"Cord Blood 101" by AssureImmune 08/23/10
Cord Blood 101
What are cord blood stem cells?
Cord blood stem cells are found in the umbilical cord blood of newborn infants. They are unspecialized and capable of growing into all blood and immune system cells. They can be preserved and later used in tranplants for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and over 70 other life-threatening diseases, treating children and adults alike (1). Scientists are also investigating whether cord blood stem cells may develop into other cell types, such as skeletal and cardiac muscle cells, pancreatic cells, liver cells and neurons.
How safe is cord blood collection? Are there any risks for the newborn or for the mother?
Cord blood collection does not cause harm or pain to either the mother or the baby because the blood is collected after the cord has been separated from the newborn.
How cord blood stem cells will be used in the future?
Currently, clinical trials for Cerebral Palsy and Type 1 Diabetes are being conducted using children’s’ own cord blood (2). As stem cell transplants become routine, they may be used in the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn’s and Lupus. Furthermore, medical research is developing new therapies where stem cells help the body to repair itself (Regenerative Medicine). So far, these therapies require the patient’s own stem cells, not those from a donor. Children who have their own cord blood in storage may have more medical options later in life.
What are the advantages of storing umbilical cord blood?
By banking newborns’ stem cells, the odds of having a proper match for the baby or another family member improve exponentially. Finding a compatible cord blood unit in public registries is especially problematic for African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and people of mixed ethnicity.
How long can cord blood stem cells be stored?
Cord blood storage is a relatively new discipline. For this reason, there is not enough data to tell for sure how long the cells remain effective after cryopreservation. It is known for certain that, under appropriate conditions, cryopreserved cord blood stem cells remain viable for more than fifteeen years. However, recent research suggests that these cells have virtually unlimited viability. This means it is likely that they can be kept deep-frozen until they are needed.
Can adults be treated with cord blood stem cells?
Yes. Cord blood is increasingly used in adults and they currently make up the majority of patients.
References:
1) Gluckman E and Rocha V. Cord blood transplantation: state of the art. Haematologica. 2009 Apr;94(4):451-4.
"Introducing Our Child Safe" by My Kids County 03/25/10
My Kids County is proud to introduce you to our new collaborative partner:
Close to a million kids reported missing in US every year. Millions more are hospitalized. Our Child Safe is a secure online site that allows you to access your child's key data in an emergency & empowers you to get it to professionals & protect your family FAST!
How to begin
- Start today by visiting Our Child Safe™ and uploading the most vital information:
Recent photos, name, age, height, weight, physical description
- Continue by uploading OPTIONAL information that would aid in an abduction or medical emergency:
- Special Needs
- Medical history, required medications, allegeries, etc.
- Legal documents such as custody orders, immigration status, adoption papers
Key features
- Enables immediate delivery of vital information to law enforcement or medical staff
- Reduces critical time to initiate an appropriate response
- Provides worldwide access to critical data in time of crisis
- Can be viewed globally on any windows-based computer
- Requires a username and is password protected
- Does not require social security numbers or home address - safe from the threat of identity theft
- Utilizes high level encryption and meets strict IT security standards
Only $19.95 per year ($4.95 for each additional sibling)
"Autism Prevelance Figures are growing" by Autism Speaks 10/05/09
New Study in Pediatrics Puts Autism Prevalence at 1 In 91 American Children, 1 In 58 Boys.
A new study published October 5, 2009 in the American Academy of Pediatrics' journal Pediatrics found a parent-reported autism prevalence rate of one in every 91 American children, including one in 58 boys. The study used data gathered as part of the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), a national survey directed and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In the NSCH study, more than 78,000 parents of children aged 3 to 17 years were asked whether their child currently had an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis – including autism, Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder, or another ASD or whether their child had been given that diagnosis in the past, but was no longer diagnosed with ASD. The CDC announced that an updated report from their Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network would be released by the end of the year with their preliminary results showing that approximately 1% of children in their study have an ASD. Since the ADDM study is not expected to be published for several months, we do not believe the official CDC estimate will change until that time.
These new findings reinforce that autism is an urgent and growing public health crisis that affects most individuals across their lifespan and demands a commensurate level of action from both the public and private sectors.
WE NEED ANSWERS
