Autism reversible if detected early: Expert

Padmini Sivarajah, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.14AM IST

MADURAI: Mohamed, Srirish and Kumar are first rankers in their respective classes in different schools in and around Madurai. There is nothing surprising about this, except for the fact that they were declared autistic about four years ago before being enrolled in a special training centre which helped them come out of their problem.

Dr Rani Chakkaravarthy, a psychologist who has been working with these children for about two years, says what made this phenomenal change possible was the fact that all these children were detected early and enrolled in classes below the age of three. She said the degree of autism in children was determined using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).

Three-hundred children who attended her training centre were assessed during the study period. The effectiveness of the REACH method was studied by 13 children who were regularly attending the training centre in a period of time. The autism score was measured before and after their training in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the training imparted by the child guidance centre.

Asma (name changed), the mother of one boy who is topping his class in a regular school, had tears in her eyes when she said she went into seclusion and refrained from interacting with family because her son became the topic of discussion among relatives, who started giving advice on how he should be treated. "However, when I attended a wedding in Chennai last month and the same boy was the cynosure of all eyes for his behaviour and intelligence, it was a divine feeling," she said.

Similarly, Chellam, a mother of a six-year-old boy who is also a class topper said she had been worried when her second son did not start talking by the age of two like his elder sibling. "I consulted many doctors, who said that delayed speech was common, but I came across an article on autism and decided to seek help. There has been no looking back," she said. These mothers say one of the first signs of autism is when your child doesn't make eye contact and when he or she does not answer to their names.

The mothers of these children say they are now on the lookout in buses and trains to see if they can find any child with autistic signs. "We ask them to seek help on time," they said.

Rani Chakkravarthy, who has been monitoring these children and their parents for the last few years, says one aspect that helped her reach out to her students easily was the fact that both parents of these children were educated. Seventy-four percent of the fathers were degree or diploma holders and 65 percent of the mothers were graduates.

What was surprising was the fact that none of the children taken for study were born out of consanguineous marriages and 77.1 percent of the parents did not have a family history of autism or related disorders. Over 98 percent of the parents had arranged marriages.

Most of these children also had a normal neonatal history. A majority, that is 88.6 percent of these children, were males, keeping up with the universal sex ratio of 8:1 for children with autism. As most of these children came for training within the age group of 2 to 4, they were fit to be enrolled in regular school by the age of seven.

"What I tell my parents is that their children should have their undivided attention at home after they go back from the training centre. We spend about two hours, three days a week, for about two years with these children. But it is the mothers who have the major responsibility to follow our rules," she said.

Sharada, a mother whose child has also started behaving normally after completing a year at the centre, says mothers of such children should understand that medicines will not be the solution. "My son is not even on vitamins, but I entrust most of my daily chores like folding clothes, arranging shelves and answering the door to him as per the advice of a doctor. There is a remarkable change," she said.

These mothers also started taking their children out and walking uninvited into marriage functions so that these children could learn to mingle with crowds. "In the early stages, there may be some embarrassment, because one thing these children detest is a crowd. But they also learn to accept it very slowly," said Nandhini, a mother of a six-year-old girl. Such training is based on the REACH method which comprises instructions that enable a child to assimilate skills and learn day-to-day activities.

Rani Chakkaravarthy feels paediatricians who are amongst the first to encounter children should always keep a lookout for autistic signs in children above two years, because early identification can help them come out of it completely.

Autism should not be misconceived for mental retardation and the government should launch awareness campaigns for the same among the public.

She said the educational sector also needs to be sensitized to the needs and abilities of children with autism. Children with autism should not be deprived of admission in normal schools, because these children have above average intelligence as proved by her students.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Has Curiosity found proof of life on Mars?

Srinivas Laxman, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.54AM IST

MUMBAI: Has Nasa's 900-kg Mars rover, Curiosity attained a major scientific breakthrough?

Just on the eve of the first anniversary of the launch of the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity mission which is on November 26, 2012, is the buzz that it could have possibly found evidence that conditions existed in the Red Planet which could have supported microbial life.

Right now it seems pure speculation, but the theory is gathering weight following a recent remark made by none other than the mission's principal investigator, John Grotzinger, to the US National Public Radio saying, "We're getting data from the Sample Analysis At Mars (SAM) instrument and is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good,'' he said. SAM is a miniature chemistry laboratory having the capability to analyse the contents of Martian soil and rocks.

Grotzinger declined to spell out the specifics saying that there would be no official announcement for several weeks since the data has to be rechecked and revalidated so that there was no slip this time. Indications are that there could be an announcement sometime between December 3 and 7, 2012 during a scientific meeting at San Fransisco.

He further added that the announcement regarding the discovery is also being delayed because scientists want to ensure that SAM was not measuring air brought along from Cape Canaveral in Florida during the MSL launch on November 26, 2011.

There is also a rule which stipulates that scientists cannot discuss their research until it is a officially published. This time, moreover , the scientific community is exercising considerable caution keeping in view the fiasco and controversy caused by the sensational announcement in August 1996 about finding organic compound in a Martian meteorite , ALH 84001, indicating that there could have been life on Mars. It was for this reason that Nasa is downplaying all talk of a major discovery by Curiosity.

After launch on November 26,2011, Curiosity touchdown on the Red Planet's Gale Crater after a nail biting manoeuvre at 11 a m (IST) on August 6,2012.

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Timely intervention during Twin-To-Twin Transfusion Syndrome can save life of fetus

BANGALORE: Her joy knew no bounds when she was told in September last year that she was pregnant with twins. But, a few weeks later Jyothi (28, name changed) was jolted when she was told by a gynecologist that one of her twin fetus was growing abnormally and it might also harm her normal child as they were Monochroionic (identical twins growing in placenta) suffering from Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS).

TTTS can happen due to various reasons including genetic defect in case of identical twin pregnancies and if goes undetected can lead to death of even a normal fetus along with the abnormal. This situation is seen in about 30% of Monochroionic twin pregnancy.

Sharing her experience Jyothi says: "Till fifth month of my pregnancy I was not told that one of my children is abnormal. The doctor did not even tell me that treatments like fetal scan are available which can detect TTTS even in 3^rd month of pregnancy. Thankfully, I came to know about the technology through Internet and contacted another doctor, who helped me saving my one child."

Explaining Jyothi's dilemma, Dr Prathima Radhakrishnan, consultant, fetal medicine, Manipal Hospitals, said: "TTTS is a complication of disproportionate blood supply, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Fetoscopic Laser ablation of placental vessels is performed when the condition is severe in monochrionic twin pregnancies. The mortality in this condition without treatment is almost 100%. By performing laser ablaton of the placental vessels, it's possible to save at least one and sometimes both the babies."

Said Dr Devika Gunasheela, senior gynecologist and director, Gunasheela Hospital: "This situation is seen not only in identical twin pregnancies but also sometimes in unidentical twin pregnancies. Also the fetus which gets maximum blood supply is at a risk of dying due to cardiac arrest, while the undernourished twin fetus is at the risk of dying due to malnourishment. Latest laser intervention can help in balancing the blood circulation in the placental and save the fetus."

Dr Radhakrishnan, who has treated 13 women including Jyothi since 2010 said that if the blood supply in the umbilical cord to the abnormal fetus is shut off before its death, the chances for the normal baby's survival is very high and the risk of brain damage is very low.

Jyothi said that India lacks awareness about treatments available for TTTS and other complications during twin pregnancies. "Treatments are available and can save the fetus. We need to create awareness so that not many mothers lose their child," she said.

December 7 is observed as Twin-To-Twin Syndrome Awareness Day globally.

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New Cadbury chocolates that dont melt even at 40 degrees celsius

PTI Nov 25, 2012, 06.55PM IST

(New 'temperature-tolerant…)

LONDON: New 'temperature-tolerant chocolates' that don't melt even at 40 degree Celsius have been developed by confectionery giant Cadbury, which will soon be available in hot-weather countries like India.

Scientists at Cadbury's research and development plant in Bourneville, in the UK said the new chocolate bars stay completely solid even when exposed to temperatures of 40 degree Celsius for more than three hours.

Cadbury engineers have set out the method for making breakthrough "temperature-tolerant chocolate" in an 8,000-word patent application, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

While standard chocolate has a melting point of 34 degree Celsius, the new bars are ideal for warmer weather. The new recipe will be available in hot countries, likely to include India and Brazil.

The secret to the new bars is a change in the so-called 'conching step' - where a container filled with metal beads grinds the ingredients, which usually include cocoa butter, vegetable oils, milk and sugar.

Cadbury has developed a way of breaking down sugar particles into smaller pieces, reducing how much fat covers them and making the bar more resistant to heat.

"We have found that it is possible to instill temperature-tolerant properties by refining the conched chocolate after the conching step," Cadbury said in its patent application.

"Production of temperature-tolerant chocolate would allow production of chocolate-containing product more suitable for hot climates, particularly in less economically developed countries where the supply chain is ill-equipped to handle temperature fluctuations," it said.

However, professional chocolatiers are unimpressed with Cadbury's new invention, claiming it would not taste as good as original chocolate.

The company also admitted that the new bars would not have the same melt-in-the-mouth quality as normal chocolates, the report said.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Autism reversible if detected early: Expert

Padmini Sivarajah, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.14AM IST

MADURAI: Mohamed, Srirish and Kumar are first rankers in their respective classes in different schools in and around Madurai. There is nothing surprising about this, except for the fact that they were declared autistic about four years ago before being enrolled in a special training centre which helped them come out of their problem.

Dr Rani Chakkaravarthy, a psychologist who has been working with these children for about two years, says what made this phenomenal change possible was the fact that all these children were detected early and enrolled in classes below the age of three. She said the degree of autism in children was determined using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).

Three-hundred children who attended her training centre were assessed during the study period. The effectiveness of the REACH method was studied by 13 children who were regularly attending the training centre in a period of time. The autism score was measured before and after their training in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the training imparted by the child guidance centre.

Asma (name changed), the mother of one boy who is topping his class in a regular school, had tears in her eyes when she said she went into seclusion and refrained from interacting with family because her son became the topic of discussion among relatives, who started giving advice on how he should be treated. "However, when I attended a wedding in Chennai last month and the same boy was the cynosure of all eyes for his behaviour and intelligence, it was a divine feeling," she said.

Similarly, Chellam, a mother of a six-year-old boy who is also a class topper said she had been worried when her second son did not start talking by the age of two like his elder sibling. "I consulted many doctors, who said that delayed speech was common, but I came across an article on autism and decided to seek help. There has been no looking back," she said. These mothers say one of the first signs of autism is when your child doesn't make eye contact and when he or she does not answer to their names.

The mothers of these children say they are now on the lookout in buses and trains to see if they can find any child with autistic signs. "We ask them to seek help on time," they said.

Rani Chakkravarthy, who has been monitoring these children and their parents for the last few years, says one aspect that helped her reach out to her students easily was the fact that both parents of these children were educated. Seventy-four percent of the fathers were degree or diploma holders and 65 percent of the mothers were graduates.

What was surprising was the fact that none of the children taken for study were born out of consanguineous marriages and 77.1 percent of the parents did not have a family history of autism or related disorders. Over 98 percent of the parents had arranged marriages.

Most of these children also had a normal neonatal history. A majority, that is 88.6 percent of these children, were males, keeping up with the universal sex ratio of 8:1 for children with autism. As most of these children came for training within the age group of 2 to 4, they were fit to be enrolled in regular school by the age of seven.

"What I tell my parents is that their children should have their undivided attention at home after they go back from the training centre. We spend about two hours, three days a week, for about two years with these children. But it is the mothers who have the major responsibility to follow our rules," she said.

Sharada, a mother whose child has also started behaving normally after completing a year at the centre, says mothers of such children should understand that medicines will not be the solution. "My son is not even on vitamins, but I entrust most of my daily chores like folding clothes, arranging shelves and answering the door to him as per the advice of a doctor. There is a remarkable change," she said.

These mothers also started taking their children out and walking uninvited into marriage functions so that these children could learn to mingle with crowds. "In the early stages, there may be some embarrassment, because one thing these children detest is a crowd. But they also learn to accept it very slowly," said Nandhini, a mother of a six-year-old girl. Such training is based on the REACH method which comprises instructions that enable a child to assimilate skills and learn day-to-day activities.

Rani Chakkaravarthy feels paediatricians who are amongst the first to encounter children should always keep a lookout for autistic signs in children above two years, because early identification can help them come out of it completely.

Autism should not be misconceived for mental retardation and the government should launch awareness campaigns for the same among the public.

She said the educational sector also needs to be sensitized to the needs and abilities of children with autism. Children with autism should not be deprived of admission in normal schools, because these children have above average intelligence as proved by her students.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Has Curiosity found proof of life on Mars?

Srinivas Laxman, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.54AM IST

MUMBAI: Has Nasa's 900-kg Mars rover, Curiosity attained a major scientific breakthrough?

Just on the eve of the first anniversary of the launch of the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity mission which is on November 26, 2012, is the buzz that it could have possibly found evidence that conditions existed in the Red Planet which could have supported microbial life.

Right now it seems pure speculation, but the theory is gathering weight following a recent remark made by none other than the mission's principal investigator, John Grotzinger, to the US National Public Radio saying, "We're getting data from the Sample Analysis At Mars (SAM) instrument and is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good,'' he said. SAM is a miniature chemistry laboratory having the capability to analyse the contents of Martian soil and rocks.

Grotzinger declined to spell out the specifics saying that there would be no official announcement for several weeks since the data has to be rechecked and revalidated so that there was no slip this time. Indications are that there could be an announcement sometime between December 3 and 7, 2012 during a scientific meeting at San Fransisco.

He further added that the announcement regarding the discovery is also being delayed because scientists want to ensure that SAM was not measuring air brought along from Cape Canaveral in Florida during the MSL launch on November 26, 2011.

There is also a rule which stipulates that scientists cannot discuss their research until it is a officially published. This time, moreover , the scientific community is exercising considerable caution keeping in view the fiasco and controversy caused by the sensational announcement in August 1996 about finding organic compound in a Martian meteorite , ALH 84001, indicating that there could have been life on Mars. It was for this reason that Nasa is downplaying all talk of a major discovery by Curiosity.

After launch on November 26,2011, Curiosity touchdown on the Red Planet's Gale Crater after a nail biting manoeuvre at 11 a m (IST) on August 6,2012.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Cadbury chocolates that dont melt even at 40 degrees celsius

PTI Nov 25, 2012, 06.55PM IST

(New 'temperature-tolerant…)

LONDON: New 'temperature-tolerant chocolates' that don't melt even at 40 degree Celsius have been developed by confectionery giant Cadbury, which will soon be available in hot-weather countries like India.

Scientists at Cadbury's research and development plant in Bourneville, in the UK said the new chocolate bars stay completely solid even when exposed to temperatures of 40 degree Celsius for more than three hours.

Cadbury engineers have set out the method for making breakthrough "temperature-tolerant chocolate" in an 8,000-word patent application, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

While standard chocolate has a melting point of 34 degree Celsius, the new bars are ideal for warmer weather. The new recipe will be available in hot countries, likely to include India and Brazil.

The secret to the new bars is a change in the so-called 'conching step' - where a container filled with metal beads grinds the ingredients, which usually include cocoa butter, vegetable oils, milk and sugar.

Cadbury has developed a way of breaking down sugar particles into smaller pieces, reducing how much fat covers them and making the bar more resistant to heat.

"We have found that it is possible to instill temperature-tolerant properties by refining the conched chocolate after the conching step," Cadbury said in its patent application.

"Production of temperature-tolerant chocolate would allow production of chocolate-containing product more suitable for hot climates, particularly in less economically developed countries where the supply chain is ill-equipped to handle temperature fluctuations," it said.

However, professional chocolatiers are unimpressed with Cadbury's new invention, claiming it would not taste as good as original chocolate.

The company also admitted that the new bars would not have the same melt-in-the-mouth quality as normal chocolates, the report said.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Autism reversible if detected early: Expert

Padmini Sivarajah, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.14AM IST

MADURAI: Mohamed, Srirish and Kumar are first rankers in their respective classes in different schools in and around Madurai. There is nothing surprising about this, except for the fact that they were declared autistic about four years ago before being enrolled in a special training centre which helped them come out of their problem.

Dr Rani Chakkaravarthy, a psychologist who has been working with these children for about two years, says what made this phenomenal change possible was the fact that all these children were detected early and enrolled in classes below the age of three. She said the degree of autism in children was determined using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).

Three-hundred children who attended her training centre were assessed during the study period. The effectiveness of the REACH method was studied by 13 children who were regularly attending the training centre in a period of time. The autism score was measured before and after their training in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the training imparted by the child guidance centre.

Asma (name changed), the mother of one boy who is topping his class in a regular school, had tears in her eyes when she said she went into seclusion and refrained from interacting with family because her son became the topic of discussion among relatives, who started giving advice on how he should be treated. "However, when I attended a wedding in Chennai last month and the same boy was the cynosure of all eyes for his behaviour and intelligence, it was a divine feeling," she said.

Similarly, Chellam, a mother of a six-year-old boy who is also a class topper said she had been worried when her second son did not start talking by the age of two like his elder sibling. "I consulted many doctors, who said that delayed speech was common, but I came across an article on autism and decided to seek help. There has been no looking back," she said. These mothers say one of the first signs of autism is when your child doesn't make eye contact and when he or she does not answer to their names.

The mothers of these children say they are now on the lookout in buses and trains to see if they can find any child with autistic signs. "We ask them to seek help on time," they said.

Rani Chakkravarthy, who has been monitoring these children and their parents for the last few years, says one aspect that helped her reach out to her students easily was the fact that both parents of these children were educated. Seventy-four percent of the fathers were degree or diploma holders and 65 percent of the mothers were graduates.

What was surprising was the fact that none of the children taken for study were born out of consanguineous marriages and 77.1 percent of the parents did not have a family history of autism or related disorders. Over 98 percent of the parents had arranged marriages.

Most of these children also had a normal neonatal history. A majority, that is 88.6 percent of these children, were males, keeping up with the universal sex ratio of 8:1 for children with autism. As most of these children came for training within the age group of 2 to 4, they were fit to be enrolled in regular school by the age of seven.

"What I tell my parents is that their children should have their undivided attention at home after they go back from the training centre. We spend about two hours, three days a week, for about two years with these children. But it is the mothers who have the major responsibility to follow our rules," she said.

Sharada, a mother whose child has also started behaving normally after completing a year at the centre, says mothers of such children should understand that medicines will not be the solution. "My son is not even on vitamins, but I entrust most of my daily chores like folding clothes, arranging shelves and answering the door to him as per the advice of a doctor. There is a remarkable change," she said.

These mothers also started taking their children out and walking uninvited into marriage functions so that these children could learn to mingle with crowds. "In the early stages, there may be some embarrassment, because one thing these children detest is a crowd. But they also learn to accept it very slowly," said Nandhini, a mother of a six-year-old girl. Such training is based on the REACH method which comprises instructions that enable a child to assimilate skills and learn day-to-day activities.

Rani Chakkaravarthy feels paediatricians who are amongst the first to encounter children should always keep a lookout for autistic signs in children above two years, because early identification can help them come out of it completely.

Autism should not be misconceived for mental retardation and the government should launch awareness campaigns for the same among the public.

She said the educational sector also needs to be sensitized to the needs and abilities of children with autism. Children with autism should not be deprived of admission in normal schools, because these children have above average intelligence as proved by her students.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

Has Curiosity found proof of life on Mars?

Srinivas Laxman, TNN Nov 26, 2012, 05.54AM IST

MUMBAI: Has Nasa's 900-kg Mars rover, Curiosity attained a major scientific breakthrough?

Just on the eve of the first anniversary of the launch of the $2.5 billion Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity mission which is on November 26, 2012, is the buzz that it could have possibly found evidence that conditions existed in the Red Planet which could have supported microbial life.

Right now it seems pure speculation, but the theory is gathering weight following a recent remark made by none other than the mission's principal investigator, John Grotzinger, to the US National Public Radio saying, "We're getting data from the Sample Analysis At Mars (SAM) instrument and is gonna be one for the history books. It's looking really good,'' he said. SAM is a miniature chemistry laboratory having the capability to analyse the contents of Martian soil and rocks.

Grotzinger declined to spell out the specifics saying that there would be no official announcement for several weeks since the data has to be rechecked and revalidated so that there was no slip this time. Indications are that there could be an announcement sometime between December 3 and 7, 2012 during a scientific meeting at San Fransisco.

He further added that the announcement regarding the discovery is also being delayed because scientists want to ensure that SAM was not measuring air brought along from Cape Canaveral in Florida during the MSL launch on November 26, 2011.

There is also a rule which stipulates that scientists cannot discuss their research until it is a officially published. This time, moreover , the scientific community is exercising considerable caution keeping in view the fiasco and controversy caused by the sensational announcement in August 1996 about finding organic compound in a Martian meteorite , ALH 84001, indicating that there could have been life on Mars. It was for this reason that Nasa is downplaying all talk of a major discovery by Curiosity.

After launch on November 26,2011, Curiosity touchdown on the Red Planet's Gale Crater after a nail biting manoeuvre at 11 a m (IST) on August 6,2012.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Cadbury chocolates that dont melt even at 40 degrees celsius

PTI Nov 25, 2012, 06.55PM IST

(New 'temperature-tolerant…)

LONDON: New 'temperature-tolerant chocolates' that don't melt even at 40 degree Celsius have been developed by confectionery giant Cadbury, which will soon be available in hot-weather countries like India.

Scientists at Cadbury's research and development plant in Bourneville, in the UK said the new chocolate bars stay completely solid even when exposed to temperatures of 40 degree Celsius for more than three hours.

Cadbury engineers have set out the method for making breakthrough "temperature-tolerant chocolate" in an 8,000-word patent application, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

While standard chocolate has a melting point of 34 degree Celsius, the new bars are ideal for warmer weather. The new recipe will be available in hot countries, likely to include India and Brazil.

The secret to the new bars is a change in the so-called 'conching step' - where a container filled with metal beads grinds the ingredients, which usually include cocoa butter, vegetable oils, milk and sugar.

Cadbury has developed a way of breaking down sugar particles into smaller pieces, reducing how much fat covers them and making the bar more resistant to heat.

"We have found that it is possible to instill temperature-tolerant properties by refining the conched chocolate after the conching step," Cadbury said in its patent application.

"Production of temperature-tolerant chocolate would allow production of chocolate-containing product more suitable for hot climates, particularly in less economically developed countries where the supply chain is ill-equipped to handle temperature fluctuations," it said.

However, professional chocolatiers are unimpressed with Cadbury's new invention, claiming it would not taste as good as original chocolate.

The company also admitted that the new bars would not have the same melt-in-the-mouth quality as normal chocolates, the report said.

22.10 | 0 komentar | Read More