Latest disorder Stories

Siblings of children with autism have more frequent language delays and other subtle characteristics of the disorder than previously understood. Girls also may be mildly affected more often than recognized in the past.A new study, led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, found mild traits, not strong enough to provoke a diagnosis of autism, seem to be present in the siblings of affected children at significantly higher rates than seen in the general...

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Eating Disorder Hope, a respected independent resource for individuals suffering from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and other body image and eating disorders, is poised for growth following a significant sponsorship commitment by Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center. "Timberline Knolls' generous sponsorship will help us in our mission of promoting awareness, prevention and treatment in order to better educate sufferers, their loved ones...

Choice of career is a major risk factor for persistent neurodermatitisA child who can't stop scratching himself may well be suffering from atopic dermatitis, also known as neurodermatitis. Extreme irritability of the skin with a concomitant urge to scratch is typical of the disorder. The condition often appears during the first year of life and is on the increase in industrialized countries. The patient's skin becomes hypersensitive and reacts strongly to even mild irritation. A research team...

Research findings show subtle differences that parents and professionals may easily overlookKennedy Krieger Institute announced today new study results showing an early marker for later communication and social delays in infants at a higher-risk for autism may be infrequent gazing at other people when unprompted. Published in the September issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the study also found that six-month-old high-risk infants demonstrated the same level of cause and...

Johns Hopkins researchers offer simple list of signs for early detectionJohns Hopkins researchers have compiled what they believe are reliable lists of tell-tale physical signs to help doctors recognize children with Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndromes. Timely and early diagnosis of both genetic disorders can mean the difference between life and death, but some of the most common physical features are also found in people with neither of the syndromes, which can cause confusion.Published as two...

A genetics research team based at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia continues to discover recurrent translocations"”places in which two chromosomes exchange pieces of themselves. As many as 1 in 600 persons carry balanced chromosome translocations, which involve no loss or gain of DNA. Most such people appear healthy, but may have a child with abnormal chromosome composition and disabilities resulting from disrupted, extra or missing copies of genes.While rare, such diseases originate...

PHILADELPHIA, July 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --A genetics research team based at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia continues to discover recurrent translocations--places in which two chromosomes exchange pieces of themselves. As many as 1 in 600 persons carry balanced chromosome translocations, which involve no loss or gain of DNA. Most such people appear healthy, but may have a child with abnormal chromosome composition and disabilities resulting from disrupted, extra or missing...

Findings may lead to new drug targetsA subtle mutation affecting the epigenome "“ a set of dynamic factors that influence gene activity -- may lead to an inherited form of mental retardation that affects boys, find researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. The disorder, which also involves cleft lip or cleft palate, appears to hinge on an enzyme working in a biological pathway that may offer several potential drug targets.The study, published online July 11 in the journal Nature, reveals...

An expensive treatment recommended for a genetic disorder called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency has no proven clinical benefit, according to a systematic review by Cochrane Researchers. The disorder causes chronic lung disease and the review concludes that considering the lack of evidence for its benefits, and possible adverse effects, the treatment should not be recommended.Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency affects less than one in 1,600 people. Those who inherit the disorder have low levels of...

It's seen as a sign of getting old, but scientists have discovered that arthritis is not just a human problem as a study lasting 50 years reveals how moose suffer from an identical form of the condition. The research, published in Ecology Letters, also casts new light on how malnutrition early in life can lead to the disorder in both moose and humans.The study, which began in 1958, was carried out on Isle Royale, a wilderness island National Park in lake superior, with only one large...