Vaccines And Autism: Many Hypotheses, But No Correlation Found

ScienceDaily (Feb. 1, 2009) — An extensive new review summarizes the many studies refuting the claim of a link between vaccines and autism.  The review, in the February 15, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases and now available online, looks at the three main hypotheses and shows how epidemiological and biological studies refute these claims.

“When one hypothesis of how vaccines cause autism is refuted, another invariably springs up to take its place,” said study author Paul Offit, MD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  Fears about vaccines are pushing down immunization rates and having a real impact on public health, he added.  Vaccine refusal is contributing to the current increase in Haemophilus influenzae cases in Minnesota—including the death of one child—and was a factor in last year’s measles outbreak in California.

The controversy began with a 1998 study in The Lancet that suggested a link between the combination measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism.

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Teenage depression to be tackled in class

The Observer (Jan. 25, 2009) -- Group therapy sessions are to be introduced to classrooms to help adolescents avoid succumbing to depression. More than 7,000 teenagers, aged between 13 and 16, will take part in the £1m government-funded trial.

Based on research carried out in Australia, the pioneering scheme is particularly aimed at reducing the number of teenagers, currently estimated at 20%, who are classed as high risk. It will be introduced initially into schools in Bath, Bristol, Nottingham and Swindon.

The three-year study aims to identify the best method for schools to tackle teenage mental health issues. If successful it is hoped the programme can be extended throughout the UK.

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Participatory Action Research Webinar-Save the Dates!!

SAVE THE DATES!!!!

Please join the
Center for Disability Resources
Consumer Advisory Council
for a
“Participatory Action Research Webinar”

Tuesday, March 3, 2009 (Part I)
AND
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 (Part II)
2:00-5:00 PM

Palmetto Health Family & Preventive Medicine
2nd Floor Main Conference Room
3209 Colonial Drive
Columbia, SC 29203

Abstract: You can involve people with disabilities and their families in conducting meaningful research to improve lives and communities. This type of research is called participatory action research. Universities, non-profit agencies and clinics have all found ways to include people from the disability community in finding the answers to important questions about services, systems and strategies. Using material from the National PAR toolkit developed through funding from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, our speakers Dean Westwood and Cathy Haarstad will provide a thoughtful, humorous and easy-to-follow overview of why agencies should get involved in research and why and how to involve people with disabilities and their families. If you are working at a UCEDD, non-profit agency, school or health care clinic, this training will introduce you to the basics and benefits of planning and conducting participatory action research.

To register by February 17th contact Karen Irick at 803.935.5222
or
Karen.Irick@uscmed.sc.edu.


Presented by the North Dakota Center for Person with Disabilities

Sponsored by the University of South Carolina Center for Disability Resources

Stem cell stroke therapy assessed

BBC News (Jan. 18, 2009) -- A Glasgow team is to launch a major trial to assess whether stem cells can be used to treat stroke patients, the BBC has learned.
They hope it will put the UK at the forefront of developing stem cell therapy for incurable disease.

Cells made from a human foetus will be injected into patients' brains.
It is hoped the cells will regenerate areas damaged by stroke, and increase patients' movements and mental abilities.

The trial, due to start in the middle of this year, will initially involve four groups of three patients over two years.

Doctors are primarily testing the safety of the procedure but there is the possibility that some patients may benefit from the treatment.

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Scientists See Brain Aging Before Symptoms Appear

ScienceDaily (Jan. 7, 2009) — UCLA scientists have used innovative brain-scan technology developed at UCLA, along with patient-specific information on Alzheimer's disease risk, to help diagnose brain aging, often before symptoms appear. Published in the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, their study may offer a more accurate method for tracking brain aging.

Researchers used positron emission tomography (PET), which allows "a window into the brain" of living people and specifically reveals plaques and tangles, the hallmarks of neurodegeneration. The PET scans were complemented by information on patients' age and congnitive status and a genetic profile.

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Statewide Brain Injury Conference "Life with Brain Injury"

The Brain Injury Alliance of South Carolina (BIASC) and the South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council will be having a Statewide Brain Injury Conference on Thursday, May 14- Friday, May 15 at the Columbia Conference Center, located at:

169 Laurelhurst Ave.
Columbia, SC 29210

The conference objective is to provide a forum for the exchange of information on programs, resources, and best practices in brain injury rehabilitation and services. The conference targets individuals with brain injury, family members, caregivers, and professionals working in the field of brain injury.

To visit The Brain Injury Alliance of SC webpage, please click on the Title above

A college experience is a part of growing up…

Pro Parents (Winter 2008) -- Sean Tuck can’t wait to go to college. He can’t wait to move out of his parents’ home and into an apartment with his college roommates. Is he worried about living on his own?

“It’s been too long I’ve lived with my mom and dad,” he said. “I’m excited. It’s going to be like my home away from home.” But then, with a shrug and a laugh, he said there are two things he’s not good at. “I can’t cook,” he said, rolling his eyes. “And I’m not good at banking.”

So how is that different from most other college students? It’s not, but Sean is.

Sean, 21 of Greenville, has Williams syndrome — a rare genetic condition, estimated to occur in 1 of every 7,500 births, which causes medical and developmental problems. But Sean gives very little indication of someone who is labeled “intellectually disabled.”
Bright, funny, and friendly, Sean is one of three area charter students in Clemson’s new LIFE program. Sharon Sanders, program manager, said the program is a college school-to-job transition for these youths, just like all high school graduates.

The program is one of more than 100 across the country, she said, and the third in South Carolina. Currently the plan at Clemson is for LIFE students to live in four-bedroom apartments near campus – three students with a supervisor.

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Discovery Could Help Scientists Stop 'Death Cascade' Of Neurons After A Stroke

ScienceDaily (Jan. 20, 2009) — Distressed swimmers often panic, sapping the strength they need to keep their heads above water until help arrives. When desperate for oxygen, neurons behave in a similar way. They freak out, stupidly discharging energy until they drown in a sea of their own extruded salts.

Every year, millions of victims of stroke or brain trauma suffer permanent brain damage because of this mad rush to oblivion that begins once a part of the brain is deprived of blood. It is well known that a ubiquitous cell receptor drives these oxygen-starved neurons’ lemming-like behavior. But this particular receptor, for the neurotransmitter glutamate, is also responsible for the rapid transmission of information between neurons required for all cognition, among other things. Shutting it off has serious consequences, like coma.

Now, a team of scientists at The Rockefeller University has identified a single subunit of this receptor that drives neuronal death. This new discovery suggests that drugs targeting a specific subunit of the complex glutamate receptor might be able to slow brain damage without disrupting other crucial brain functions.

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Book Review by Kristin Florian

Head Injury: The Facts 2nd edition
By D. Gronwall, P. Wrightson, and P. Waddell

This is a reference guide mostly for those taking care of a loved one who has had a head injury. The book is divided into sections, which can be quickly referenced or read all the way through. Starting with the effects of a head injury, the book goes through all the stages including the hospital visit, leaving the hospital, and recovery in the long-term . The progress of three cases is sprinkled throughout the book and correspond with each section. Names have been changed to protect identity. Samuel is an eleven year old boy who falls while trying on his new rollerblades, Jonas is a twenty year old carpentry apprentice who gets into a car crash, and Pauline is a middle aged Lawyer who is hit by a load falling from a delivery truck. A nice feature in each section is a text box which summarizes the content. This guide is well organized and seems to be comprehensive . It explains many of the issues that come up with brain injury and suggestions for coping and improving the situation.

Testing when eyes become vulnerable to cataracts

Yahoo!News (Jan.19, 2009) -- WASHINGTON – Space shuttle science may soon come to an eye doctor near you: Researchers are using a NASA gadget to finally tell if a cataract is brewing before someone's vision clouds over.

It's a story of shot-in-the-dark science that paid off with a noninvasive test that tells when eyes are losing the natural compound that keeps cataracts at bay.
That brings the potential to fight the world's leading cause of vision loss. Knowing their eyes are vulnerable could spur people to take common-sense steps to reduce that risk, like avoiding cigarette smoke, wearing sunglasses and improving diet.

More intriguing, the device allows easier testing of whether certain medications might prevent or slow cataract formation. Studies involving astronauts — whose space flights put them at extra risk — and civilians could begin later this year.

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Exercise Tips for Seniors to Start a Healthy 2009

HealthDay News (Jan. 18, 2009 ) -- Most fitness advice is aimed at a general audience.
But if you're an older adult, the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) has some tips for seniors to get started and keep them at the top of their game:
Get a checkup. Talk with your doctor about getting clearance to begin a fitness program and making any modifications to suit your situation.
Know your options. Before starting, pick a program you'll enjoy, so you'll do it regularly. Some people, for example, like to go to a gym for structured workouts, while others might prefer a more informal neighborhood walking club. Checkout the facility and the staff. Is the place friendly? Can you change clothes comfortably? Are facilities easily accessed?
Determine your participation style. Choose what's best for you -- a class or going solo? Morning or night hours? Indoor or outside exercise?
Start slowly. Most people are overeager and sometimes overdo it. Record a baseline of your regular activities and determine a reasonable schedule.
Make a date. Find a buddy to exercise with you and keep you motivated.
Set specific short- and long-term goals. Plan for activity in your day and make it a priority.
Make a list. Try to make the benefits about things you can control, rather than an outcome (such as weight). Looking to decrease stress and depression, build stronger bones or greater strength, get a better sleep? Remind yourself what your goals are.
If it hurts, don't do it. Learn to work around pain, not through it. And once you've reached your goal, treat yourself for the good job you've done, so it will encourage you to continue.
More information
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about exercise for older adults.

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Magnesium Sulphate Protects Babies Against Cerebral Palsy, Review Shows

ScienceDaily (Jan. 21, 2009) — Giving pregnant mothers magnesium sulphate when they are at risk of very preterm birth can help protect their babies from cerebral palsy, according to an international review of research involving the University of Adelaide.

The findings of this review - published January 21 on the international research website The Cochrane Library - could help decrease the incidence of this disabling condition, which affects one in 500 newborn babies overall and one in 10 very premature babies (less than 28 weeks gestation). Magnesium sulphate therapy involves giving doses of magnesium sulphate to pregnant women via injection.

The potential for magnesium sulphate to decrease the risk of cerebral palsy in babies was first proposed in the early 1990s. The new Cochrane review, which supports this suggestion, was carried out by leading researchers from Australia (University of Melbourne and University of Adelaide), France (University Hospital, Rouen) and the United States (University of Alabama).

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Pro Parent Calendar of Workshops 2009

2009 CALENDAR OF WORKSHOPS
THESE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC,LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED ACCOMMODATIONS WHEN REGISTERING.TO SCHEDULE A WORKSHOP IN YOUR AREAPLEASE CALL: 1-800-759-4776

1/26/200910:00 am - 12:00 pm
Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) WorkshopBeaufort DDSN1804 Old Shell RoadPort Royal, SC 29935
Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 1, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

1/28/200912:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? (WEBINAR)(This workshop is presented via internet and conference call)
Tanya M. Inabinet, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 2, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

2/02/200912:30 pm - 2:30 pm
PRO-Parents of SC OverviewBrowns BBQHighway 52Kingstree, SC
Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 1, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

2/04/20095:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Transition Out of Special Education WorkshopBerkeley County DDSN(Berkeley Citizens)1301 Old Highway 52Moncks Corner, SC
Gayle Munn, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 1, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

2/09/20096:00 pm - 8:00 pm*
ADD / ADHD WorkshopChesterfield DSS Office201 South Page StreetChesterfield, SC
Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectProgram Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

2/10/20096:00 pm - 8:00 pm*
ADD / ADHD WorkshopOrangeburg DSS2570 Mathews RoadOrangeburg, SC
Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectProgram Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

2/12/20096:00 pm - 8:00 pm*
ADD / ADHD WorkshopAiken DSS2724 Whiskey RoadAiken, SC
Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectProgram Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

2/12/20096:00 pm - 8:00 pm*
Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? WorkshopCoastal Electric2269 Jeffries HighwayWalterboro, SC
Kim Preston, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids Project
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

2/13/200910:00 am - 12:00 pm
Communications WorkshopMcCormick County Library201 Railroad AvenueMcCormick, SC
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

2/16/20099:00 am - 11:00 am
Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) WorkshopChester / Lancaster DDSN1126 Camp Creek RoadLancaster, SC 29721
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

2/21/200910:00 am - 12:00 pm
Individualized Education Program (IEP) WorkshopAbbeville Area Medical CenterAdministration Building(Education Room)420 Thomson CircleAbbeville, SC 29620
Susan Bruce, PRO-Parents of SCRegion 3, Education Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-800-759-4776 or (803) 772-5688

2/23/20096:30 pm - 8:30 pm*
Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? WorkshopLaurens DSS93 Human Services RoadLaurens, SC
Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectProgram Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

2/24/20096:00 pm - 7:00 pm*
Is Your Child a Target of Bullying? WorkshopMacedonia Baptist Church216 Macedonia RoadGaffney, SC
Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectProgram Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

2/26/20096:00 pm - 7:30 pm*
Positive Behavioral Interventions (PBI) WorkshopJasper DSS10908 North Jacob Smart BoulevardJasper, SC 29936
Beth Barrett, PRO-Parents of SCSouth Carolina Special Kids ProjectProgram Coordinator
For More Information or To Register Call: 1-866-863-1512

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