Eye-Looking as An Early Marker for Autism
Nadia Shanab | Uncategorized20 Nov 2013
A study published in the journal Nature, Nov 6, reveals the earliest sign of developing auism ever observed: a steady decline in attention to others’ eyes within the first two to six months of life.
Autism is usually diagnosed around the age of 2, when a significant delay in speech and poor social skills are exhibited. But now this new marker can help diagnose autism much earlier and effective intervention/treatment can change the child’s future.
Some eye-tracking equipment, at Emory University School of Medicine and Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta, were able to record the eye movements of young children between 2 and 24 months as they were shown videos of their caregivers. Infants who were later diagnosed with autism had shown a focus of eye-looking by almost half of their typically developed peers.
This marker is greatly important. We don’t have to wait anymore until the child turns two or three to get her dianosed. Besides, early diagnosis and intervention makes a pivotal difference in the child’s development.
Eye-looking or eye-conact, is an important factor to be considered at a very early age.
Read the full article here.
Also read my article about early intervention.
nadia shanab
Tags: autism, communication, early intervention, eye contact, health, parenting, research, social interaction, tips
