Aspies For Freedom

Autism is rarely diagnosed before a child is 3 years old. Cutting that time in half means less precious time lost in getting autistic children the treatment they urgently need -- when it's likely to do the most good.

The new finding comes from researchers including Rebecca Landa, PhD, director of the center for autism and related disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. Landa tested motor, language, and visual skills in the younger siblings of autistic children. Such children are 100 times more likely to be autistic than other children.

"At 6 months of age, babies with autism were no different than anybody else," Landa tells WebMD. "By 14 months, though, kids with autism are different in both language development and motor control. They are not globally mentally ***. Whatever is wrong with them, it influences their motor system as well as the development of their language system."

Using tests of motor and language development at age 14 months, Landa says, allowed her to predict autism in 70% of children ultimately diagnosed with the condition. The prediction isn't the same as a diagnosis. But it offers these children a chance for early treatment. And the earlier a child enters autism treatment, the better that child's ultimate outcome.

Autism expert Jana Iverson, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh, calls the Landa finding "a huge step forward."

"This is a huge improvement in our ability to pick up kids who might be at risk and get them involved in early intervention," Iverson tells WebMD. "Right now, it is hard to get a reliable diagnosis before age 3. Parents feel they are missing really valuable time in getting kids involved in early intervention."

Landa and colleague Elizabeth Garrett-Mayer, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University, report their findings in the June issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

i bet this doesn't mean the good treatments, but instead the abuse and quack treatments start early.  why does it seem that it's condicatry for an autistic to learn while being autistic?  answer that for me.  i learn, and i'm autistic.

:evil:  :evil:

I totally agree with you.  I believe this is a step backward.  
Alison

They're not wrong though, I learned to walk very early, but then seemed to trip and stumble often as if something was wrong - and the doctors couldn't figure out why (They diagnosed me as dyspraxic, although as an adult I can type at blinding speeds, do well at art and practice florentine (2 weapon fighting styles, which is very dexterous) so... doesn't look like that was the case)

But still, early diagnosis is one thing, early TREATMENT, when there are still no tried and proven treatments is worrying.

I think the "epidemic of autism" is really just an epidemic of daycare and poor parenting skills.

I do not see what you mean. Autism has nothing to do with daycare or parenting skills.

A diagnosis that early may have influenced me for the better though, in that it would have perhaps helped me not make so many cock ups/ stress Al out so much and been able to advocate for him better.