Study Reinforces Link Between Low Birth Weight, Diabetes Risk

A new study that confirms that underweight babies are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes later in life also identifies factors associated with that increased risk. The findings may help pinpoint which physical processes are disrupted by a low birth weight, eventually resulting in diabetes, the Brown University researchers said. The study authors looked at more than 1,200 women with type 2 diabetes and nearly 1,800 without the disease. Those who had been born with a low birth weight -- less than 6 pounds -- were 1.27 times more likely to have diabetes than those with a birth weight of 6 to 8 pounds, and 2.15 times more likely to have diabetes than those with a birth weight of 8 to 10 pounds. To read more,click here

Can Pets Help Boost Social Skills for Kids With Autism?

Owning a pet may play a role in social skills development for some children with autism, a new study suggests. The findings are among the first to investigate possible links between pets and social skills in kids with an autism spectrum disorder -- a group of developmental disorders that affect a child's ability to communicate and socialize. "Research in the area of pets for children with autism is very new and limited. But it may be that the animals helped to act as a type of communication bridge, giving children with autism something to talk about with others," said study author Gretchen Carlisle, a researcher at the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine and Thompson Center for Autism & Neurodevelopmental Disorders. "We know this happens with adults and typically developing children." To read more,click here

Middle School Football Doesn't Seem to Cause Short-Term Brain Damage: Study

Children who play football in middle school don't appear to have any noticeable short-term brain damage from repeated hits to the head, new research suggests. However, one doctor with expertise in pediatric brain injuries expressed some concerns about the study, saying its small size made it hard to draw definitive conclusions. The study included 22 children, ages 11 to 13, who played a season of football. The season comprised 27 practices and nine games. During that time, more than 6,000 "head impacts" were recorded. They were similar in force and location to those experienced by high school and college players, but happened less often, the researchers found. To read more,click here

Indoor Wood-Burning Can Affect Air Quality

Although many people enjoy gathering around a fire during cold winter months, fires that aren't built properly can affect air quality and people's health, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Smoke coming out of the chimney is one sign that a fire isn't burning efficiently. Smoke from wood contains fine particles, known as fine particle pollution. These particles can injure the lungs, blood vessels and the heart. Children, older people and those with heart and lung disease are at greatest risk from fine particle pollution, according to the EPA. To read more,click here

Special Education Law Symposium

The 40th Anniversary of the IDEA: The Past is Prologue

REGISTER NOW: June 21 - June 26, 2015

Lehigh University's intensive one-week institute provides a practical analysis of legislation, regulations, and case law relating to the education of students with disabilities.The symposium is designed for special education coordinators and teachers, principals, psychologists, parent advocates, attorneys (on both sides), hearing officers, state officials, and other individuals interested in legal literacy concerning the education of students with disabilities.

The program offers two parallel tracks, one for basic that offers in-depth foundation knowledge about the IDEA and Section 504: Eligibility, FAPE, LRE, Student Discipline, and Remedies. The other track is for advanced participants, offering brand new "hot topics": Settlement Process, Exiting Special Education, "Meaningful" Parental Participation, Inadequate IEP Implementation as a FAPE Denial, Transition Services, Noncustodial Parent Issues, and State Complaint Resolution Process.

The experienced program faculty features attorneys Laura Anthony (Ohio), Edward Bauer (Florida), Maria Blaeuer (Washington, DC), Esther Canty-Barnes (New Jersey), Andrew Cuddy (New York), Laura Gillis (Massachusetts), Zvi Greisman (Maryland), Dana Jonson (Connecticut), Michael Joyce (Massachusetts), Isabel Machado New Jersey), Deborah Mattison (Alabama), Kevin McDowell (Indiana), Michael Stafford (Delaware), and-from Pennsylvania--Andrew Faust, Joshua Kershenbaum, Dennis McAndrews, Gabrielle Sereni, and Dr. Perry Zirkel.

The symposium begins on Sunday evening with a dinner and keynote lecture by Dr. Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education.

The workshop is offered for graduate and continuing education credit. Weekly and daily options are available.  Full information is now available on our website:coe.lehigh.edu/law.  For any questions, email or call Shannon Weber or Donna Johnson atspecialedlaw@lehigh.eduor (610) 758-5557.

Study Suggests Link Between E-Cigarettes, Respiratory Infections

Vapor from electronic cigarettes may increase young people's risk of respiratory infections, whether or not it contains nicotine, a new laboratory study has found. Lung tissue samples from deceased children appeared to suffer damage when exposed to e-cigarette vapor in the laboratory, researchers reported in a recent issue of the journal PLOS One. The vapor triggered a strong immune response in epithelial cells, which are cells that line the inside of the lung and protect the organ from harm, said lead author Dr. Qun Wu, a lung disease researcher at National Jewish Health in Denver. To read more,click here

CDC Stepping Up Autism Monitoring Efforts

As federal officials launch a new round of autism surveillance, they're looking at more than prevalence alone, with plans to track diagnostic changes, younger kids and other disabilities. Researchers at 10 sites across the country will comb data from 2014 to determine up-to-date autism rates in their communities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this month. The effort is the latest in the agency's routine monitoring. Every two years, the CDC works with researchers at sites across the country to examine autism incidence in a variety of American communities. The most recent data from the agency's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network - collected in 2010 - suggests that autism affects 1 in 68 children. To read more,click here

Synthetic Oil May Help Patients With Huntington's Disease

Consuming a synthetic oil may help normalize brain metabolism of people with the incurable, inherited brain disorder known as Huntington's disease, a small new study suggests. Daily doses of a triglyceride oil called triheptanoin -- which 10 Huntington's patients took with meals -- appeared to boost the brain's ability to use energy, researchers said. The scientists also noted improvements in movement and motor skills after one month of therapy. Huntington's is a fatal disease causing the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Both the study's author and an outside expert cautioned that the new findings are preliminary and need to be validated in larger studies. To read more,click here

Report: People With Disabilities Paid A Third Less

Workers with disabilities earn 37 percent less than their typically-developing peers, on average, even in cases where they have similar levels of education, a new analysis finds. In 2011, people with disabilities took in 63 cents for every dollar paid to workers without disabilities. For those with a high school diploma, the wage gap amounted to $6,500 per year. The disparity rose to nearly $13,000 for those with a bachelor's degree and over $20,000 for individuals with master's or other more advanced degrees. To read more,click here

Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Risk of Preterm Birth in Study

Women who have low blood levels of vitamin D during pregnancy are more likely to give birth prematurely, a new study suggests. Women with the lowest levels of vitamin D were about 1.5 times as likely to deliver early compared to those with the highest levels, the investigators found. That finding held true even after the researchers accounted for other factors linked to preterm birth, such as overweight and obesity, and smoking. "Mothers who were deficient in vitamin D in early parts of pregnancy were more likely to deliver early, preterm, than women who did not have vitamin D deficiency," said Lisa Bodnar, associate professor of epidemiology and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pittsburgh, who led the study. To read more,click here

All in a Good Night's Sleep: How Quality of Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children

A good night's sleep is linked to better performance by schoolchildren in math and languages -- subjects that are powerful predictors of later learning and academic success, according to a study. The researchers reported that "sleep efficiency" is associated with higher academic performance in those key subjects. Sleep efficiency is a gauge of sleep quality that compares the amount of actual sleep time with the total time spent in bed.To read more,click here

Sleeping on Back in Pregnancy Tied to Stillbirth Risk in Study

Women who sleep on their backs in the later months of pregnancy may have a relatively higher risk of stillbirth if they already have other risk factors, a new study suggests. Experts stressed that the findings do not prove that sleep position itself affects stillbirth risk. "We should be cautious in interpreting the results," said Dr. George Saade, director of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. "We can't conclude that sleeping on the back causes stillbirth, or that sleeping on your side will prevent it," said Saade, who was not involved in the study. To read more,click here

Study: HPV Vaccine Doesn't Increase Risk for Multiple Sclerosis

The HPV vaccine for cervical cancer and other diseases doesn't increase the risk for multiple sclerosis or other central nervous system disorders, according to a new study. More than 175 million doses of HPV vaccines have been distributed worldwide to girls and young women -- and more recently males -- since 2006. Unconfirmed reports in social and news media suggested the possibility of some safety concerns about the vaccine, including increased risk for multiple sclerosis and similar diseases, according to background information with the study. To read more,click here

Bullies and Their Victims May Be at Higher Risk of Suicide

A new analysis of research from around the world suggests that kids involved in bullying are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and actions. Kids who bullied others and were victims themselves were the most troubled of all, the report found. "Our study highlights the significant impact bullying involvement can have on mental health for some youth," said study lead author Melissa Holt, an assistant professor of counseling psychology at Boston University. Researchers already know that there's a connection between bullying -- being a victim, a bully, or both at different times -- and suicidal thoughts, said Robert Faris, an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Davis, who studies bullying. It's also clear that the link is stronger for the victims of bullying, he said. To read more,click here

Extra Bed Rest May Not Be Best for Kids With Concussions

For teens who suffer a mild concussion, more rest may not be better -- and may be worse -- in aiding recovery from the brain injury, new research suggests. The researchers compared five days of strict rest to the traditionally recommended day or two of rest, followed by a gradual return to normal activities as symptoms disappear. The Medical College of Wisconsin researchers found no significant difference in balance or mental functioning between teens who rested five days and those who rested one to two days. To read more,click here

Long-Term Study Finds Measles Vaccines Safe

Two measles-containing vaccines are safe, according to a new 12-year study. The research included children between the ages of 12 to 23 months. Some youngsters received the combination measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine. Others were given separately administered measles-mumps-rubella and varicella (MMR + V) vaccines, but they received both vaccines on the same day. In total, the researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Vaccine Study Center in California looked at almost 125,000 MMRV doses and nearly 600,000 MMR + V doses. To read more,click here

Students Design Calming Chairs For Those On The Spectrum

Stuart Jackson was on a mission. For years, the Overland Park, Kan. father had searched for a way to help his son find relief from the stress and anxiety often experienced by children with autism. Like many of those children, Joshua could be soothed through deep touch pressure - the kind of feeling one might get by being tightly hugged or squeezed. Jackson came across a few potential solutions on the market, but they tended to be clunky, noisy or ineffective. And way too expensive. So he took it to CAPS - the Center for Advanced Professional Studies in the Blue Valley School District. To read more,click here

Type 1 Diabetes Linked to Lower Life Expectancy in Study

People with type 1 diabetes today lose more than a decade of life to the chronic disease, despite improved treatment of both diabetes and its complications, a new Scottish study reports. Men with type 1 diabetes lose about 11 years of life expectancy compared to men without the disease. And, women with type 1 diabetes have their lives cut short by about 13 years, according to a report published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. To read more,click here

Brain Damage Rare When Newborn Jaundice Is Treated, Study Finds

Newborns with significant jaundice are not likely to develop a rare and life-threatening type of cerebral palsy if American Academy of Pediatrics' treatment guidelines are followed, according to a new study. Jaundice is yellowing of the eyes and skin due to high levels of the liver-produced pigment bilirubin. In most cases, jaundice develops among newborns because their liver is too immature to break down the pigment quickly enough. Usually, this condition resolves without treatment. Some babies, however, must receive phototherapy. Exposure to special lights changes bilirubin into a compound that can be excreted from the body, according to the researchers. To read more,click here