Nov. 28, 2014

By Medical Discovery News

Based on statistics, you probably know someone with a form of autism. Autism rates in America grew by 30 percent from 2008-2010 and have doubled since 2000. Now, one in 68 eight-year-olds are diagnosed with autism. On average, one child in each grade of every elementary school has autism.

What is responsible for the remarkable rise of this disease? Perhaps we have gotten better at diagnosing it. Now, research is working to establish how autism occurs, even before birth, and how to diagnosis it sooner.

Autism is actually not a single disease but a spectrum of disorders. It is clearly related to infant development and is caused by differences in the brain. There are multiple causes of autism, but most are not yet known. One possible connection is that people tend to conceive later. The age at which women give birth has been increasing for many years and is linked to higher chances of autism.

Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) relies on observing differences in a person’s communication, social skills, and typical behavior. Roughly one-third of those with autism are also diagnosed with intellectual deficits, but the remaining two-third have normal or above average intelligence. Most are diagnosed at four years old but some are identified by age two. This is critical because research has repeatedly shown that the earlier therapy starts, the more likely it will result in substantial improvement.

A new study published in the “New England Journal of Medicine” suggests that ASD begins long before birth. This study documented changes in the cerebral cortex, which is the outermost layer of the brain. Almost 90 percent of children with autism had abnormal developments of their cerebral cortexes, centered in regions associated with social and emotional communication and language. These changes appeared as patches in the brain, suggesting that they occur during the child’s development in the womb. This may also explain why early interventions are more effective, as the brain is still developing. Currently, there is no way to spot these patches appearing on the cortex during gestation or in infants, but it could be an area of future research.

However, another study, reported in the journal “Nature,” suggests that eye-tracking technology can detect autism in two- to six-month-old children. This technology looks at the ability of babies to make eye contact with adults. Those with autism show a steady decline in eye contact starting at two to six months of age. This seemingly simple behavior is actually quite complex and difficult to quantitate, requiring sophisticated video technology. Such eye movements are not noticeable to parents. If larger studies prove successful, this may become a way to screen infants for autism and begin therapy as soon as possible.

Autism will continue to make headlines as a leading childhood health concern. As always, if you have concerns about your child’s activity, speech, or social interactions, talk with your pediatrician.

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