Early Detection of Autism: Improving Outcomes and Identifying At-Risk Children

📚 The average age of autism identification in the US is over 4 years, despite advances in early diagnosis.

🔎 There is a significant gap between when parents notice autism symptoms and when a diagnosis is received, hindering access to treatment.

🧠 Prospective research studies have been conducted to understand the early manifestations of autism and risk factors.

🔍 Children with autism show a decline in social behaviors over time.

📊 Multiple methods and measures have confirmed the declining trajectory of social engagement in children with autism.

📉 Data analysis using latent class analysis reveals different types of trajectories in children with autism.

📊 90% of children with autism show a declining trajectory in their skills over time.

👶 Symptoms of autism emerge over the first three years of life, with the majority of children starting off as typical and then showing symptoms by 12-18 months.

⚠️ Longitudinal screening could be beneficial in identifying children with declining scores and intervening earlier to alter the trajectory of the disorder.

🔄 Regression in social and communication behaviors is the rule rather than the exception for children with autism.

💼 Families with a history of autism have a higher risk of having another child with autism, especially if previous children had autism and if the new baby is male.

🔑 Having a male infant born into a family with multiple children with autism increases their risk of developing autism themselves.

🧬 Factors like economic level, race, ethnicity, age of parents, birth order, and older sibling's traits do not predict the risk of developing autism.

📈 Siblings of children with autism are at higher risk for social challenges, speech and language disorders, dyslexia, depression, anxiety disorders, and ADHD.

Researchers developed a video-based screening measure called the Versa system to detect Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in infants.

The Versa system uses short video clips and compares them to assess behaviors related to ASD.

The video-based measure showed promising results in predicting ASD in infants as early as nine months old, and it is quick and engaging to use.

There are recommended books and resources for parents who suspect their child might be on the autism spectrum.

Early behavioral signs of autism may not be evident in infants, but certain behaviors in the first year of life can help in early detection.

Studies have shown that there is no causal link between vaccinations and autism.

The best predictors of autism in early infancy are eye contact frequency, responsiveness to name, and repetitive object use, which are similar to the core characteristics of autism in older children.

The decrease in certain behaviors, such as eye contact, from twelve months onward is not well understood mechanistically, but it may be related to the expression of genes and changes in neural circuitry.

While genetics play a significant role in autism, research also focuses on identifying environmental contributions and other causal mechanisms beyond genetics.