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Fixation on geometrical form might be an former sign of autism in toddlers as young as 14 months old , a new discipline suggests .
Identifying autism early is important because children may benefit from beginning treatments in the first place , the researcher say . The raw finding could help to make test to assess children , order study investigator Karen Pierce , an assistant prof of neuroscience at the University of California San Diego .
" The miracle of plasticity of a youthful and developing mentality [ intend ] the brain is responsive and connections are being formed early on , " Pierce told MyHealthNewsDaily . " If we can interfere before those connections take hold , it can be fruitful for the child . "
In the study , Pierce tested 110 toddlers aged 14 to 42 month . Of those toddlers , 51 were developmentally normal , 37 were name with an autism spectrum upset and 22 had other developmental delays . The toddler were shown a one - minute of arc TV on a split screen one side of the screen had a geometrical pattern , the other had images of active children .
Among the children who were diagnosed with autism , 40 percent spent more than half their time watching thegeometric images , compare with 1.9 per centum of typical children and 9 percent of tyke with developmental delay .
Not all children with autismfixatedon the geometric image the absolute majority of the clock time , Pierce say . However , every tyke in the study who was fixated on the patterns for more than 69 percent of the metre was name with an autism spectrum disorder .
The reasons for this fixation are n’t whole clear , but Pierce said it may have to do with some kid having restricted interests and a preference for repetition .
" There ’s something that ’s part of the disorder that flag these kids to making love repeating , " she said . " Not all minor love it to an uttermost form , but certainly a honest number of small fry do . "
However , parent should n’t use geometrical patterns to attempt to diagnose their child with autism , Pierce said .
At present , autism diagnosing can usually be made around eld 3 at the earliest , harmonize to the Kennedy Krieger Institute , a paediatric developmental handicap research organization .
About 1 percentage of children aged 3 to 17 have anautism spectrum disorderliness , which includesautistic disorderand Asperger ’s Syndrome , harmonize to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . symptom and severity change , but people with autism are unable to communicate and interact with others in a normal way .
There is no cure for autism , but drug intervention may help with symptom and behavioural treatment may ameliorate a person ’s ability to communicate . Early intervention includes education and therapy that facilitate more normal language skills , communicating and social behavior , Pierce say .
" other identification and intervention is the most important soothsayer of positive outcomes for children with autism , " said Allison Gilmour , assistant director for programs and community outreach at the Organization for Autism Research , who was not require in the inquiry . " The early parents and professionals describe symptoms the better . "
The study still needs to be retell with with child number of children , but the import are interesting , Gilmour say .
" Children who receive early intervention are more likely to develop speech and skills needed for ego - tending , school succeeder and residential district functioning , " she said .
The study was published online Sept. 6 in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry .
