10m eplepsi feil/ error in epilepsy treatment Typisk feilbehandling ved eplepsianfall Typical error in giving assistance in epilepsy. By: folkehjelpab … Continue reading →

Pregnant women who use valproate, an anti-epilepsy drug that is also used to prevent migraines and treat bipolar disorder, may be putting their babies at increased risk of autism. A new study published in JAMA on April 24 showed that children of mothers who used valproate during pregnancy had a five times higher risk of having a child who was eventually diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder compared with women who did not use the drug. "This is an important risk factor and one that can be avoided or at least the risk reduced in women who don't need to take this and can take another drug," Dr. Kimford Meador, a professor of neurology at Emory University in Atlanta, said to Businessweek. Meador wrote an accompanying editorial published in the same journal issue. "This is the strongest evidence to date that there is a link between fetal exposure and childhood autism or autism spectrum disorder." Play Video Play Video The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates that 1 in 50 school age children may have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASDs are a group of developmental brain disorders that affect social, communication and behavioral development. The disorders can … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Rethink today announced the release of its new inclusion content, consisting of an additional 300 video-based lessons to its research-based curriculum library. Already an educational leader providing best practice technology solutions for teachers, school districts, parents, and healthcare providers working with students on the autism spectrum, Rethink now addresses the needs of all special education students working in or preparing to enter general education classrooms. "With an increased focus on supporting students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE) at school, Rethink is pleased to announce the release of its new content advancing inclusive practices," said Rethink CEO, Daniel Etra, of the company's venture into the wider field of special education. Dating back to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990 and the 1975 Education of All Handicapped Children Act which preceded it, the inclusive model of special education, in which special needs students are taught and receive special services in a general education classroom, is now widely accepted as the preferred solution for meeting the needs of special education students and of ensuring that the least restrictive environment (LRE) legislation mandated by IDEA is being addressed. While the inclusive model … Continue reading →

Public release date: 23-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jakob Christensen jakob@farm.au.dk The JAMA Network Journals Maternal use of valproate (a drug used for the treatment of epilepsy and other neuropsychological disorders) during pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk of autism in offspring, according to a study in the April 24 issue of JAMA. The authors caution that these findings must be balanced against the treatment benefits for women who require valproate for epilepsy control. "Anti-epileptic drug exposure during pregnancy has been associated with an increased risk for congenital malformations and delayed cognitive development in the offspring, but little is known about the risk of other serious neuropsychiatric disorders," according to background information in the article. Jakob Christensen, Ph.D., of Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark, and colleagues evaluated the association between maternal use of valproate during pregnancy and the risk of autism spectrum disorder and childhood autism in offspring. The population-based study included all children born alive in Denmark from 1996 to 2006. National registers were used to identify children exposed to valproate during pregnancy and diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (childhood autism [autistic disorder], Asperger syndrome, atypical autism, and other or unspecified pervasive developmental disorders). … Continue reading →

LEXINGTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- While children can exhibit symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) before 18 months, the current average age of diagnosis is 4.5 years well past the age where behavioral therapies can begin. Today, SynapDx Corporation launched a 660-child, 20-site clinical study focused on the evaluation of its proprietary blood-based test designed to help doctors identify children with autism earlier than they do today. Traditionally, ASD diagnosis can be a lengthy, complicated and frustrating process for both families and clinicians. Because of the large number of children needing evaluation, wait times to see specialists can be months to a year. When coupled with the time required to complete a full evaluation, families endure significant costs and months to years of fear and uncertainty about their childs future. SynapDxs proprietary blood test measures differences in RNA gene expression to provide families with an objective ASD risk score for their child to help clinicians make faster, more accurate referral decisions. Conducted by clinical leaders in autism research, SynapDxs study includes Boston Childrens Hospital, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Nationwide Childrens Hospital, UC Davis MIND Institute and Vanderbilt University, among 20 sites in the U.S. and Canada. Treatment for autism is most effective … Continue reading →

Apr. 24, 2013 The teenage years may be a key period of vulnerability related to living in the "stroke belt" when it comes to future stroke risk, according to a new study published in the April 24, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. More people have strokes and die of strokes in the southeastern area known as the stroke belt than in the rest of the United States. So far, research has shown that only part of the difference can be explained by traditional risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Previous studies have shown that people who are born in the stroke belt but no longer lived there in adulthood continue to have a higher risk of stroke, along with people who were born outside the stroke belt but lived there in adulthood. The current study looked at how long people lived in the stroke belt and their ages when they lived there throughout life to see if any age period was most critical in influencing future stroke risk. Data came from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a national random sample of the … Continue reading →

AUSTIN, Texas, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --In February 2013, St. David's Medical Center became the first hospital in Central Texas to earn Comprehensive Stroke Center Certification by DNV Healthcare, one of the leading accrediting agencies in the United States. Comprehensive Stroke Centers offer the most advanced stroke treatment available in a given geographic region. "Our cerebrovascular team is proud to have earned this distinguished certification," Johanna Morton, M.D., vascular neurologist and stroke medical director at St. David's Medical Center, said. "St. David's Medical Center is truly dedicated to providing the highest level of care for the region's stroke patients. This hospital has met the nation's highest standards in stroke care, an accomplishment that is a genuine team effort." Certification of comprehensive stroke care ensures that a hospital can provide services such as neurosurgery, neurocritical care and endovascular therapies for cerebrovascular diseases. The surveyors conducted a rigorous two-day survey, during which they reviewed the program's quality and care requirements. In some states, including Texas, the level of certification determines where EMS providers will transport patients for the most appropriate medical care within state health department guidelines. DNV Healthcare is the only hospital accreditation program approved by the U.S. Centers for Medicare … Continue reading →

By Sharon Begley NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thousands of heart attack victims every year have none of the notorious risk factors before their crisis - not high cholesterol, not unhealthy triglycerides. Now the search for the mystery culprits has turned up some surprising suspects: the trillions of bacteria and other microbes living in the human gut. In a study released on Wednesday, scientists discovered that some of the bugs turn lecithin - a nutrient in egg yolks, liver, beef, pork and wheat germ - into an artery-clogging compound called TMAO. They also found that blood levels of TMAO predict heart attack, stroke or death, and do so "independent of other risk factors," said Dr Stanley Hazen, chairman of cellular and molecular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute, who led the study. That suggests a TMAO test could enter the arsenal of blood tests that signal possible cardiovascular problems ahead. "TMAO might identify people who are at risk (for heart attacks and strokes) despite having no other risk factors," Hazen said. The discovery also suggests a new approach to preventing these cardiovascular events: altering gut bacteria so they churn out less TMAO. The study joins a growing list of … Continue reading →