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Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: diagnostic tests

October 2019
Clinician with mother and child

Positive screen for autism often does not spur further evaluation

by  /  2 October 2019

More than two-thirds of toddlers flagged for autism do not get assessed for the condition by specialists.

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September 2019
white mouse on a green activity wheel

Patterns in heart rate, pupil size may predict Rett syndrome

by  /  18 September 2019

Heart-rate patterns and changes in pupil size may herald Rett syndrome, autism or related conditions.

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August 2019
Heatmap of the United States

New autism map points to diagnostic deserts in United States

by  /  28 August 2019

Most regions in the United States do not have an autism diagnostic center or specialist.

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therapist in session with child, showing picture cards.

Studies of autism treatments lack standard yardsticks

by  /  21 August 2019

Clinical trials of autism treatments rarely use a consistent set of tools to measure efficacy, making it tough to compare the treatments.

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Illustration shows woman peering at her partner and child from behind a 'curtain' of genome sequence

The problems with prenatal testing for autism

by  /  14 August 2019

As prenatal testing improves, it presents a host of thorny issues — from what to test and how to interpret the results, to what to do about them.

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four year old looks at something out of frame.

Early-detection technique analyzes how children with autism scan faces

by , ,  /  6 August 2019

Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, have developed a new autism detection technique that distinguishes among different eye-gaze patterns to help doctors more quickly and accurately detect autism in children.

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July 2019

Ultrasensitive blood test may detect autism mutations in utero

by  /  18 July 2019

A blood test can accurately detect whether a fetus carries large mutations of the kind linked to autism, according to pilot-study results.

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June 2019
medical personnel with a swab test in a vial.

Doubts precede saliva test for autism, set to be available by July

by  /  19 June 2019

A saliva test that helps clinicians diagnose autism is expected to be available in the next few weeks. But some experts are skeptical of the test’s accuracy and value.

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Group of children walking in the countryside in Vietnam.

Large survey of children hints at true autism prevalence in Vietnam

by  /  10 June 2019

Less than 1 percent of young children in northern Vietnam have autism, but this prevalence is higher than in previous reports.

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May 2019
Rising prevalence in Northern Ireland

Rise in autism diagnoses in Northern Ireland highlights lack of support

by  /  14 May 2019

Autism’s prevalence in Northern Ireland is climbing, but government policies leave families unable to access the treatments they need.

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