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This is part 2 of this 2-part Podcast for Peds series.

Hear these reports:

• Nursing Mothers’ Codeine Use May Be Risky for Infants: The CYP2D6 enzyme is involved in breaking down about 75 percent of all psychotropic medications, codeine being one of them. This is part of the early concept and specialty of ‘psychiatric pharmaco-genomics.’
• Noise Helps Memory Performance in ADHD Children: White noise appears to selectively improve the performance of kids with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Possible reason: stochastic resonance can be beneficial to dopamine deprived neural systems, with ADHD being one example. External auditory noise can restore low dopamine levels - and thus improve cognitive performance in these scholastically ‘low achiever’ children,
• In Utero Exposure to Smoking by Mother Can Increase Risk of ADHD: Maybe it’s time that this information be used to alert practitioners and families that at least some cases of ADHD may be preventable in utero!
• Computerized Training of Working Memory as a Therapeutic Strategy in ADHD: Working memory can be improved by computer-based training exercises in children with ADHD, and such training may be of clinical use for ameliorating the symptoms in ADHD.
• CDC Urges Meningitis Vaccine For All Adolescents: Tetravalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine is recommended for all 11- to 18-year-olds. This is the result of a vote by the CDC back in June (2007). Actual long-term risk-benefit ratio: unknown.
• Simple Approach to Reduce Part of World’s Pediatric Mortality Rates By Essentially 45%: Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets (‘mosquito nets’). You can donate any amount of money you wish - to provide nets for children in Africa – at www.nothingbutnets.net. According to the site: no portion of your donation will be diverted for ‘administrative’ costs.

OTHER REPORTS:

• Early Results Of Aricept Study Hint At Autism Improvement
• New Autism Research Funded
• Is Autism Prevalence Truly On The Rise?
• Majority Of Traumatic Brain Injuries Are Pediatric

Next week’s show: Installment #5 of Quest For The Best In Neurology: robots are extending the reach of Neurologists; nanomedicine has opened the way for nerve cell regeneration; and much more.

 

 #97: Neurology Podcast For Peds , Installment #5 [19:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (213)

This is part 1 of a 2-part series. Next week will be part 2 of Podcast for Peds (installment #6).

On this episode hear these reports:

• Neuroimaging Advances in Cerebral Palsy: Thanks to recent advances in neuroimaging CP is no longer considered a static disease for which little can be done. Neuroimaging is taking the clinical management, diagnosis and classification of CP to ‘quantum levels’ higher than we’ve ever seen in the past.
• Pedophiles Have Deficits in Brain Activation: With functional MRI scanning we now have images which demonstrate pedophiles’ altered sexual interest. So now, for the first time in the history of Medicine we can study this ‘psychiatric’ condition as a neurobiological disease. These new discoveries may ultimately contribute to the development of new and effective means of therapies for the disorder. However, societal/ethical questions and implications abound around such things as using the neuroimaging technology for criminal investigations and forensics.

Next week’s show: Installment #6 of Podcast for Peds (Part 2). Here are some of the questions we’ll be answering (based on the news):

• Which pain medication generally accepted as safe in pregnancy and while nursing may - in significant numbers of cases - be resulting in the fetus and the nursing infant getting a whopping dose of morphine?
• What available test may enable you to make more informed drug-prescribing decisions, before prescribing that ‘mystery’ pain medication (and before prescribing numerous other psychotropic drugs as well)?
• And what about the CDC’s recent vote and urgent call for the mass immunization of all US adolescents with Menactra (one of the meningococcal meningitis vaccines)? Is the urgent call based on actual evidence that a risk/benefit ratio supports their decision?

We’ll also present fascinating news on ADHD: The noise, which helps performance in ADHD children; a simple preventive measure mothers can take, which may lower their risk of bearing a child with ADHD; and news on how computers are helping ADHD sufferers.

 

 #83: Podcast for Peds - Installment #4 [34:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (668)

Podcast for Peds: Issues related to problems of the developing nervous system.

Focus: The Interactive Autism Network: Interview with ‘IAN’s’ founders Drs. Paul and Kiely Law.

The two pediatricians will discuss their personal family experience with the autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and how it led to their founding of IAN. We’ll also discuss how this rapidly growing online community of families and researchers may help us understand the incidence, etiology and pathogenesis of ASDs, and help in our ability to diagnose and treat this troubling and apparently rapidly growing spectrum of disorders. Please get involved with the Interactive Autism Network and tell your families affected by autism about IAN: www.iancommunity.org.

Listener feedback: Two STAT! doctor subscribers provide feedback. One regarding the importance of Neurolgists’ continued use of medications off-label. The other doctor provides his comments regarding the quality level of STAT! productions, and his wish for additional lines of Medical News Podcasts productions.

Next week’s show: Our 6th installment of Ideology for neurology- working toward neurological perfection: Would you choose neurology again today, if you were considering specialties to pursue? And here’s another question: accumulation of which metal in the gray matter is tied to multiple sclerosis? Listen and learn.

Weblinks:

• Interactive Autism Network

• Internet System for Assessing Autistic Children (Dr. Law’s letter describing the ‘ISAAC’ system).

 

 #77: Podcast for Peds - Installment #3 [38:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (756)

Publication Date: July 6th, 2007.

Installment #3 of Podcast for Peds: Issues related to problems of the developing nervous system, and the young folks who have them. Focus: Autism.

• Online Autism Registry Offers Research Portal: The Interactive Autism Network already has 6000 registered autistic children. This project is analogous to when researchers banded together to successfully fight childhood leukemias!
• Familial Versus Sporadic Autism: DNA microarray technology has revealed that the majority of cases of autism spectrum disorders likely result from de novo genetic mutations after conception. An important question to be answered is: What factor or factors are causing the gene mutations? Mercury from the thimerisol preservative in vaccines is in the ‘lineup’ up suspects.

And last but not least: the alkaloid theobromine in chocolate may be superior to fluoride for preventing tooth decay (for ‘kids of all ages’).

Next week’s show: 5th installment of Ideology for Neurology-working toward neurological perfection. Hear news about last month’s stem cell victory in California; also how palliative care medicine is cost-effective medicine; and more.

Weblinks:

• Interactive Autism Network: www.ianproject.org.
• Lyme-Autism speculation: http://autism.about.com/b/a/257714.htm
• Book information: Healing The New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma And Allergies by Kenneth Bock, MD - http://www.amazon.com/Healing-New-Childhood-Epidemics-Groundbreaking/dp/0345494504
• Mercury and DNA damage — potential for gene mutations from mercury: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=16655361

 

 #64 - Podcast for Peds, Installment #2 [34:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (393)

Issues related to problems of the developing nervous system, and the young folks who have them. Installment #2.

Publication Date: Apr 6th, 2007.

Hear the interview with Dr. A. David Rothner from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation - specialist in pediatric headaches.

Rapid Fire News includes:
1. Topiramate may prevent pediatric migraine
2. CDC launches autism study
3. Diet plus vagal nerve stimulation calm refractory epilepsy in kids
4. Hyperbaric oxygen aids cognition in cerebral palsy

And last but not least: ban cheddar to beat blubber, or shave the fat by shelving the sugar?

 

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Issues related to problems of the developing nervous system and the young folks who have them.