Language News and Research

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Language skills are essential to a child’s ability to communicate and develop. These skills enable children to engage with other people and learn from their surroundings and in the classroom.

Autism Speaks announces 10 new research grants

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization, today announced the awarding of 10 new research grants totaling $1,782,934 in funding over the next three years. The selected studies will evaluate the effectiveness of a broad array of promising behavioral and medical treatments for core symptoms and associated medical issues in children, adolescents, and adults with autism spectrum disorders.

13 Oct 2011

Folic acid in early pregnancy leads to an early talking toddler: Study

According to a new Norwegian study, women who took folic acid supplements in the first two months of pregnancy were less likely to have kids with severe language delays.

12 Oct 2011

ASHG to honor U of U geneticist with William Allan Award

As a teenager just moved to Iowa from war-ravaged Germany in 1951, John M. Opitz, M.D., wanted to study developmental biology, but his "very Prussian" mother insisted he go to medical school instead.

12 Oct 2011

NHC applauds IOM for recommendations on how to develop EHB package

The National Health Council (NHC) applauded the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for its thoughtful recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on how to develop an essential health benefits (EHB) package.

7 Oct 2011

Anesthesia in very small kids may raise risk of learning disabilities

According to the latest research very young children exposed to general anesthesia during surgical procedures may be at an increased risk for learning problems.

4 Oct 2011

Roundup: Blue Shield of Calif. drops coverage of controversial drug in breast cancer treatment; Perry presses stem cell therapy

Blue Shield of California will no longer pay for the use of the drug Avastin to treat breast cancer, a sign that support for the widely debated and expensive treatment may be eroding among health plans.

4 Oct 2011

General anesthesia linked to learning disabilities in children

Every year millions of babies and toddlers receive general anesthesia for procedures ranging from hernia repair to ear surgery. Now, researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester have found a link among children undergoing multiple surgeries requiring general anesthesia before age 2 and learning disabilities later in childhood.

3 Oct 2011

State highlights: Many states moving workers' children to CHIP plans

After a nine-year court battle, a landmark class-action settlement was preliminarily approved this week that would require the state to provide more effective mental health services for the children in or about to enter foster care. Its reach is expected to be significant. California has 61,000 children in the foster care system, and it runs the nation's largest child welfare system at a cost of about $4.7 billion per year.

1 Oct 2011

Literacy Bridge launches program to improve health of women, at-risk children across rural Ghana

Literacy Bridge is responding to the need for a comprehensive solution in global health and hunger by kicking off its Health & Agriculture Communication for Women & Children Program, which is designed to improve the health of 24,000 women and at-risk children in 75 low-literate communities across rural Ghana.

1 Oct 2011

UCLA scientists create mouse model for autism

UCLA scientists have created a mouse model for autism that opens a window into the biological mechanisms that underlie the disease and offers a promising way to test new treatment approaches.

30 Sep 2011

MU researchers examine use of propranolol to improve primary traits linked with autism

Most drug therapy interventions for people with autism have targeted psychiatric problems, including aggression, anxiety and obsessive behavior. Now, University of Missouri researchers are examining the use of propranolol to improve the primary traits associated with autism - difficulty with normal social skills, language and repetitive behaviors.

30 Sep 2011

GSA, NAM select 16 reporters for MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and New America Media (NAM) have selected 16 reporters for the MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program, now in its second year.

30 Sep 2011

Clinithink, Acusis to improve clinical documentation in ambulatory and acute care settings

Acusis, LLC and Clinithink Ltd. have agreed to collaborate with the initial goal of enhancing the clinical documentation process in ambulatory and acute care settings through the integration of Clinithink's new and transformative technology into the market-leading Acusis solution: AcuSuite.

29 Sep 2011

Intensive therapy at early ages improves social-communication skills in children with ASD

A primary characteristic of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is impairments in social-communication skills. Children and adolescents with social-communication problems face difficulty understanding, interacting and relating with others. University of Missouri researchers found that children who receive more intensive therapy to combat these impairments, especially at early ages, achieve the best outcomes.

29 Sep 2011

US researchers receive NIH grants to develop innovative neuroscience education programs

Eight investigators across the United States will receive funding over the next five years to develop innovative neuroscience education programs for K-12 students and their teachers. Activities described within some proposals include using touch tablet technology to teach neurobiology, and the creation of a 1,400-square-foot interactive learning center.

28 Sep 2011

Peru hopes to continue fight against child malnutrition under new government

Despite a seven percent annual growth rate over the past five years and a prediction from former President Alan Garcia that Peru will meet the millennium development goals (MDGs), "chronic infant malnutrition has been difficult to stamp out, particularly in rural areas," the Guardian's "Poverty Matters Blog" reports.

28 Sep 2011

Parents of babies born with genital ambiguity experience shock, anxiety

Parents of babies born without clearly defined male or female genitals experience a roller-coaster of emotions, including shock, anxiety and the need to protect their child, according to a study in the October issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

28 Sep 2011

New report explores early centre-based childcare

What type of childcare arrangements do parents choose before their children are 18 months old? Does the choice of childcare affect children's language skills and mental health at the age of five? These are some of the questions that are explored in a new report prepared by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health as part of a collaborative project with the Ministry of Education and Research. The report indicates that there is no evidence that early centre-based childcare is harmful for most children.

28 Sep 2011

Double balloon enteroscopy safe and effective for detection of small intestine diseases

A large-scale data review by researchers in China of double balloon enteroscopy (DBE) over the last decade showed the endoscopic procedure to be safe and effective for detection of diseases of the small intestine.

27 Sep 2011

Subtle and unspoken clues exchanged by patients, doctors exert an influence on medical care

Subtle and unspoken clues exchanged by patients and doctors exert an influence on medical care, according to a new study by the University of Michigan Health System. Researchers analyzed video recordings of routine checkups and conducted follow-up interviews with participants to help elucidate signals sent and received on both sides of the examination table.

27 Sep 2011

Language News and Research

Further Reading

Autism Speaks announces 10 new research grants

Folic acid in early pregnancy leads to an early talking toddler: Study

ASHG to honor U of U geneticist with William Allan Award

NHC applauds IOM for recommendations on how to develop EHB package

Anesthesia in very small kids may raise risk of learning disabilities

Roundup: Blue Shield of Calif. drops coverage of controversial drug in breast cancer treatment; Perry presses stem cell therapy

General anesthesia linked to learning disabilities in children

State highlights: Many states moving workers' children to CHIP plans

Literacy Bridge launches program to improve health of women, at-risk children across rural Ghana

UCLA scientists create mouse model for autism

MU researchers examine use of propranolol to improve primary traits linked with autism

GSA, NAM select 16 reporters for MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows Program

Clinithink, Acusis to improve clinical documentation in ambulatory and acute care settings

Intensive therapy at early ages improves social-communication skills in children with ASD

US researchers receive NIH grants to develop innovative neuroscience education programs

Peru hopes to continue fight against child malnutrition under new government

Parents of babies born with genital ambiguity experience shock, anxiety

New report explores early centre-based childcare

Double balloon enteroscopy safe and effective for detection of small intestine diseases

Subtle and unspoken clues exchanged by patients, doctors exert an influence on medical care

Event guide: 4th Extra-Hepatic Lipid-Based Nanoparticles Delivery Summit eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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