Science News

A new study has shown that babies who develop autism show different brain responses within the first year of their life. The study may lead to tests that help doctors diagnose autism earlier in life. Autism is a spectrum of disorders where patients have trouble communicating. The disorders range from mental retardation where patients have little ability to communicate to Aspberger?s Syndrome that affects the patients? social development. Dr. Mark Johnson of Birkbeck at the University of London, who led the study told Reuters, ?Because there are no good behavioral signs at this young age (under 1 year), we wanted to see whether, by measuring the activity of the brain in a more direct way, we might be able to pick up earlier warning signs.? Doctors usually wait until patients are about two-years old to diagnose autism, because speech and social skills typically do not develop until this life stage. But if they had the ability to diagnose it earlier they could intervene with developing coping skills earlier. The