Imaging study suggests possibility of predicting autism

[mrsbuttinski]

A standard type of brain imaging may be able to predict whether babies as young as one year are likely to develop autism, according to a new study that for the first time suggests the possibility of diagnosing the disorder before behavioral symptoms appear a year or two.

more at


www.philly.com/philly/health/kidshealth/Imaging-study-suggests-possibility-of-diagnosing-autism-by-age-1.html

[chickypoo2468]

Wait are they saying that if you identify the at risk kids early enough you can prevent the physical changes to their brain and minimize the "degree" of the autism?

I could see wanting to know if a sibling has it, and I'm all about early intervention, but unless you can prevent it from progressing I don't really see the advantage to knocking a healthy kid out just to look at their brain. O is about to have his second MRI under general anesthesia and just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach.

[mrsbuttinski]

chickypoo2468,

From the text of the article:

"Being able to identify those needing intervention before the full emergence of autism,” said Schultz, a study coauthor, ”offers hope for being able to blunt the development of autism and dramatically improve outcomes."

This could be a ways off. And for parents who already have one or more children with ASD, having an answer earlier could potentially help them relax and enjoy their children instead of always looking for the emergence of behaviors and symptoms.

[chickypoo2468]

Feb 16, 2017 16:11:27 GMT -5 mrsbuttinski said:

chickypoo2468,

From the text of the article:

"Being able to identify those needing intervention before the full emergence of autism,” said Schultz, a study coauthor, ”offers hope for being able to blunt the development of autism and dramatically improve outcomes."

This could be a ways off. And for parents who already have one or more children with ASD, having an answer earlier could potentially help them relax and enjoy their children instead of always looking for the emergence of behaviors and symptoms.

I did see that, but I wasn't sure if it just meant behavior or literally meant keep the brain from changing.

[Deleted]

I think they may not really know with all the advances in science. It could be more medical based- medication or surgery or more behavior based- therapy etc. Therapy would be an easier starting point since it is non invasive and they have a starting point already with ABA. I could see therapy creating changes in the brain but perhaps not as much as something more invasive, which I am not necessarily advocating for more invasive.

[mrsbuttinski]

It's early days.

I was taken by the vagueness of the assertion as well. Training and other behavioral interventions can "re-wire" the brain to some degree. Especially in younger people.

That said, I suspect (as many do) that what we call "the spectrum" is likely a collection of differences that have different causes. This could explain why presentations vary so much- from differences in IQ, to differences in language, differences in comorbids, etc.