WEEK IN REVIEW

NewNASETPublications and Articles of Interest in Special Education and Disabilities That Were Reported This Week

September 12, 2014 - Vol 10, Issue 37

New This Week on NASET

ADHD Medications Won't Stunt Kids' Growth, Study Finds

Stimulant medications -- such as Adderall, Ritalin and Concerta -- used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, won't stunt their growth, a new study suggests. "Stimulant medication did not affect children's final height as adults," said study researcher Dr. Slavica Katusic, an associate professor of pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Katusic noted that results of earlier studies have been mixed, with some showing these drugs retard growth and others showing they don't. But, most of the previous studies had limitations, such as having too few children or spotty information about adult height, she said. To read more,click here

Kids With Autism See Big Gains With Tablets

Even with intervention, many children with autism continue to struggle with communication, but new research suggests that using iPads and other tablets can help maximize language skills. In a study of 61 kids with autism ages 5 to 8, researchers found that those given access to a tablet with a speech-generating app during therapy were able to make "significant and rapid gains" in their use of language, far exceeding the progress of children who participated in treatment sessions alone. All of the children in the study were minimally verbal and participated in two to three hours of therapy each week for six months that focused on improving language, play skills and social gesturing like pointing. To read more,click here

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People With OCD May Have Higher Odds for Schizophrenia: Study

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be at higher risk for schizophrenia, a new study suggests. Still, the findings shouldn't cause undue worry in people with OCD, one expert said. "In the general population, about 1 percent of people are diagnosed with schizophrenia -- a proportion that jumps to 2 percent among those who already have a diagnosis of OCD," explained Dr. Alan Manevitz, who was not involved in the study but reviewed its findings. "But even with this doubled risk, it would be alarmist to suggest that a person with OCD has a high chance of developing schizophrenia," said Manevitz, a clinical psychiatrist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "In fact, that risk remains small." To read more,click here

Social Class Makes a Difference in How Children Tackle Classroom Problems

Social class can account for differences in how parents coach their children to manage classroom challenges, a study shows. Such differences can affect a child's education by reproducing inequalities in the classroom. With the widening gaps in educational outcomes between social classes, the researcher suggested that this study could help schools become more aware of these differences and make moves to reduce the inequalities. To read more,click here

Skin Cells Used to Create Heart Valve for Growing Kids

While artificial heart valves have long been available to adults, making permanent valves for children has been challenging because kids' bodies keep growing. But researchers say they've found a way around that, using a child's skin cells to make a new pulmonary valve for the youngster's heart to replace a faulty one. Using a child's own skin cells to create the new valve reduces the risk of rejection, the researchers explained, and means the valve can grow with the patient -- reducing the need for future valve replacements. To read more,click here

People With Disabilities Held For Years Without Trial

Dreek Drayton spent nearly a decade locked up because of a crime he says he didn't commit.

He never faced trial. No jury ever convicted him. And ultimately, a judge dismissed the charges against him. Yet, year after year, state authorities held on to him based largely on allegations from an accuser who would eventually refuse to testify. Most anyone else would have walked free.

But Drayton, 55, isn't like most people. He is has intellectual disability. And in a court of law, that makes all the difference. To read more,click here

TRIVIA QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Guess the answer to this week's trivia question and we'll recognize you in next week's Week in Review.

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Farm Antibiotics May Be Linked to Food Allergies

Allergic reactions to food are a concern for millions of Americans, and now a study suggests there's a potential new player on the immunology front: Some people may be allergic to the antibiotics used to keep pests away from fruits and vegetables. The study profiles the case of a 10-year-old girl who had a severe allergic reaction after eating blueberry pie. She suffered from asthma, seasonal allergies and allergies to milk and penicillin, but nothing in the pie seemed like a likely culprit. The researchers determined that the problem was a blueberry that had been treated with streptomycin, an antibiotic that's used in people to fight off germs and in plants to keep bacteria, fungi and algae at bay. To read more,click here

New Smartphone App Can Detect Newborn Jaundice in Minutes

Engineers and physicians have developed a smartphone application that checks for jaundice in newborns and can deliver results to parents and pediatricians within minutes. Skin that turns yellow can be a sure sign that a newborn is jaundiced and isn't adequately eliminating the chemical bilirubin. But that discoloration is sometimes hard to see, and severe jaundice left untreated can harm a baby.To read more,click here

E-Cigarette Vapor May Be Less Toxic Than Tobacco Smoke: Study

Secondhand vapor created by one brand of electronic cigarette harbors fewer hazardous chemicals than regular cigarette smoke, although the researchers report the finding doesn't leave e-cigarettes in the clear. The study has caveats. For one, it doesn't examine which hazardous chemicals in e-cig vapor actually make it into the lungs of people nearby. And the scientists only looked at indoor smoking, which is often banned in the United States. Still, the findings indicate that "generally speaking, e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes," said study author Arian Saffari, a graduate student and fellow with the department of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Southern California. However, "we can still find some hazardous material in e-cigarette smoke," Saffari noted. "And therefore we cannot leave e-cigarettes unregulated." To read more,click here

Music Lessons May Help Bridge 'Achievement Gap'

A community music program for disadvantaged children boosted an important part of their brain development and function, according to a new study. The benefits were seen in the youngsters' ability to distinguish similar speech sounds, a process associated with language and reading skills, the researchers said. The researchers also found that it took two years of music instruction for this enhancement to occur. One year of music training wasn't enough to trigger changes in the brain, according to the study published Sept. 2 in the Journal of Neuroscience. To read more,click here

Journal Retracts Autism Study Citing 'Serious Concerns'

A new study suggesting that decade-old data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides evidence of a link between autism and vaccines has been retracted amid concerns about its validity. The paper published last month in the journal Translational Neurodegeneration concluded that African-American boys have a higher risk of autism if they receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine before age 2. The findings were based on a reanalysis of data from a 2004 CDC study. The publication was accompanied by the release of a documentary-style video featuring Andrew Wakefield - whose since-debunked 1998 study first sparked concerns about a link between vaccines and autism - which includes allegations of fraud and a widespread cover-up by government scientists. To read more,click here

'Pot Addiction' May Be Real, Study Suggests

Many people believe that marijuana is not addictive, but a new study challenges that theory. "As more people are able to obtain and consume cannabis legally for medical and, in some states, recreational use, people are less likely to perceive it as addictive or harmful," study co-author John Kelly, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Addiction Medicine, said in a hospital news release. "But research shows that cannabis use can have significant consequences, and we know that among adolescents it is second only to alcohol in rates of misuse," he added. To read more,click here

Common Anemia: Drug Represents First Potential Treatment

An experimental drug designed to help regulate the blood's iron supply shows promise as a viable first treatment for anemia of inflammation, according to results from the first human study of the treatment. Anemia is a condition that occurs when red blood cells are in short supply or do not function properly. When an individual has anemia, the body does not get enough oxygen, since there are fewer red blood cells to carry the iron-rich protein hemoglobin that helps distribute oxygen throughout the body.To read more,click here

Obesity Fueling Rise in Diabetes Rates, Study Finds

The U.S. obesity epidemic is a driving force behind the rising rates of type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. Researchers looked at data from five national surveys spanning from 1976 through 2010 to determine how much the increase in diabetes over time could be explained by factors such as changing distribution of race, age and obesity in U.S. adults. The investigators found that the prevalence of diabetes in men rose from about 5 percent to more than 11 percent. In women, it rose from under 6 percent to nearly 9 percent. When the researchers looked at factors that might contribute to rising diabetes rates, obesity stood out. Although for men, it only explained about half the increase, according to the researchers. To read more,click here

School Districts Stressed By Lack Of Trained Specialists

A shortage of school psychologists and other highly trained specialists is making state and local school districts reconsider how they fill their special education departments - and in some cases has driven administrators to new extremes when it comes to hiring staff. "Folks are paying bonuses," said John Klaber, executive director of Minnesota Administrators for Special Education. "I'm aware of districts that may even pay moving expenses. And when you think about that, wow! You usually hear about that in the private sector." To read more,click here

More Evidence Breast-Feeding Lowers Child's Risk of Infections, Allergies

Two new studies further confirm the health benefits of breast-feeding. One suggests that 6-year-olds who were breast-fed have a lower risk of ear, throat and sinus infections compared to bottle-fed infants, while the other finds a similar trend when it comes to allergies. The research upholds the "many benefits of breast-feeding in the immediate newborn period," said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. She was not involved in the new studies. To read more,click here

Family Meals May Defuse Cyberbullying's Impact, Study Says

Having regular family meals may help protect teens from the harmful mental health effects of "cyberbullying," a new study suggests. Online abuse can lead to depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, according to experts. "One in five adolescents experience cyberbullying," Frank Elgar, a professor at the Institute for Health and Social Policy at McGill University in Montreal, said in a university news release. "Many adolescents use social media, and online harassment and abuse are difficult for parents and educators to monitor, so it is critical to identify protective factors for youths who are exposed to cyberbullying," said Elgar, who is also a researcher at the Douglas Mental Health Institute. To read more,click here

Preterm or Small Birth Tied to Long-Term Risks to Heart, Brain

Babies born early or at low birth weight are at risk later in life of having smaller, less efficient brains or health problems that increase their risk for heart disease, according to a pair of new studies. But even though these children face potential lifetime disadvantages, researchers in both studies -- published online Sept. 1 in Pediatrics -- found that these obstacles can be overcome. Education appeared to negate the potential harmful effects of small birth size on a person's brain performance, while high blood pressure and high cholesterol can be modified through diet and exercise, the researchers said. To read more,click here

Study: Follow-Up Critical After Developmental Screenings

Kids with developmental delay are far more likely to receive the early intervention services they need if pediatricians follow up after conducting routine screenings, researchers say. In a study of clinic patients at a large children's hospital in Colorado, researchers found that simply performing regular developmental screenings was often not enough to ensure kids got help. Even after implementing standardized screening procedures for doctors, just 20 percent of the children flagged as having possible delays were referred to community resources including early intervention. To read more,click here

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Scientists Find Differences in Brains of Those With Dyslexia

Researchers have discovered that people with dyslexia have disrupted network connections in their brains. Dyslexia -- the most commonly diagnosed learning disorder in the United States -- causes problems with reading and writing. Previous research showed that brain activity is disrupted in people with dyslexia, but most of those studies focused only on a small number of brain regions. This new study used functional MRI to analyze how multiple brain regions use networks to communicate with each other, something called functional connectivity. To read more,click here