High levels of a male sex hormone in foetuses are linked to a higher chance of developing autistic traits in childhood, scientists say. The findings come from an eight-year study relating the development of 253 children to levels of testosterone they were exposed to in the womb.
The scientists said it was unclear whether the hormone was causing the traits or was a by-product of them.
The research was presented at the BA Festival of Science in York. [continue reading…]
Difficulty in school isn’t always a sign of a learning disorder, it may just be a sign that a child’s eyes aren’t working properly.As an infant, Raea Gragg was withdrawn and could not make eye contact. By preschool she needed to smell and squeeze every object she saw.
“She touched faces and would bring everything to mouth,” said her mother, Kara Gragg, of Lafayette, Calif. “She would go up to people, sniff them and touch their cheeks.”
Specialists conducted a battery of tests. The possible diagnoses mounted: autism spectrum disorder, neurofibromatosis, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder. Link to read this New York Times Article [continue reading…]
 Mind-body therapies, which focus on the interactions between the mind, body and behavior, and the ways in which emotional, mental, social and behavioral factors can affect health, may be of particular benefit to elderly chronic pain sufferers. A new study published in Pain Medicine provides a structured review of eight mind-body interventions for older people, including progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, hypnosis, tai chi and yoga. [continue reading…]
Fibromyalgia Awareness Week – UK Sept 8-15Â
This week is Fibromyalgia Awareness Week and as support groups up and down the country gather to gain more recognition of the condition it has been revealed that Dr Kim Lawson, a senior lecturer in pharmacology at the university, has put forward a submission to NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), in collaboration with the Fibromyalgia Association UK, for the development of diagnostic and treatment guidelines.
Currently there is no cure for fibromyalgia, which is thought to affect up to four per cent of the population, and treating patients leads to high costs not only for the NHS but also for sufferers who are forced to go private for some treatments. [continue reading…]
