FRIDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Attention problems might be seen in 6-month-old infants who are later diagnosed with autism, a new study says. Yale School of Medicine researchers found that these infants paid less attention to people's overtures and activities than infants who did not develop autism, according to the study recently published online in the journal Biological Psychiatry. This information could be used to identify infants at greatest risk of developing autism and provide them with early treatment, the researchers said. "This work is highly consequential for identifying new treatment targets and early intervention strategies," said Katarzyna Chawarska, associate professor at the Yale Child Study Center and a study co-author. The study included 67 infants at high risk for developing autism and 50 low-risk infants. Their eye movements were tracked while they watched a video of a woman doing everyday things, such as making a sandwich, looking at toys, or speaking. Compared to the other infants, those who were later diagnosed with autism spent less time watching the social activities depicted in the video. When they did pay attention, these infants spent less time watching the woman's face. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired communication and … Continue reading →

James Finnerty, a 15-year-old rugby player from Parma Heights, Ohio, woke up with a piercing pain in his head one morning last April and, barely able to walk, stumbled to the bathroom vomiting. The emergency room doctors where James sought treatment assumed he had a severe migraine and delayed treatment for 25 hours before his mother insisted he be transferred to Cleveland Clinic where they discovered he had suffered a stroke. The swelling in his brain was so intense that part of his skull was removed to relieve the pressure and, in a second stroke, he lost the use of speech and his limbs. Almost a year later, after months of physical therapy, James, now 16, is on the road to recovery, but his experience is a shocking reminder that strokes can strike even the young. "I am practically 100 percent," said James, who has now returned to school. "I am very, very lucky." Heart Disease Socially Isolates Teens Struggling to Be Normal About 3,000 children a year will suffer a stroke -- one of the top 10 causes of death among children, according to Dr. Neil Friedman, a pediatric neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Pediatric Neurology, where … Continue reading →

By Angela Epstein PUBLISHED: 18:03 EST, 11 February 2013 | UPDATED: 22:02 EST, 11 February 2013 Many of us may have experienced moments when bits of our bodies shake or twitch particularly if were feeling tired, angry or had too much coffee or alcohol. But in some cases, there may be an underlying medical reason. Here, the experts discuss common causes of shakes and twitches, and what to do about them. SHAKING ALL OVER: This is likely to be a sign of low blood sugar. It can occur if you go without food or are on a diet Hold a piece of paper on an outstretched palm the gentle shaking of the paper is a sign of common, but harmless, physiological tremor, says Dr Raj Kapoor, a consultant neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London. We all have it, though it can be exaggerated by stress or sleep deprivation, as this causes extra adrenaline. Shaky hands usually runs in families. It may also be triggered by the use of asthma inhalers, though doctors are unclear why its possible the drugs act as stimulants, says Dr Nick Silver, a consultant neurologist at The Walton Centre in Liverpool. … Continue reading →