December 09, 2019
Early intervention is a key factor in providing the best possible support for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families. By diagnosing ASD early, specialists can provide assistance in helping build social and language skills. Families with one child on the autism spectrum have an increased chance of having another child diagnosed with ASD, so being able to detect ASD in siblings early would enable the earliest possible intervention.
Researchers from the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Alberta have been working on just that. They have now developed a genetic test that can help predict an ASD diagnosis before symptoms even appear in younger siblings of children on the autism spectrum. This early detection using genetics could help circumvent some of the waiting for appointments for a clinical diagnosis and allow these children access to supportive therapies as early as possible.
The test detects genetic alterations known as copy number variations linked with ASD. The researchers have shown that the presence of ASD linked copy number variations in younger siblings are a good indicator of a future ASD diagnosis. While the test is unable to show exactly how severe the symptoms these children will go on to develop, it does help identify which children may benefit from early support from specialists before any symptoms appear. This early support may be extremely beneficial to families and children who would find therapeutic intervention helpful.
Source: Folio
Read more: http://ow.ly/tvs150xtWTV
