We know there are certain genetic markers for autism, but most kids are diagnosed first and then the genetic confirmation is conducted. This approach doesn’t result in treatment.
Researchers at Yale University were able to identify if a newborn was or wasn’t the sibling of a child with autism which makes that newborn 9 times more likely to develop the disorder.
How could they tell? Evaluating the abnormal folds in the placenta suggests that nutrients weren’t properly delivered to the developing fetus, resulting in autism.
If the newborn was found to be vulnerable to autism, treatment began immediately when the brain is most flexible and able to change.
It’s not known if therapies for older children work in newborns, but since the incidence rate of autism is now 1 in 50, we need to get creative to reduce the devastating symptoms in children.
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