By Kathleen Doheny HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, April 25 (HealthDay News) -- Autism risk may be spotted at birth by examining placentas for abnormalities, new research suggests. "We can look at the placenta at birth and determine the chance of being at risk for autism with extremely high reliability," said Dr. Harvey Kliman, a research scientist at Yale University. One of 88 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder, the umbrella name for complex brain development disorders marked by problems with social interaction and communication, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The earlier autism is treated, the better the outcome. But children typically aren't diagnosed until behavioral symptoms begin, perhaps at age 2 or 3 years, or even later. Kliman said the children identified as at risk at birth might benefit from early treatment. For the new study, published online April 25 in the journal Biological Psychiatry, Kliman and his team examined 117 placentas from newborns whose mothers already had one or more children with some form of autism, which put the infant at higher risk for the disorder. The researchers compared those samples with placenta samples from 100 women who already had one or more typically … Continue reading →

Bucknell University and Geisinger Health System opened the Autism and Developmental Medicine Center, a national model for early diagnosis and treatment for children with autism and other developmental disorders. LEWISBURG, Pa. (PRWEB) April 26, 2013 The Autism and Developmental Medicine Center gives children and families who face the challenges of developmental disorders the opportunity to receive a diagnosis and treatment through an enhanced model of care, said Dr. Glenn Steele, president and chief executive officer at Geisinger Health System. The result is that families will have access to the latest treatment options, research initiatives and targeted clinical studies right here in central Pennsylvania." Disorders treated at the Lewisburg center will include autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), a collection of developmental disabilities categorized by impairments in communication, social interaction and repetitive, restrictive patterns of behavior, as well as other related neurodevelopmental disorders. The new facility is expected to significantly reduce the amount of time families in the region have to wait to receive care. And a heavy emphasis will be placed on personalized treatment, said Bucknells Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology David Evans. We currently diagnose disorders such as autism based on symptoms the behaviors themselves. But every child is unique in … Continue reading →

Children with autism who don't speak could benefit from using pictures to communicate, and having even their small attempts at speaking rewarded, new research suggests. These methods of encouraging communication may be better for these children than sign language, which is commonly taught to children with autism, researchers found. About a quarter of young children with autism speak minimally or not at all, a problem that often continues into adulthood, according to the autism research funding agency Autistica. Many of these children also have difficulties with motor-skills, research shows. Experts have tried many methods to support language learning in these kids, with varying effectiveness. Now, a new study finds that early interventions aimed at developing natural language and mirroring the motor skills of other people may be most effective. [10 Medical Myths that Just Won't Go Away] Researchers at the University of Birmingham in England sifted through more than 200 published papers and more than 60 intervention studies to evaluate strategies for encouraging nonverbal autistic children to speak. They found that picture-based communication is an effective method of getting nonverbal children to interact and ultimately speak. In this type of intervention, children might exchange pictures with others in order to … Continue reading →

Apr. 25, 2013 Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine have figured out how to measure an infant's risk of developing autism by looking for abnormalities in his/her placenta at birth, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment for the developmental disorder. The findings are reported in the April 25 online issue of Biological Psychiatry. One out of 50 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but the diagnosis is usually made when these children are 3 to 4 years of age or older. By then the best opportunities for intervention have been lost because the brain is most responsive to treatment in the first year of life. Senior author Dr. Harvey Kliman, research scientist in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine, and research collaborators at the MIND Institute at the University of California, Davis, have found that abnormal placental folds and abnormal cell growths called trophoblast inclusions are key markers to identify newborns who are at risk for autism. Kliman and his team examined 117 placentas from infants of at-risk families, those with one or … Continue reading →

Allegheny General Hospital is one of just 30 medical centers in the United States to earn this rigorous new certification from the Joint Commission for advanced stroke treatment capabilities. Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) April 26, 2013 The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association established a partnership in 2003 to promote excellent stroke care in hospitals across the United States. Prior to receiving the highest level of stroke certification, AGH was among more than 1,000 Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Centers that have an established formal program to treat stroke patients effectively and consistently with the goal of improving care and outcomes. Now, with the guidance of the Brain Attack Coalition, The Joint Commission has developed an Advanced Certification for Comprehensive Stroke Centers hospitals with specific capabilities to receive and treat the most complicated stroke cases. This designation by the Joint Commission reflects our commitment to excellence in medical, surgical, and endovascular care of complex stroke patients with a dedication to quality, improved outcomes and clinical research, said Ashis Tayal, MD, Director of the AGH stroke center. The new level of certification recognizes the significant increased resources, staff and training that are necessary for the treatment of … Continue reading →