Parents of children with ASD who had attended an Australian emergency department (ED; n = 421) completed a questionnaire relating to their experiences in the ED, including (1) child's reason for presentation and existing comorbidities, (2) quality of care during the visit (3) child's behaviour during visit, e.g. sensory responses to the ED…

Little has been reported about how to improve health care access and delivery for adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder. To understand the contributions to the health disparities in the autism spectrum disorder population, we conducted two independent research approaches to learn about current medical needs. A retrospective chart…

Based on the results of the Surrogate Decision-Making Self Efficacy Scale (Lopez, 2009a), this study sought to determine whether nurses working in the field of intellectual disability (ID) experience increased confidence when they implemented the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) Seizure Algorithm during telephone triage. The…

Epilepsy is a neurologic disorder that results in recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The biomedical burden of epilepsy can be substantial, but for many the social consequences may be just as extreme, with epilepsy victims suffering from social abandonment as well as economic and physical vulnerabilities. Since its founding in 2000, the Chikankata…

This article presents the conclusion made by the consensus group regarding infantile spasms. The consensus group concluded that "infantile spasms are a major form of severe epileptic encephalopathy of early childhood that results in neurodevelopmental regression and imposes a significant health burden." The entire group agrees that the best…

Now in its fifth edition, this outstanding resource for teachers and school professionals has been retitled "Medical and Psychosocial Problems in the Classroom" to more accurately reflect what teachers encounter during the course of their careers. Each chapter highlights the important role teachers play when interacting with health-care…

This article describes how an implantable device could greatly improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy. Gabe Anderson was diagnosed with bilateral heterotopia, a congenital condition that can lead to the onset of complex partial seizures stemming from both hemispheres of the brain. In early 2004, Gabe became one of the first 35…

Most people learn about seizures from their doctors, but others know only what they have seen on television. Unfortunately, visits to doctor's office aren't long enough to learn all that is needed, and often times, doctors and nurses aren't available to teach this information. Seizures are often represented inaccurately and too dramatically on…

Although many studies have explored emergency services for children, there are few published reports of the utilization of emergency services by children with disabilities. The present study attempts to provide data regarding the utilization of, and factors affecting, emergency department visits by disabled children in Taipei. A general census of…

Effects of location of electroconvulsive treatment (either the right or left side of the patient's head) are discussed. (CD)

Intended for parents of children with seizures, the booklet provides information on etiology, treatment, diagnosis and management of epilepsy. The following topics are briefly discussed: why seizures occur, factors that may increase the frequency of seizures, types of seizures, ways to protect the child from accidental injury, and future…

The article examines recent developments in seizure mechanisms and management in young children. Emphasis is directed toward neurodevelopmental sequelae and important genetic/environmental influences. (Author)

Written for children with seizures and their caregivers, the article answers questions concerning the cause, types, and treatment of seizures. (CL)

Background: Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. Since the identification of the responsible gene ("FMR1") and its protein (FMRP), there has been enormous progress in both clinical and pathogenetic research on the neurobehavioural aspects of the condition. However, studies regarding other medical…

This article discusses epilepsy, its treatment, and its effects for teachers who have epileptic students in their classes. Epileptic students must be made to feel that they can participate in all facets of school life. (CJ)