About Mel Rutherford, associate professor of psychology, heads up the Early Autism Study at McMaster University where researchers are using new eye tracker technology as an early diagnostic test for autism.
The technology measures eye direction while 9 to 12 month old babies look at eyes, faces, and bouncing balls on a computer screen. This new technology allows researchers to “distinguish between a group of siblings with autism from a group with no autism — at nine months and 12 months,” says Rutherford, and the study can be completed in 10 minutes without being influenced by intuition or a clinician’s report.
Because the earlier one is diagnosed with autism, the better the prognosis, Rutherford states that, “There is an urgent need for a quick, reliable and objective screening tool to aid in diagnosing autism much earlier than is presently possible.” Current diagnostic tests are reliable at around age 2.
Early detection of autism can have a profound effect on the treatment and interventions autistic children receive, so this tool is an invaluable resource for early diagnosis.
Reference: Science Daily