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23Feb

Autism is a condition that has been with humanity since the start of the species, but unlike some other illnesses, such as tuberculosis, or pneumonia, it was not easily recognized. For centuries, autism wasn’t even regarded as a distinct condition but was often misdiagnosed as other forms of illness. It wasn’t unheard of, for example, for certain types of autism to be diagnosed as schizophrenia, and for patients with such a diagnosis to be treated with antipsychotic medication because some of their symptoms would respond to that treatment.

Today, however, it is a very different situation. Medical science has grown both more advanced and more nuanced, and autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as it is currently known, is better understood, and given its own distinct medical category. That doesn’t mean that ASD is completely understood, or that there is a cure for it, but the more focused awareness of the condition and its related symptoms means that better research and treatment is now being done.

One of the unique things about ASD is how varied its symptoms are. It’s because of this that when ASD was first given its own category in medical texts, it was initially broken up into four categories. Today, this is no longer the case, but because the change in medical interpretation was recent, having only taken place in 2013, many people are still more familiar with the “classic” categories. There are the autism types people used to be classified under.

The Changing DSM

The classification and diagnosis of ASD are, at least in American medicine, largely defined by on important medical publication, and that is the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, more commonly known as “DSM,” published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM was first published in 1952 and is now known as DSM-I. Every time there is a major revision, a new version of the DSM appears.

It was in DSM-II, in 1974, that ASD was first given an entry in the manual, although it was a very different interpretation of the disorder at the time, defined as a psychiatric condition arising from being raised by a cold or distant mother. In DSM-III in the 1980s, ASD was finally recognized as a neurological/developmental condition, and the four classic categories were established.

Asperger’s Syndrome

Considered the “high functioning” version of the disorder, people with Asperger’s experienced the “mildest” symptoms, to the point where some weren’t even diagnosed and were merely considered “eccentric” or “quirky” people. Those with Asperger’s were generally considered able to cope with daily life requirements, though there might be some difficulty in socializing.

Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified

Usually referred to as PDD-NOS, this was a miscellaneous category for people with more severe ASD symptoms. Here the socialization issues are more pronounced, and there may also be additional behavioral symptoms that interfere with other aspects of life, such as work. PDD-NOS was a problematic category because so many people fell into this classification.

Autistic Disorder

This is the “classic” form of ASD, made most famous by the movie Rain Man. Symptoms are much more intense, often leading to an inability to live a normal life. This requires more extensive attention and treatment, and has more visible symptoms such as strongly repetitive motions, very specific means of communication, inability to maintain eye contact, aversion to touching and others.

Childhood Disintegration Disorder

CDD, as it is called, was often considered the most severe form, not only because of how intense the symptoms were but because of the regressive nature of the disorder. Unlike the others, that may have shown evidence early people with CDD may appear to develop normally for a few years, and then display regression, losing language skills, socialization etiquette and even reflexes.

ASD Today

In 2013, with DSM-V, the decades of research finally concluded that four categories of high and low functioning ASD were too simple to convey the condition of ASD accurately. So the four categories were done away with, replaced instead with Autism Spectrum Disorder, with the emphasis being on individual symptoms diagnosed individually, on a spectrum.

This does away with the big problem the previous classification system had, where so many people fell under “miscellaneous” that PDD-NOS diagnoses were out of proportion with other classes, since many people with ASD did not fit “neatly” into the other three categories, thus calling the accuracy and effectiveness of those categories into question.

There is still some lingering stigma from the previous categories, with some biases towards “high functioning” and “low functioning” ASD as a simple way to distinguish a mild case from a severe one. However, the more accurate diagnoses look at what each person’s symptoms are, and how severe or not those individual characteristics are, to come up with an individual approach for the treatment and symptom management, rather than trying to apply only one of four possible treatment possibilities based on categorization.

19Feb

Medical science is a constantly evolving branch of knowledge. There is always more to learn, more to understand, and, in terms of technologies and techniques, always more to try. It’s because of the continuing advances in medicine that things like insulin allow people with diabetes to live full lives, and that some forms of cancer are now treatable, while dangerous viruses like AIDS/HIV continue to be researched with a hope for an eventual cure.

However, treatment and advancement do not come without understanding. Diagnosis is a critical part of medical treatment, and in the case of Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, it has often been one of the most challenging aspects. For decades, ASD was not even diagnosed as a distinct medical condition but was misdiagnosed as a type of schizophrenia. Even when medical experts began to suspect it was a unique condition, it was incorrectly thought to be an entirely behavioral issue, arising from poor parenting, specifically from mothers.

Today, ASD is understood to be a complex condition with many symptoms. But how is it diagnosed?

The Old Versus New

ASD diagnosis is still experiencing something of a transition as both people with ASD, and established medical experts continue to grapple with a new form of classification and diagnosis. In the 1980s, when ASD was first entered into official medical texts, like Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), it was broken down into four categories that tried, roughly, to divide ASD patients by severity, with people having Asperger’s Syndrome considered “high functioning” while those that were diagnosed with Childhood Disintegrative Disorder were considered “low functioning” and had the most severe symptoms.

In 2013, with DSM-V, the four categories were eliminated due to the difficulty in accurately categorizing and treating patients with ASD. Instead, as the name implies, Autism is now diagnosed across a spectrum of different, individual symptoms. People are no longer described as high or low functioning and classed according to a ranking of their ability. Now the specific symptoms are evaluated for individual severity, and treatments are more personalized to each individual depending on the spectrum and intensities of those symptoms.

Evaluating ASD

ASD can be noticed in children at a very early age. Even just several months after birth, before a baby is even a toddler, it is sometimes possible to see behavior that can lead to early suspicions of ASD. For any parent that is wondering whether a child’s behavior is an indication of ASD, don’t sit on that suspicion, bring the child in for an evaluation and get an experienced specialist to conduct a diagnosis.

Early intervention is one of the best ways to give ASD children a better start in life. The parents need to get an accurate assessment of a child’s behavior, and the details of the condition so that they have a better understanding of how to raise and interact with the child, without creating unnecessary barriers or limitations that could impact the quality of life.

The Criteria

Under the current DSM-V diagnoses, parents should be on the lookout for behaviors that fall into three general categories:

Social-Emotional Reciprocity

A child shows a deficit in providing normal emotional or social responses to interactions. Children that display little or no emotional reaction are one example. Or failing to respond to questions, or interact in conversation is another. An unwillingness to initiate or even engage in social interaction is another example.

Nonverbal Communication Skills

Besides speech, there are many nonverbal actions and “cues” that are considered a normal but subtle part of communication. Eye contact, for example, is something that is not usually explained to children, but is learned over the course of interaction. A child that is unwilling to look people in the eye when communicating shows a deficit in nonverbal communication that might require evaluation.

Social Interaction & Maintenance

A more general deficit is the ability to interact or maintain social connections with others successfully. Due to the difficulties in social-emotional reciprocity, and/or nonverbal communication, a child may either prefer to be alone or be unable to successfully interact with others despite a wish to do so, resulting in alienation from other children.

There are also specific behavioral elements that parents should keep an eye out for. If two of the following are present in a child’s behavior, that also merits a closer look by a medical professional:

Repetitive Movements: A child performs the same action, or says the same words repeatedly.

Adherence To Ritual: A child insists on a specific routine or order, and is extremely upset when disruption occurs.

Hyper Focus: An ability, or insistence on focusing on an activity or other preoccupation with abnormal intensity.

There may be other associated factors to consider as well, like intellectual impairment, or other mental disorders, such as schizophrenia. This is why it is critical to try not to self-diagnose, but use the guidelines above as signs to bring a child in for a proper, detailed evaluation.

23Jan

To most of the general public, autism, more accurately referred to in clinical circles as Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD is viewed as a mysterious, even frightening disorder. Popular culture has portrayed the disorder as either a crippling condition that leaves people unable to function in everyday settings, or results in eccentric genius, with an inability to bond meaningfully with others.

The truth, as with most public misconceptions and media portrayals, lies somewhere in the middle. People with ASD are not either doomed to the margins or blessed with genius. As the word “spectrum” implies, those with ASD have a huge range of different symptoms at different intensities. Some with milder forms of ASD may not even know they have the condition, and live their lives simply thinking of themselves as “introverted with a few quirks.” Others may, if the symptoms are severe, require extensive treatment to cope with the world.

But a few people have achieved enormous amounts of success and fame sometimes despite, and sometimes because of, their ASD. Here are a few famous people that have been diagnosed with ASD.

Satoshi Tajiri

While the name itself may not be commonly known in households, the product of this Japanese game developer is globally recognized by the young and young at heart everywhere. Tajiri is most well known for creating Pokemon, the Japanese phenomenon that went worldwide. Pokemon started as a portable videogame for children on the Nintendo Gameboy in 1996 and went on to become a huge hit all over the planet.

Over 20 years later, Pokemon continues to be a massive phenomenon, both for a new generation of children and for adults that still enthusiastically embrace the idea of collecting cute creatures for fights and duels. Tajiri has publicly admitted his autism diagnosis but prefers not to talk about it in depth, preferring to let his work do the talking.

Temple Grandin

In some circles, Temple Grandin is widely regarded as both a respected female scholar and writer. She is a professor at Colorado State University for Animal Science but has also authored many books on topics such as handling livestock and dealing with ASD. She is a very prominent advocate for ASD, having been diagnosed early in her life with the condition.

She did not speak until she was four years old, and her ASD was severe enough that, at the time, in the 1950s, her parents were advised she should be institutionalized. Her family did not follow that advice and allowed her to grow and develop without the obstacles of 20th century, pre-ASD treatment methods. Today she has made great strides both professionally and helping to educate the public about ASD.

Susan Boyle

She was once just another average Scottish woman until her stunning debut at the Britain’s Got Talent reality TV show. Susan Boyle’s average appearance belied an incredibly powerful singing voice that, until 2012, had gone completely undiscovered. After that debut, she went on to a professional career and, in less than ten years, has already sold over 14 million albums worldwide.

Susan Boyle, however, was also officially diagnosed during her life with Asperger’s Syndrome, one of the four old classes of autism until modern medical diagnoses did away with dividing ASD into different categories. As with many people with ASD, Boyle finds it occasionally difficult to cope with people and is happiest pursuing her interests, which in this case, include singing.

Sir Anthony Hopkins

One of the most revered “elder statesmen” of acting today, Anthony Hopkins is such a talented actor that he eventually received a knighthood in 1993 for his service to the arts. Hopkins is probably best known for his role as the cannibalistic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter in a widely-acclaimed performance in the movie Silence of the Lambs.

Hopkins, however, is also another celebrity diagnosed with, at the time, what would have been classified as Asperger’s Syndrome. He was not diagnosed until much later in life and, as a result, had a difficult childhood. He was treated poorly by peers, had trouble keeping grades up, and his inability to understand social interactions led to frustration and even substance addiction to cope.

Greta Thunberg

Perhaps the most famous person with ASD in the world right now is also one of the youngest. Greta Thunberg, a teenager from Sweden, is only 17 years old but has already become a Time “Person of the Year,” traveled the world advocating for fighting climate change, and has given fiery, angry speeches to no less than the entire United Nations. She is one of the few 17-year-old girls that rich, powerful men fear and want to stop, because of her powerful messaging.

She was also diagnosed early in life with ASD, but she refers to it as her “superpower,” and claims that it is because of her ASD, and her inability to comply with conventional social expectations, telling people what they want to hear, that she can move ahead and tell people what they need to hear.

17Dec

Autism affects more individuals than most people think. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in every 160 children has autism. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) covers a range of conditions. It begins in childhood and may persist until adulthood. Usually, ASD can be apparent during the first five years of a child’s life.

Parents continuously look for ways to help their children with autism. There are various therapies and alternative treatments that are available right now. One of the most promising treatments that modern society has found is the stem cell transplant for autism.

Types of Autism

As stated earlier, ASD does not refer to a single disorder. According to the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) that the Americal Psychiatric Association (APA) published, there are five subtypes of ASD. These subtypes are also known as specifiers. A person can have one or more specifiers.

  • May or may not have an intellectual impairment
  • May or may not have a language impairment
  • Can be associated with a genetic or medical condition or an environmental factor
  • Can be associated with another mental, behavioral, or neurodevelopmental disorder
  • May come with catatonia

People who are under the autism spectrum may have also received a diagnosis of other disorders, such as autistic disorder, pervasive development disorder (PDD)- not otherwise specified (NOS), Asperger’s syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder.

Symptoms

As with other disorders, it is necessary to take note of symptoms. Most symptoms of autism are evident during a person’s early childhood. You may notice these as early as 12 to 24 months. However, there are some cases wherein the symptoms have appeared later. Meanwhile, others have observed symptoms earlier than the average age.

Among the early symptoms that you should look out for is a delay in social and language development. Generally, two categories divide the symptoms of autism.

Problems with interaction and communication

These problems refer to various issues of a child with communication. The child may find it difficult to share emotions and interests or maintain a conversation. It can also include Nonverbal communication. Check if your child finds it hard to maintain eye contact or read someone’s body language. You should also watch out for possible difficulty in the development or maintenance of relationships.

Repetitive or restricted patterns of activities or behavior

This category refers to repetitive motions, movements, and speech patterns. Children who have rigid adherence to routines, those who have less or more sensitivity to specific sensory information, and those who have a fixated interest may be under this category.

No one knows the exact cause of ASD. No study has pointed to a single cause. However, there are risk factors that some experts think can affect a child. Many think that both genetics and environmental factors may cause the development of ASD.

  • An immediate family member has autism
  • Genetic mutation
  • Some genetic disorders
  • Born to older parents
  • Low birth weight
  • Metabolic imbalance
  • Exposure to toxins and heavy metals
  • Viral infection
  • Exposure to some medications

Intervention For Development

Studies show that early childhood intervention is crucial in promoting optimal development for people with ASD. Parents should include in their routine the monitoring of their child’s development. It is also best to not neglect proper child healthcare.

If you find out that your child has an ASD, it is necessary to educate yourself and gather information as much as you can to help attend to his or her needs. People who have ASD have complex healthcare needs. They may also require a different approach to education and care.

Treatment of ASD

Currently, there is no single cure for ASD. However, there are various approaches to treat autism. These involve different therapies, such as behavioral, play, occupational, physical, and speech therapies. There are also alternative treatments that help manage autism. These include vitamins, chelation therapy, melatonin for sleep issues, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Perhaps one of the most promising treatments that many people have heard of is stem cell transplant for autism. The idea behind this process is not as complicated as it seems. Professionals use stem cells to replace the cells in a patient’s body that do not work properly. This way, the healthy cells will be able to help the immune system function well. The result is the reduction of the effects of autism.

Many members of the medical community know how promising stem cells can be in treating various conditions. Since the conduct of the first study on the use of stem cell transplant for autism, many individuals benefited. Your child can be the next success story.

15Dec

Many expecting mothers think about a lot of things and prepare for various possibilities. Aside from busying oneself in decorating the nursery in your home and buying baby clothes, some expecting parents also consider saving their newborn’s umbilical cord blood.

Some people may not have heard of this practice and may find it odd. However, this procedure can help you keep your baby or another family member healthy and safe. To further understand the concept, here’s some cord blood info for you.

What Is Cord Blood?

Doctors or other birth experts cut a newborn baby’s umbilical cord. Despite this, the blood vessels in the placenta and the attached part of the umbilical cord still have some blood. People call this the umbilical cord blood, which is also known as cord blood.

Cord blood has all the elements that blood has. It has a plasma, platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells. Aside from this, it is also rich in blood stem cells, which are similar to the ones that exist in bone marrows.

Cord Blood for Treatment of Various Diseases

The use of stem cells in treating various conditions has been around for years. One procedure uses bone marrow stem cells. However, there is another type. Some medical professionals use the umbilical cord blood for stem cell therapy due to its many advantages.

  • More people can benefit from stem cells that came from cord blood that those that are from the bone marrow. The reason is that more people can match the cord blood transplant. The possibility of rejection is also less in cord blood stem cells than in bone marrow stem cells.
  • Collecting bone marrow is harder. Furthermore, the collection of bone marrow stem cells poses more risks and can cause pain to the donor or source.
  • You can store or freeze cord blood. Thus, it is readily available if you need it. Meanwhile, you should immediately use bone marrow upon collection.
  • Cord blood stem cells can strengthen the immune system. This advantage is especially helpful for patients that are undergoing cancer treatments.

Storage and Banking of Cord Blood

As stated earlier, cord blood can be frozen and stored for years. The method of freezing is known as cryopreservation. Through this, you can maintain the integrity of the stem cells. It is crucial to store umbilical cord blood properly. Thus, only professionals with proper medical facilities should do it.

As a parent, you can opt to store the cord blood of your baby in a private facility or bank. This way, it will be available in case you would need it in the future for your child’s health. First-degree and second-degree relatives can also benefit from it. You can search for private cord banks that offer blood collection as well as storage. Some people choose to donate their cor blood in public banks.

Here’s a few more cord blood info that may help you appreciate it:

  1. Saving umbilical cord blood is safe and not painful for the mother and her baby. The umbilical cord is cut immediately upon delivery. You can request the collection of the blood as an additional procedure. The process is simple. The professionals insert a needle connected to a collection bag into the umbilical cord vein. Then, the blood will flow to the bag.
  2. The stem cells will be a 100% match for your child. A sibling or another family member may also match with these stem cells. Also, cord blood stem cells are easy to match since there are no immune cells that have developed yet.
  3. The stem cells from your baby’s cord blood provide a medical option for you in case you need it in the future.
  4. Cord blood stem cells can rebuild white blood cells, red blood cells, bone cartilage, and nerves.
  5. Studies show that cord blood can treat more than 80 conditions.
  6. The only time you can collect and save umbilical cord blood is at birth.

Cord Blood Stem Cells and Autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), more commonly known as autism, is among the conditions that one can treat using cord blood stem cells. So if you discover that your child has autism after a few months or years, you can count on cord blood to treat them.

3Dec

Autism is better known these days as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and it is a large, sprawling, very complex condition that, unfortunately, currently has no known cure. The exact causes of ASD are, even to this day, not fully understood, although it is known that genetic, pre-natal and even post-natal factors may be involved in the formation of the condition in children.

Because of the complexity of ASD, many different treatments exist to address and manage some of the symptoms. While behavioral therapy has proven effective at treating some symptoms, it is not a cure-all for every symptom. Some symptoms, for example, require taking antipsychotic medication. Others, however, may respond to stem cell therapy, and this is where the Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic may be useful to some people looking for other treatment alternatives.

What Is The Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic?

The Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic was started in 1995, and originally was focused on oncological treatment, that is, the treatment of tumors, most often caused by cancer. Because cancer currently has no known cure, the treatment and management of symptoms like tumors and other growths is one that is still in heavy demand throughout the world.

The Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic answered the call with experienced doctors who were dedicated to the idea that helping people cope with their tumors was an important goal. However, as time passed, and the doctors and staff at the clinic constantly stayed informed of new and promising forms of treatment, a new department for treating nervous disorders opened, and one of the primary focuses of this department was children. In time, a focus on ASD began, as there was some overlap between what the clinic was doing in cancer research and treatment, and how some approaches to treating ASD were taking shape in other parts of the world, like the USA.

Based In Eastern Europe

The Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic is located in Georgia, in the capital of the country, Tbilisi. Georgia is east of Turkey and sits in a region once known as a “Eurasia,” because it was often considered the gateway between Europe and Asia when overland trading routes were more involved and treacherous for long journeys.

These days, however, Georgia’s history as a gateway nation, while interesting to tourists and admirers of history, is not the only thing this nation is known for. Georgia is now a progressive and modern country. So while travelers can come to the country, and the city Tbilisi and enjoy the culture, history, museums, and relics that are part of the country’s past, there are also modern businesses, an advanced digital infrastructure, fine dining, clubs, and other modern-day amenities that any 21st century city can offer.

One of the more unique draws of Georgia and one of the reasons why the Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic is based here is the more progressive stance on medical sciences. Georgia has embraced what medical technology can bring to people, and as a result, has very open policies on different medical techniques, such as compensated surrogate motherhood protocol and the use of stem cell therapy for treating ASD.

This more progressive stance, however, doesn’t compromise on quality medical care. Georgian doctors still study and graduate from some of the best medical schools in the world, and, upon returning, use modern equipment at high health and safety standards. They also stay “in the loop,” looking at the most promising news and techniques emerging in medical science, which is one reason why the Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic offers stem cell therapy for ASD treatment.

Not Yet Regulated

Stem cell therapy is a very well-established form of medical treatment. It requires the harvesting of stem cells and transplanting them into a patient, usually in a specific part of the body, depending on the nature of the treatment.

What makes stem cells so special is that they can “reprogram” themselves to become any cell in the human body, even cells that normally don’t reproduce in large numbers like heart or liver cells. Stem cell therapy has risen to prominence as one of the most effective ways to fight a type of blood cancer known as leukemia. In the United States, stem cell therapy is widely regarded as one of the best ways to permanently address leukemia, which is why it is such a well-regarded treatment.

However, stem cell therapy, at least in the USA, is still only legally allowed for use in hospitals in clinics with leukemia and no other conditions. Research into stem cell therapy with other ailments, such as spinal injuries resulting in paralysis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, and, of course, ASD are all promising, but the Food & Drug Administration in the USA is, for the moment, unwilling to allow stem cell therapy in these areas for anything other than research trials.

In other parts of the world, however, including Georgia, preliminary treatments with stem cell therapy for ASD have shown promising results and this one reason why the Mardaleishvili Medical Clinic offers the treatment to both locals and international visitors.




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