New CDC Report On Autism: Prevalence of Autism Much Higher Than Previously Thought

CDC estimates 1 in 88 children in United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder

CDC data help communities better serve these children

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new study released today that looked at 2008 data from 14 communities.  Autism spectrum disorders are almost five times more common among boys than girls – with 1 in 54 boys identified.

The number of children identified with ASDs ranged from 1 in 210 children in Alabama to 1 in 47 children in Utah.  The largest increases were among Hispanic and black children.

The report, Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 14 Sites, United States, 2008, provides autism prevalence estimates from 14 areas. It was published today in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

“This information paints a picture of the magnitude of the condition across our country and helps us understand how communities identify children with autism,” said Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  “That is why HHS and our entire administration has been working hard to improve the lives of people living with autism spectrum disorders and their families by improving research, support, and services.”

“One thing the data tells us with certainty – there are many children and families who need help,” saidCDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “We must continue to track autism spectrum disorders because this is the information communities need to guide improvements in services to help children.”

The results of CDC’s study highlight the importance of the Obama administration’s efforts to address the needs of people with ASDs, including the work of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The IACC’s charge is to facilitate ASD research, screening, intervention, and education.  As part of this effort, the National Institutes of Health has invested in research to identify possible risk factors and effective therapies for people with ASDs.

Study results from the 2008 surveillance year show 11.3 per 1,000 8-year-old children have been identified as having an ASD.  This marks a 23 percent increase since the last report in 2009.  Some of this increase is due to the way children are identified, diagnosed and served in their communities, although exactly how much is due to these factors is unknown.  “To understand more, we need to keep accelerating our research into risk factors and causes of autism spectrum disorders,” said Coleen Boyle, Ph.D., M.S.Hyg., director of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. 

The study also shows more children are being diagnosed by age 3, an increase from 12 percent for children born in 1994 to 18 percent for children born in 2000. “Unfortunately, 40 percent of the children in this study aren’t getting a diagnosis until after age 4. We are working hard to change that,” said Boyle.

The most important thing for parents to do is to act quickly whenever there is a concern about a child’s development. 

•           Talk to your child’s doctor about your concerns.

•           Call your local early intervention program or school system for an assessment. 

•           Remember you do not need a diagnosis to access services for your child.

To learn more about this study, visit www.cdc.gov/autism.

For information on CDC’s tools to help families track their child’s development, visit www.cdc.gov/actearly

To learn more about the research CDC is doing on autism, visitwww.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/research.html. 

To learn more about the Administration’s commitment to combating autism, visit        http://www.hhs.gov/autism/factsheet_autism_support.html.

For a copy of the report on the study and the HHS fact sheet, call 716-204-8881.

Wound/Hyperbaric Medicine Expert Joins ECMC Wound Center

Wound/Hyperbaric Medicine Expert Dr. Matthew D. Antalek joins panel of Physician Specialists with ECMC Wound Center

BUFFALO, NEW YORK; March 28, 2012–At just beyond the one year mark of the anniversary of the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at ECMC, the service is now identified as a Center of Excellence with the well known/respected infectious disease specialist Matthew David Antalek, D.O., becoming a leading member of the clinical team. 

Dr. Antalek previously served as Assistant Professor and Director of graduate studies in the Physician Assistant Department at D’Youville College and Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine within the Division of Infectious Diseases in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for the University at Buffalo. 

Dr. Antalek was formerly the Chief Medical Officer and Director of Medicine at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and previously served as Medical Director of Evergreen Health Services and Site Director of Infectious Diseases at Millard Fillmore Suburban.  He is currently an Infectious Diseases Consultant in private practice. 

Dr. Antalek earned a Doctorate of Osteopathy from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Old Westbury, New York.  He performed his: Fellowship in Infectious Diseases through the State University of New York at Buffalo; Internship at the Community Hospital of Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Residency in Internal Medicine for the Millard Fillmore Hospitals, Buffalo, New York.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in General Biology from the State University of New York at Albany.  Specializing in epidemiology, internal medicine and infectious diseases, Dr. Antalek is the recipient of numerous commendations and awards for teaching excellence in medical subjects. 

“With Dr. Antalek’s arrival, we are now able to provide a patient with every aspect of wound care.  ECMC’s wound care team includes the best specialists in vascular, surgical, podiatric medicine, and now infectious disease,” explained Elizabeth Engler, Program Director, Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at ECMC.  “As a comprehensive Center of Excellence, ECMC’s wound care service model is truly patient-centered with convenient patient accessibility and excellent care management enabling the best outcomes possible.  We anticipate that this service structure will result in increased, responsive patient referrals so wounds can be healed before more serious complications arise.”    

Dedicated in February of 2011, ECMC formally opened the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center to speed healing for trauma, surgical, diabetes and other patients with slow-healing wounds in a unique facility for Western New York.  The ECMC Wound Center, built in response to closure and consolidation of facilities at Millard Fillmore Gates Circle and ECMC, is a new, state-of-the-art center, currently with two hyperbaric chambers, expandable to house additional chambers as patient volume increases.  The Center helps wound patients before ulcers and injuries lead to amputations.  The hyperbaric chambers each hold a reclined patient who communicates by phone with a technician.  Patients can watch television and DVDs through an acrylic dome or listen to piped-in music.  A surgeon specially trained in hyperbaric healing is available for the start and end of each treatment, as well as to treat the wounds themselves. 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy involves putting a patient in a pressurized chamber daily with 100 percent oxygen for a length of time over weeks, depending on the wound.  The effect of the pressure two levels below sea level is to open blood vessels, improve circulation and deliver enriched oxygenated blood to wound sites, enhancing and speeding healing.  The feeling is like an airplane descending to land.  If diabetics and trauma patients with wounds can heal faster and more effectively, short- and long-term treatment costs are less, further complications are limited or avoided, and patients can live healthier lives.  

Nearly 24 million people, 8 percent of the American population, have diabetes and 15 percent of those with the disease will develop chronic wounds. 

More information about the Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at ECMC is available at 716-898-4800 and www.ecmc.edu/medicalservices/wound

UBMD Opens Addiction Medicine Practice

March 28, 2012. Amherst, New York. The multi-specialty physician group, UBMD’s Department of Family Medicine has opened an addiction medicine practice off Sweet Home Road in Amherst. The practice includes six physicians, two nurse practitioners, a certified alcohol and substance abuse counselor and a medical assistant with plans and room to grow. With close to 2,800 square feet of space, the practice includes seven exam rooms, conference and group therapy room and an office for a psychiatric nurse practitioner or licensed clinical social worker.

“The alcohol and drug abuse problem in our community continues but it also changes. We see a dramatic increase in prescription drug abuse, especially painkillers and benzodiazepines and a younger age of first use of any substance. Our approach is a medical approach to addiction supported with behavioral therapy provided at the same office. Addiction medicine, in concert with therapy, increases recovery outcomes,” stated Dr. Richard Blondell, a board certified addiction medicine physician with the group.

To validate the need and potential of such a practice, the Department of Family Medicine contracted with Thomas P. McNulty, president of Success Stories, Inc. to develop a comprehensive business plan. The plan utilized state and local data to demonstrate need and type of service. As there were 3030 DWI arrests in Erie County in 2010, the group will work closely with Drug Courts to provide a medical/psychosocial evaluation to assist judges in determining the severity of a person’s alcohol and/or drug problem.

The Addiction Medicine practice also provides medical services for Erie County Medical Center’s detoxification and rehabilitation units, Sheehan Memorial Hospital's addiction services and Horizon Health. The physicians are examining additional consultative services and other supportive needs are already being requested by community agencies and organizations.

The practice is located at 1408 Sweet Home Road, Suite 9 in Amherst, New York. To inquire about services, call (716) 247-5281.

Why Are Cars Crashing Into Buildings?

By Annette Pinder

It keeps happening and nobody seems to know why. Since last August there have been more than 20 accidents involving cars crashing into buildings in the Buffalo area. Cars have plowed into an apartment building, a deli, a senior care facility, a restaurant, a dollar store and a Wendy’s. In October two college students died in a high-speed crash into a local market. There’s even a Google map showing all the accident sites.

Lisa Thorpe, MS, OTR, Occupational Therapist and Driver Rehabilitation Specialist at Erie County Medical Center (ECMC), says “There are a number of factors contributing to these accidents, including age, driver distraction, and medical problems. They are rarely the result of vehicle malfunction.”

“More people should be evaluated, particularly if there is a question about their ability to drive safely, or if they’ve had an illness or injury that is affecting their performance,” says Lisa. “It’s important to determine an individual’s ability to begin or resume driving by understanding their limitations.”

For a proper determination of driving ability, evaluations should be performed by an occupational therapist who has specialized training in driver rehabilitation. The therapist can make recommendations regarding the need for vehicle adaptations and training. For example, if a person was involved in a left-turn collision, they should be placed in left turn situations in multiple traffic scenarios during an in-vehicle evaluation to assess the problem. Typical vehicle modifications may involve such things as mirror placement, hand controls, or repositioning the gas pedal. Lisa says, “It isn’t a matter of pass-fail. The goal is to make appropriate modifications so people can remain safe and independent.”

Lisa has her own thoughts about why we’ve had so many unusual accidents, and she attributes part of it to our driving environment. She notices people driving too fast, being distracted, and using parking lots as roadways. She says people need to impose their own limitations based on their comfort levels, and refrain from driving at night or in heavy traffic if they aren’t confident in these situations. Limiting distractions like the radio is also helpful.

Lisa says it’s important to be open and honest. If you notice a relative or friend having difficulty driving she encourages having a non-critical, non-threatening conversation about driving. “Our region’s older driver population is growing significantly,” says Lisa, “so it’s important as a community to address the needs of older drivers and keep them on the road as long and safely as possible.”

Help is available. One resource is Erie County’s Older Driver Family Assistance Help Network Task Force.  For help with alternative transportation call Charles Battaglia Erie County Senior Services at 858-8526.

To learn more about ECMC’s Driver Rehabilitation Program, call 893-3225.  Lisa or another certified ECMC driver rehabilitation specialist will be glad to answer your questions. 

WNY Resource:

ECMC Driver Rehabilitation Program

462 Grider Street

Buffalo, New York 14215

898-3225

www.ecmc.edu

Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Cancer in Disguise

by Lee C. Ruotsi, MD, FACCWS, UHM

What’s the big concern about diabetic foot ulcers? Here’s an alarming statistic – your risk of dying within five years of developing a diabetic foot ulcer is five times greater than that of prostate cancer and twice more than breast cancer.

Currently, there are more than 25 million diabetics in our country, with this number projected to double by 2025. Between 15-25 percent of diabetics will develop foot ulcers, with 15 percent of those affected eventually requiring a lower extremity amputation.  In a recent study, people with diabetes-related foot ulcers had a 47 percent increased risk of dying compared to those with diabetes alone. The five-year mortality rate for patients with diabetic foot ulcers is about 45 percent, meaning that nearly half will die within five years.  

Diabetes affects multiple organ systems, including the vascular and central nervous system. To what extent, and the rate at which problems develop, depends largely on how patients manage their diabetes.  As the average level of blood sugar rises, damage to the central nervous system and the vascular system becomes more severe.

Diabetic neuropathy, a common diabetic condition that primarily affects nerve sensations in the feet and legs, can impair walking and the ability to sense pain and temperature. As the feet become less stable and nerve sensation diminishes, wounds are likely to develop. Since diabetic neuropathy affects circulation, as well as motor and sensory function, these types of wounds are less likely to heal on their own. 

Because diabetic foot ulcers are preventable and treatable, it’s more important than ever to confront this deadly epidemic head on. Children, adolescents and adults should undergo regular screening to detect diabetes in its earliest stages when proper medical care and self-management can prevent complications from developing.  

Now that we know the problem, what’s the solution? Diabetics must make a commitment to regular testing, appropriate medication regimens and daily foot care. Physicians must renew their commitment to prevent diabetes by educating patients on healthy exercise and eating habits, and through early diagnosis and aggressive treatments to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. 

While the quest for a cure for diabetes moves forward in research laboratories across the county, preventing and properly managing diabetes is the key to lowering the complications and death rate among diabetics. Patients must work together with their health providers using the knowledge and tools we have to eat healthy, get regular exercise, control their weight, and keep blood glucose levels in check. These things are imperative to decrease their risk of diabetic neuropathy, and its inevitable endpoint, the diabetic foot ulcer.

Should a diabetic foot ulcer develop, proper medical and surgical care is crucial. As with all non-healing wounds, diabetic patients, in conjunction with their primary care doctor or diabetes specialist, should seek out the care of a wound healing specialist to treat problematic wounds before serious complications occur. 

About the Author:

Dr. Ruotsi is Medical Director of the Catholic Health Advanced Wound Healing Centers, with locations in Cheektowaga and Orchard Park; and devotes his clinical practice to the treatment of wounds associated with diabetes and other medical conditions. For more information, call 891-2750 (Cheektowaga) or 828-2330 (Or

GATES VASCULAR INSTITUTE OPENS ON MARCH 28

The new Gates Vascular Institute (GVI) next to Buffalo General Medical Center opens on March 28th. Kaleida Health has designed this state-of-the-art facility to be the premier destination for stroke care, cardiac surgery, and vascular services.  The brand new emergency department opened in the building in November 2011. Kaleida has consolidated services into one location, increasing its ability to provide world-class care for Western New Yorkers and beyond. Learn more about this new location.

Later this year, the top floors of the building will open as the University at Buffalo’s Clinical and Translational Research Center. The $291 million facility will bring together Kaleida Health physicians and University at Buffalo researchers in a collaborative effort to deliver leading clinical care, produce major breakthroughs on the causes and treatment of vascular disease, and spin-off new biotechnology businesses and jobs.

GVI Opens March 28

New Medical Practice Features Well Known Buffalo Surgeon

Dr. Joseph Falcone achieves dream, opens solo private practice: Empire Orthopedics.

Buffalo, NY: One of Buffalo’s most experienced orthopedic surgeons, Dr. Joseph Falcone, has opened his new, private medical practice located in Williamsville, NY. Dr. Falcone has proudly served the Western New York community for more than 14 years, and has both performed surgery at and served within the Catholic Health System.

“I am looking forward to getting back to what’s most important to me; my patients. A solo-private practice allows me to practice medicine in an optimal way; utilizing the latest technology in order to have more time with my patients and to better personalize their care for them” explained Dr. Falcone.

Empire Orthopedics, located within the Windsong Radiology Building, in Williamsville, NY. features state of the art health information technology, such as Electronic Health Records (EHR). The EHR software also offers both the patients and the practice the ability to use an online patient portal to request a medication refills, view results from recent lab work, complete or update insurance and patient intake forms, as well as communicate with the clinicians for non-urgent matters. All of which is done in a highly secure, safe environment with multiple layers of IT security.

Dr. Falcone is Board Certified and Fellowship trained at the prestigious Rothman Institute. He has held multiple appointments including Sisters of Charity Hospital and Sisters of Charity Hospital at St. Joseph's Campus. Empire Orthopedics' surgical options include: Adult Joint Reconstructive Surgery, Hip Resurfacing, Shape Match Knee and Complex Revision surgery. Dr. Falcone speaks fluent Spanish, and is also comprehensive in Italian. He is a true patient advocate. Dr. Falcone enjoys being physically active, and appreciates outdoor activities, reading, cooking, and collecting Italian art.

For more information or to make an appointment please call: 716-632-1212 or visit www.empireorthopaedics.com

Outcomes for Blood and Marrow Transplant at Roswell

Roswell Park’s Outcomes for Blood and Marrow Transplant Among the Nation’s Highest
Data reported by international research organization place RPCI among top 9 percent of BMT centers in U.S.

BUFFALO, NY — Outcomes for patients treated through the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) are among the highest in the nation. For the second consecutive year, a report compiled by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) shows that the one-year survival rate for transplant patients treated at RPCI was significantly higher than expected, affirming RPCI’s position among the elite of U.S. centers performing the procedure.
Blood and marrow transplantation (BMT), which involves infusion of bone marrow or hematopoietic cells from the patient or a donor, is commonly used to treat many blood cancers, including some forms of leukemia, multiple myeloma and lymphoma. The CIBMTR is an international research organization that collects and publishes data from centers that perform BMT, toward the goal of advancing hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapy research worldwide.
According to the CIBMTR’s 2011 report, which was based on data for transplants performed between 2007 and 2009, risk-adjusted one-year survival for patients transplanted at RPCI was significantly superior to the predicted outcome, placing RPCI among the top 9 percent of U.S. centers offering BMT. The CIBMTR adjusts raw data to account for the level of risk represented among a facility’s transplanted population, based on factors such as degree of tissue match/mismatch and type of transplant. The Center assigned the RPCI program to the highest possible risk category, indicating that its BMT cases for the period were among the most complex and difficult in the nation.
“It’s enormously gratifying to see our efforts translate to documented quality improvement. We provide care for very high-risk patients, and it’s exciting to know that our approaches are working even among this very high-risk group,” said Lisa Privitere, RN, BSN, OCN, Nurse Administrator for RPCI’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. “The CIBMTR report underscores just how important multidisciplinary care and evidence-based approaches are for success in treating cancer through BMT. I know they’ve made a difference for our patients.”

The Benefits of Alternative Therapy for Mental Health

One Buffalo Facility Is Leading the Way

 by Annette Pinder

Our bodies respond to how we think, feel and act. Called, “The Mind/Body Connection,” being stressed, anxious or upset affect us mentally and physically. For example, a headache or stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event.

In 1992 the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), at the National Institute of Health (NIH), began evaluating alternative methods of treatment. They found combining alternative methods of healing with traditional treatments has a positive effect on patients with a mental health diagnosis. A recent study by University of Massachusetts Medical School showed mindfulness meditation may cause measurable changes in the brain regions affecting memory, learning and emotion.

Here in Buffalo, BryLin Hospitals has been at the forefront in incorporating alternative therapies for mental health. Mark Nowak, BryLin’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations, says, “It’s been exciting to incorporate therapies that were once considered fringe approaches. Self-help has become an integral part of mental health treatment at BryLin, and our patients are benefiting greatly from them.” BryLin’s programming includes:

Yoga/meditation: Practitioners of this ancient Indian system of health care use breathing exercises, posture, stretches, and meditation to balance the body's energy centers. Yoga is used in combination with other treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.

Massage therapy: The underlying principle of this approach is that rubbing, kneading, brushing, and tapping a person's muscles can help release tension and pent emotions. It has been used to treat trauma-related depression and stress.

Tai Chi: Some people find that their spirits soar and experience a sense of release and inner peace from Eastern martial arts, such as Aikido and Tai Chi. Those who are recovering from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse may find these techniques especially helpful for gaining a sense of ease with their own bodies. The underlying premise to this movement therapy is that it can help a person integrate the emotional, physical, and cognitive facets of "self."

Pastoral Counseling: Some people prefer to seek help for mental health problems from their pastor, rabbi, or priest, rather than from therapists who are not affiliated with a religious community. Counselors working within traditional faith communities increasingly are recognizing the need to incorporate psychotherapy and/or medication, along with prayer and spirituality, to effectively help some people with mental disorders.

When BryLin was founded in 1955 it was primarily known for substance abuse counseling. Today, in addition to treatment for substance abuse, BryLin is the only private facility in Western New York that offers inpatient psychiatric services for children, teens and adults of all ages. Now it is the only facility that has embraced new and innovative approaches to mental health that emphasize the interrelationship between mind, body and spirit in promoting healing and recovery.

To learn more about the integration of traditional medicine and alternative therapies in treating mental illness visit http://nccam.nih.gov. 

WNY Resource:

BryLin Hospital                                                            BryLin Outpatient Center
1263 Delaware Avenue                                                Georgetown Square

Buffalo, NY 14209                                                       5225 Sheridan Drive

716-886-8200                                                              BryLin Leading the Way on Alternative Therapy for Mental Health Williamsville, NY 14221
www.brylin.com                                                           716-633-1927

Seeking Nominations for 2012 Senior of the Year

Every May, Older Americans Month honors and recognizes seniors for the contributions they make to our families, communities and society. In keeping with the Administration on Aging theme for 2012 “Never Too Old to Play”encouraging Older Americans to stay engaged, active and involved in their communities, the Department of Senior Services seeks nominations for Erie County’s 2012 Senior of the Year Award, to be presented in May.

• The Selection Committee is looking for nominations of Erie County residents with:
• Demonstrated leadership, innovation, and creativity, achieved after the age of 60
• Involvement in building an active and healthy community
• Significant nature and length of service to the community through volunteer work or unpaid activity, not paid employment

All nominations must include:

1. Name, address, and birth date of nominee.

2. Contact info for the person submitting the nomination.

3. A narrative of less than 400 words explaining accomplishments and why the person should receive the 2012 Senior of the Year award.

Nominations must be received by April 16, 2012 to: Senior of the Year Award, Erie County Senior Services Advisory Board, 95 Franklin St. – 13th Floor, Buffalo, NY 14202 or submitted electronically toJennifer.wood@erie.gov. For more information, please call 858-7532.