Autism is a disorder that includes a wide range of mental, emotional and social problems. It shows symptoms like not being able to speak properly, social interaction and a strong focus on oneself. According to previous studies, diagnosing autism early can help parents better handle their child. But its early diagnosis under the age of 3 is very hard as some of them cannot talk properly. However, a recent study conducted by psychologists from the University of Milano-Bicocca has revealed a marker that can diagnose autism in children under the age of 6 months. Â
This study was published in the journal PLOS ONE. In this study, researchers involved 19 babies and their parents. These children were under the age of 7 months. These babies had an older sibling who was diagnosed with autism. Researchers mainly focused these babies to understand whether having an older sibling with autism increases the risk of this disorder. They also involved 19 babies without this risk factor. They tracked these babies for two years. Â
In this research, these children were given statistical learning tests. During this test, researchers showed babies a picture and then watched how they reacted to other pictures with the same pattern. When researchers observed the collected data of this test, they found that babies who had a higher risk of autism did not do well in the test. They also found that babies who were at a higher risk found this test very difficult. The babies who did worst were more likely to get diagnosed with autism. Â
Researchers of this study say that these are early results. So, there is a need for further research to prove that this statistical learning test can accurately diagnose autism in babies. The findings of this study will help babies with autism get better medical care as healthcare professionals can effectively diagnose it earlier. Healthcare professionals can diagnose babies with autism earlier and start their treatment. Â
Reference Link:Â
Roberta Bettoni et al, Visual statistical learning in preverbal infants at a higher likelihood of autism and its association with later social communication skills, PLOS ONE (2024).Â
