diagnosing Autism

Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine and Rutgers University have developed a new quantitative screening method for diagnosing and longitudinal tracking of autism in children after age 3. The studies are published as part of a special collection of papers in the open-access journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.

The technique involves tracking a person’s random movements in real time with a sophisticated computer program that produces 240 images a second and detects systematic signatures unique to each person. The traditional assessment for diagnosing autism involves primarily subjective opinions of a person’s social interaction, deficits in communication, and repetitive and restricted behaviors and interests.

Indiana University (2013, July 24). Novel technology seen as new, more accurate way to diagnose and treat autism. ScienceDaily. Retrieved July 25, 2013,

Low-cost test may screen for autism

When children with autism were randomly compared with typically developing children or children with other developmental disorders, biomarkers correctly identified more than thirty percent of autistic children without incorrectly identifying a single non-autistic child. Image: istockphoto

Autism is difficult to diagnose because of a lack of specific biological markers and a variability of symptoms, ranging from mild in some individuals to severely disabling in others.

Now a team of University of Washington  and Battelle scientists have identified metabolites in urine that could potentially predict young children at risk of developing autism.

The varying degrees and manifestations of this developmental brain condition are collectively called autistic spectrum disorder.  ASD is characterized by impaired social interactions, difficulty in communicating, and repetitive behaviors. Many other symptoms also can be present, including anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, sleep disorders, and gastrointestinal problems.

Currently, diagnosing a child with ASD requires a thorough evaluation by a team of health professionals from a wide range of specialties. Early intervention often can reduce or prevent the more severe symptoms and disabilities associated with ASD.

Autism specialists and many other people look forward to a day when a test for a  biological marker might detect autism risk in young children. To this end, Seattle researchers evaluated porphyrins in the urine of children to determine if the levels of these metabolites could predict ASD. [continue reading…]