seizures can lead to SUDEP (sudden unexplained death in epilepsy patients) and the condition leads to delays in development, feeding problems, sleep problems and behavioural problems. Evie and Darcie Chapman have a severe form of epilepsy called Dravet Syndrome. It causes seizures, developmental delays, behavioural problems and feeding difficulties. They are pictured with parents, Mark and Natalie Here is the original post: The little girls who cannot play or go on holiday because rare form of epilepsy means that excitement could … Continue reading →

The Epilepsy Monitoring Program at Monmouth Medical Center, Long Branch, recently received the distinction of a Level 3 designation from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has certified that Level 3 Centers have the professional expertise and facilities to provide the highest level evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy. The Monmouth Medical Center Epilepsy Monitoring Program offers state-of-the-art equipment that allows for continuous video-EEG monitoring the gold standard diagnostic investigation that can improve diagnostic accuracy when the diagnosis of epilepsy, particular seizure type, or location of onset is not clear by routine or prolonged EEG recordings.The accurate diagnosis of seizure type is essential to provide effective medical management and possible surgical treatment options to prospective patients, according to neurologist Joshua Mendelson, M.D., medical director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Program at Monmouth. Epilepsy is a common nervous system disorder in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally and can create nervous system disruption. Epilepsy can cause unusual sensations, as well as disturbances in emotions and behavior, along with seizures and loss of consciousness. The Epilepsy Foundation estimates that approximately one in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy at … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Autism Also Included In: ADHD Article Date: 05 Jun 2013 - 10:00 PDT Current ratings for: A Third Of Autism Cases Also Have ADHD Symptoms The study, which was published in Autism: The International Journal and Practice, identified a significant co-occurrence of ADHD and ASD. The researchers identified that children with ASD who showed signs of ADHD were much more likely to have impaired cognitive, social and adaptive functioning, compared to children with just an ASD. Social problems in children with autism and ADHD were had been analyzed in a previous study, which revealed that children with both autism and attention deficit or attention deficit hyperactivity disorders are four times more likely to bully than children in the general population. Most previous studies that have identified a link between ASD and ADHD have been based on patients seeking treatment from clinics (which makes them biased towards patients having more impairments). However, this current study provides a more accurate analysis (with reduced bias) of the link, as it only included infants or toddlers - before most cases of ADHD are diagnosed. Dr. Rebecca Landa, the senior author of the study and director of the Center … Continue reading →

Georgia Commission on Mandates hears testimony on autism bill ATLANTA -- The opposition to the autism bill was finally out in the open during a meeting of the newly created state Commission on Mandates. "It's nice to see who they are and what you're up against," said Anna Bullard, the Toombs County mother who spent much of the winter lobbying on behalf of a bill that would require insurance coverage in Georgia for autism treatment. "Because the whole time we were at the capitol, we never saw anybody. Or heard anything. But we knew they were there." MORE | Continuing coverage of the Autism Gap The bill was named for Bullard's daughter Ava, an eight year old with autism. She has thrived under the type of treatment often denied to those lacking such insurance coverage. "And they all have compelling stories," said Kyle Jackson, lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Businesses-- which opposes the bill. Like Bullard, Jackson spoke before the mandate commission Tuesday. "But at some point, we're going to make health insurance so expensive nobody's going to be able to afford it," Jackson told the commission. Lobbyists for the insurance industry also spoke against the bill, arguing … Continue reading →

Public release date: 5-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jim Barlow jebarlow@uoregon.edu 541-346-3481 University of Oregon EUGENE, Ore. -- (June 5, 2013) -- A gene linked to autism spectrum disorders that was manipulated in two lines of transgenic mice produced mature adults with irreversible deficits affecting either learning or social interaction. The findings, published in the May 29 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, have implications for potential gene therapies but they also suggest that there may be narrow windows of opportunity to be effective, says principal investigator Philip Washbourne, a professor of biology and member of the University of Oregon's Institute of Neuroscience. The research, reported by an 11-member team from three universities, targeted the impacts of alterations in the gene neuroligin 1 -- one of many genes implicated in human autism spectrum disorders -- to neuronal synapses in the altered mice during postnatal development and as they entered adulthood. One group over-expressed the normal gene, the other a mutated version. Mice with higher-than-normal levels of the normal gene after a month had skewed synapses at maturity. Many were larger, appearing more mature, than normal. In these mice, Washbourne said, there were clear cognitive problems. "Behavior was … Continue reading →

Woburn, Massachusetts (PRWEB) June 05, 2013 Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc. (CARD), considered one of the worlds most effective treatment centers using evidence-based, state-of-the-art therapy, announces the opening of its CARD Boston treatment center, located at 331 Montvale Ave., 5th Floor, in Woburn. The grand opening will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The community is invited to meet the staff, tour the facility, and review the state-of-the-art CARD curriculum. Refreshments and childcare will be provided. CARD Boston provides a variety of services using the evidence-based principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Services include center-based treatment, home-based services and supervision, parent training, and school shadowing. We offer the community highly trained and experienced staff, a focus on evidence-based treatment, and the use of state-of-the-art technology, says clinical manager Ben Craighead, M.Ed, BCBA. CARD delivers cost-effective treatment that leads to measurable results for each client, including recovery with early, intensive ABA therapy. In August 2009, CARD researchers published "Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Records in 38 Cases of Recovery from Autism in the Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, showing that recovery from autism is possible. The comprehensive CARD model of treatment includes over 3,500 … Continue reading →