Baby Communication Gives Clues to Autism

...Approximately 19 percent of children with a sibling diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will develop Autism due to shared genetic and environmental vulnerabilities, according to previous studies. For that reason, University of Miami (UM) psychologists are developing ways to predict the occurrence of ASD in high-risk children, early in life, in hopes that early intervention will lead to better outcomes in the future. Their findings are published in the journal Infancy....

Dance Dance Revolution Makes a Difference in Kids' Physical Activity Levels

...A study published in Pediatrics October 1 by researchers at the University of Montreal offers positive news for Wii-loving teenagers and their parents: games such as Wii Sports and Dance Dance Revolution can bring them closer to recommended physical activity levels. The study is the first of its kind. "Teenage exergamers -- people who play video games, that require physical activity -- are most likely females who are stressed about their weight. On average, they play two 50 minute sessions per week," said study author Jennifer O'Loughlin of the university's Department of Social and Preventative Medicine....

Second Annual American Conference on Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment

Second Annual American Conference on 

Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment 

Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Omaha, NE

 April 12-13, 2013

Expert panelists include:

Linda Baker Nobles, MS, OTR; Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Alan Lantzy, MD; Vice Chairperson, Department of Pediatrics, Neonatologist, Western Pennsylvania Hospital and Forbes Regional Hospital, Pittsburgh

Dominick Maino, OD, MEd, FAAO, FCOVD-A; Professor of Pediatrics/Binocular Vision, Illinois Eye
Institute/Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago; Lyons Family Eye Care (Private Practice)

Christine Roman Lantzy, Ph.D.; Director, Pediatric View Program, The Western Pennsylvania Hospital CVI Consultant, The American Printing House for the Blind

The Free Radical Theory of Aging and Antioxidant Supplements A Systematic Review

Free radical excess occurs when cells are exposed to reactive oxygen species greater than the amount that can be neutralized by cellular produced antioxidants ..... Antioxidant supplements decrease cellular damage from excess reactive oxygen species but they have not been proven to prolong life span.  ....

30 Seconds with StereoSue!

30 Seconds with my friend and colleague...Dr. Susan "StereoSue" Barry..

On World Sight Day, Optometrist Emphasizes Importance of Having Children's Eyes Examined World Sight Day aims to educate people worldwide about importance of vision screenings

On World Sight Day, Optometrist Emphasizes Importance of Having Children's Eyes Examined World Sight Day aims to educate people worldwide about importance of vision screenings 

....Thursday, October 11 is World Sight Day and a young optometrist on the north-side of Chicago is encouraging parents to make sure their children have been properly examined, so they don't suffer the consequences of vision issues when they get to school.

"Children's eye exams are critical," said Dr. Stephanie Lyons, who opened Lyons Family Eye Care two years ago for both children and adults. "Vision problems don't always manifest as squinting. Kids with vision issues may act out or avoid reading. The implication is that these kids may have behavioral issues and may have a hard time keeping up in school." A few months ago, Dr. Lyons added the latest cutting edge technology, Spot vision screener, to her practice to help quickly and efficiently identify vision issues in her patients.

"Right now, we are using Spot to screen everyone under 18 years of age," said Dr. Lyons, who received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and her doctorate from the Illinois College of Optometry....

Comments: Dr. Lyons is a former student of mine from the Illinois Eye Institute/Illinois College of Optometry and now (I'm proud to say) we are colleagues. Since I am also seeing patients at LFEC on Wednesdays....my former student is now my boss!I figure I must have done something right!

LFEC is a high tech/high touch office that I love to work in seeing incredibly interesting patients (those with binocular vision problems, developmental and acquired disability) and doing optometric vision therapy several times a week. For more info on LFEC click here. For more info on the high tech/high touch office click Chicago Practice Puts the Eye in iPad . LFEC was recently interviewed for a Wild Chicago segment....stay tuned! BTW the folks who make the Spot Vision Screener and I often "have words" when it comes to the value of vision screening (not so good). I must say that after using the Spot with many of my more challenging patients, it appears to be an excellent device! DM
 

A systematic review on 'Foveal Crowding' in visually impaired children and perceptual learning as a method to reduce Crowding.

.....Perceptual Learning seems to be a promising technique to reduce excessive foveal crowding effects .....

Coffee can beat pain due to long hours at work

Coffee can beat pain

Researchers have already found evidence that the drink — or the beans it’s brewed from — can help with weight loss, reduce one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, boost muscle growth, protect against certain types of cancers and can even reduce one’s risk of premature death, among many other benefits. .... Now comes word that a cuppa jo reduces physical pain.....

Questions for your Optometrist

Why is it important for a child to get their eyes examined before they start school?

If a child’s family wears glasses, are they more likely to need glasses?

Why does my child need an eye exam yearly?  Why can’t I just bring her in if she is having trouble seeing?

Is there anything I can do to prepare my child for her eye exam?

How do I choose an eye doctor for my child for their first examination?

 Comments: These questions were recently asked of my friend and colleague, Dr. Patrick Quaid on the Blog Callista's Ramblings. Dr. Quaid is a Canadian optometrist and Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development who has lectured and written extensively on several topics including why 20/20 vision is not good enough. Want the answers to these questions? Click on Calista's Ramblings. DM

 

 

 

 

Subjective visual vertical perception and sense of smell in Parkinson disease

...This article describes an open cross-sectional observational study involving 47 participants with Parkinson disease (PD) and 47 (age- and sex-matched) nondisabled controls without PD. The aim was to determine the profiles of subjective visual vertical (SVV) perception and sense of smell perception in both groups.....

Who's watching? 3D TV no hit with viewers

....Phil Orlins knows everything about producing TV in three dimensions. The ESPN producer has captured the undulating greens of Augusta National and the flying motor bikes of the X-Games for ESPN's 3D channel. But he can only guess how well his shows resonate with viewers. That's because 3D audiences are so small they can't be measured by Nielsen's rating system. ....

Comments: I am quoted in this article, but you have to read all the way to the bottom to see it! The bottom line is....if you can see 3D go see an optometrist who can help. These can be found at the American Optometric Association and College of Optometrists in Vision Development websites. For additional stories on this topic click here. DM