Findings Raise Concerns About Path to Autism Early Intervention

A new study from researchers at Autism Speaks shows improvement towards universal early screening for autism. The report, published online today in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, also found that few approaches to early detection, such as screening during well-child visits, were evaluated to understand their impact on early diagnosis and access to services.

Survey: Autism Harder to Diagnose Among Latinos

Screening for autism spectrum disorders in Spanish-speaking families has posed a challenge for many pediatricians, even those whose practice includes a high proportion of Latinos, a survey indicated.Only 29% of California pediatricians surveyed offered Spanish-language screening for autism and related disorders on the recommended schedule, Katharine E. Zuckerman, MD, MPH, of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and colleagues found.

New MRI Could Lead to Early Diagnosis of Autism

SALT LAKE CITY -- A new tool that could lead to early detection of autism just arrived at the University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute. Doctors say the earlier it is detected, the better the chances treatment therapies will work.

The 20-thousand pound magnetic resonance imagining machine is in the newly constructed wing of the University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute. It's a higher powered MRI that offers new hope to Utah parents who have children with autism.

Study: MRI of Brain May Detect Autism

Brain scans may be able to diagnose autism early.
In a small study doctors at Columbia University were able to identify kids with autism because a section of their brain was less active.
Right now the disorder is not diagnosed until kids display symptoms like repetitive behaviors and impaired language.

Study: Easy Survey Can Detect Autism Early

Call it mother's intuition. Linda Powell's only son Samuel was just two months old when she said she knew something was wrong.
"I had a colorful mobile over the changing area and he didn't focus on it at all," Powell said. "Usually by that time they're able to see some colors. I even switched to a mobile with all these different vibrant colors, and he still didn't focus."
That wasn't the only red flag. Samuel made long humming sounds instead of the "da's" and "ga's" of babbling babies his age. And although he liked toys, he didn't play like his curious peers.
Despite the warning signs, it would be three years before Samuel's unusual behavior had a name: Autism.