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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Newark Valley, NY, March 31, 2014 -Many of us know someone whose family is dealing with autism; once considered rare, now a new CDC study shows that 1 in 68 children in this country are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). While the numbers essentially equate to a child on every school bus, it’s even more shocking to know that up to 50 percent of the children diagnosed with autism are suffering from absent or silent seizures.
Silently Seizing: Common, Unrecognized and Frequently Missed Seizures and Their Potentially Damaging Impact on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders (AAPC Publishing) by Caren Haines, RN, and valuable input by Nancy Minshew, MD, deals with the overwhelming challenge for those living with silent seizures. Many are confronted by anger and falsely accused of disorderly conduct, indecent exposure and drug abuse; while some are even unfairly arrested because the bizarre actions exhibited during a seizure have led to frequent misdiagnosis, medical mismanagement and, in the worst case, commitment to a mental institution.
“Because silent seizures are difficult to diagnose, or due to a lack of awareness and understanding,” says Haines, “as many as 50% of all children and young adults with ASD may have undiagnosed seizure disorders. Silently Seizing is a breakthrough book that explores what most doctors won’t tell you – that often the symptoms of autism are caused by seizures, undetectable with standard diagnostic tools.”
Haines says, “Intersecting at two medical subspecialties, neurology and psychiatry, the child who has autism and partial seizures is at a serious disadvantage. By inadvertently allowing children’s brains to “silently seize,” we are robbing them of their ability to function normally. Untreated, these seizures can predispose children to develop behavioral disturbances, such as self-injury, aggression and psychosis, which are seen in many cases of autism. If they are treated early with anti-seizure medications, many children show amazing gains in expressive language and comprehension. More importantly, many children lose their diagnosis of autism.”
Backed by up-to-the-minute research, Silently Seizing is a must-read book that includes sections describing autism, the seizure-autism connection, tips for diagnosing and treating seizures, as well as how to better understand children’s behavior. It acts as a virtual guide to help parents navigate through this complex and mystifying disease. About the Author
Caren Haines is a registered nurse with extensive medical experience and has done exhaustive research for Silently Seizing with the help of parents, colleagues and medical experts. Haines has already helped families coping with this strife to become free from the debilitating episodes of seizure and psychosis. She currently presents at national conferences with Tricia Polchowski, MS, BCBA and brings light to this never before recognized condition.Haines is also co-author of Georgia, The Flying Dog, a children’s book that explores the concept of unconditional love and acceptance of our differences. For more information, please visit silentlyseizing.com. ###
Silently Seizing: Common, Unrecognized and Frequently Missed Seizures and Their Potentially Damaging Impact on Individuals with Autism Spectrum DisordersBy Caren Haines, RNAAPC PublishingISBN-10: 1937473082ISBN-13: 978-1937473082Page: 148 pages
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