Newswise San Diego, December 3, 2012 A survey of healthcare providers concerning the initial diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy has found significant misinformation held among physicians who see children who have seizures. Many physicians surveyed are misinformed about what constitutes intractable epilepsy, when to refer their pediatric patients for surgical evaluation, and what types of seizures may be amenable to surgical intervention. A number of best practice guidelines for the care of epilepsy patients, including guidance in the care of pediatric patients who have seizures, have recently been developed and/or updated and promulgated by the leading national and international medical specialty organizations concerned with epilepsy. The survey of providers was carried out to assess concordance between current best practice guidelines and clinical practice for epilepsy in pediatrics. (Abstracts #1.342 & #1.343) In addition to misinformation pertaining to surgery, knowledge concerning diagnosis and drug management in pediatric patients was also marked by important gaps. There was agreement in general about obtaining an EEG and CT or MRI brain image. But respondents were significantly less informed about when or after how many seizures anticonvulsant drug (AED) therapy should be initiated. Those surveyed were equally as misinformed about how many AED failures should … Continue reading →

New New York Law Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Cost of Autism Therapy Like us on Facebook at facebook.com WHEC TV speaks with Center for Autism and Related Disorders about the effects of the New York law that now requires insurance companies to cover the cost of autism therapy. For more information about autism treatment go to centerforautism.comFrom:cardinc1990Views:3 0ratingsTime:02:28More inEducation Read the original here: New New York Law Requires Insurance Companies to Cover Cost of Autism Therapy - Video … Continue reading →

Autism Live Monday, December 3, 2012 Like Autism Live on Facebook at facebook.com Today's Autism Live takes on the topic of funding for ABA therapy. Why take on ABA and all of its expense? Shannon gives a run down on the basics of ABA and why the Surgeon General called it the "Gold Standard of Autism Treatment". Tips are also given on reducing stress surrounding money and Autism. Policy Analyst and expert Julie Kornack visits to tell everyone about a new petition asking for Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to define the essential benefits outlined in the affordable healthcare act. Find the petition on Autism Live's Facebook page and start wearing your "Infinity Ribbon for Autism"? because with ABA the possibilities are infinite! Autism Live is a production of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), headquartered in Tarzana, California, and with offices throughout the United States and around the globe. For more information on therapy for autism and other related disorders, visit the CARD website at centerforautism.comFrom:AutismLiveViews:0 0ratingsTime:01:59:59More inEducation Link: Autism Live Monday, December 3, 2012 - Video … Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES and SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) and Lineagen, Inc. today announced the launch of a new clinical partnership to offer Lineagen's FirstStepDx genetic test to patients and their families. FirstStepDx is a whole-genome genetic test customized with validated, novel proprietary genetic variants associated with ASDs. Under the terms of the partnership agreement, FirstStepDx, integrated with a pre-and post-test genetic counseling service and personalized reporting, will be offered to patients receiving treatment in CARD's innovative Skills program. The program is the first of its kind, designed to fully meet current clinical guidelines that recommend chromosomal microarray analysis as a first-line genetic test as part of a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation of individuals with ASDs. CARD is the world's largest provider of state-of-the-art, early intensive behavioral intervention for individuals with ASDs. Lineagen is an innovative molecular diagnostics company focused on integrated genetic testing and counseling for individuals with ASDs and other disorders of childhood development. Doreen Granpeesheh, Ph.D., CARD Founder and Executive Director, commented, "We are constantly seeking new opportunities to enhance our services with proven research and guideline supported technology and services. Recent scientific literature and clinical guidelines have recommended … Continue reading →

The unique, one-day workshop is designed to teach effective autism intervention strategies using state-of-the-art methods of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to treat individuals with autism. VAN NUYS, CA (PRWEB) December 03, 2012 Sponsored by Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD), the workshop will focus on the use of state-of-the-art methods of applied behavior analysis (ABA) for teaching children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in every 88 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with an ASD, making it more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, pediatric cancer, and childhood AIDS combined. Whats exciting about this conference is that we are dedicating a full day to hands-on, cutting-edge training on how to teach advanced skills to children with autism, says workshop presenter Adel Najdowski, PhD, BCBA-D. The focus will be on how to teach these skills in real-life settings, thereby helping children to lead healthy, happy, and independent lives. The workshop consists of five presentations: (1) Teaching Safety Skills to Individuals with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities; (2) Addressing Theory of Mind/Perspective-Taking Deficits in Treatment Planning; (3) Addressing Executive Function Deficits in Treatment Planning; (4) Curriculum Programming for Children with Perspective-Taking and Executive … Continue reading →

Public release date: 3-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks New York, N.Y. (December 3, 2012) Autism Speaks and Delivering Scientific Innovation for Autism, LLC (DELSIA), its non-profit affiliate, announced today a partnership between DELSIA and Seaside Therapeutics (Cambridge, Mass.) that aims to discover biomarkers that can be used to facilitate the development of safe, effective and personalized treatments of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). DELSIA's partnership with Seaside will direct funding allocated by Autism Speaks to an innovative program aimed at identifying genetic and protein biomarkers that can be used to identify patients most likely to benefit from treatment with arbaclofen (STX209). Under the terms of the agreement, DELSIA will provide $2 million in funding to support the biomarkers discovery program at Seaside Therapeutics. "Autism Speaks is extremely pleased to be funding DELSIA's first award of $2 million to Seaside Therapeutics, a company that has shown a long-standing commitment to developing treatments for neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder," stated Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., chair of DELSIA's Board of Managers and chief science officer of Autism Speaks. The partnership with Seaside represents the inaugural award for Autism Speaks' newly established venture philanthropy affiliate … Continue reading →

Comprehensive Stroke Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center Each year, more than 750000 people in the United States suffer a stroke making it the third leading cause of death and the primary cause of adult disability. Prompt treatment makes a big difference in outcome. The ability to provide care is based on the time a person first exhibits the symptoms of a stroke. The earlier a person is evaluated and treated by a stroke team, the greater the chance of lessening or reversing the effects of stroke. The Stroke Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center provides the highest level of care for stroke patients and their families. http://www.barnabashealth.orgFrom:barnabashealthViews:0 0ratingsTime:01:56More inEducation Read the original: Comprehensive Stroke Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center - Video … Continue reading →

3 Dec 2012 11:14 Pioneering surgery in Birmingham has paralysed Kings Norton mum back on her feet A Birmingham mum who suffered a stroke leaving her paralysed and unable to talk was cured within TWO HOURS after undergoing pioneering treatment. Jacqueline Keeley was rushed to Birminghams Queen Elizabeth Hospital for an operation, in which the blood clot which caused the stroke was scooped out by a tube containing a tiny mesh basket. The tube was fed through her groin and into her brain with x-ray guidance. The 65-year-old said the amazing procedure which immediately restored her speech and movement had made her life worth living again. I thought I would be unable to speak or move for the rest of my life but I was back to normal again just a few hours after the attack, Jacqueline said. It was amazing. Jacqueline suffered a stroke at her Kings Norton home in February. She was initially given Alteplase, a drug which contains a protein that breaks down blood clots. But, when that didnt work, the medics mentioned the thrombectomy option. Read the rest here: 'I was walking and talking again just two hours after suffering a stroke' … Continue reading →

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and one of the most common causes of death in the United States today. Every year, more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke and at least 130,000 people die from the condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Knowing your risks, being aware of the warning signs and taking quick action can help save your life and lead to better stroke recovery. Stroke basics Stroke has to do with blood flow to your brain. There are two main types of stroke, ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. The other type of stroke is called hemorrhagic stroke, and can be either intracerebral or subarachnoid. These types of stroke are less common, accounting for about 13 percent of all strokes. An intracerebral hemorrhage happens when a blood vessel within the brain bursts, allowing blood to leak into and press on the brain, causing damage. A subarachnoid hemorrhage is caused by bleeding between the brain and the tissue that covers the brain. Both types occur when a weakened blood vessel ruptures, most often due to an aneurysm or an abnormally formed blood vessel. Additionally, people can experience a transient ischemic attack (TIA), commonly called … Continue reading →

OTTAWA - All Dr. David Butler-Jones saw was a glow of light. And then strange things started happening. At first, he thought it was a migraine coming on. But soon, Canada's chief public health officer realized that it was more than just a headache. He was having a stroke. Butler-Jones, dubbed Canada's top doctor in his role as head of the Public Health Agency of Canada, has been recovering since he was stricken in mid-May. It's been a difficult struggle. From the outset, he was his own worst enemy. Being a doctor, Butler-Jones said he started to self-diagnose. "I watched it evolving, trying to talk myself out of it being a stroke," he said. At first he felt an "aura" of light passing his eyes. During supper, he noticed a difficulty swallowing. Feeling tired, Butler-Jones went to bed for the night. The next morning, things got worse. By then it was too late for any kind of emergency treatment for stroke, such as a clot-busting drug known as tPA (tissue plasminogen activator). A tPA is a thrombolytic drug that can stop a stroke caused by a blood clot by breaking up the clot. It can only be given to patients … Continue reading →