Sep 16, 2008 4:00 pm US/Eastern
Health: Better Diagnosing Autism
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Autism is a condition that affects one in every 150 children in the United States. Finding better ways to diagnose the disorder is the aim of a new research project here in Philadelphia.
Four a half year old James Gater has autism. His twin sister does not.
"Around 19 months he stopped talking. He started banging his head. Spinning in circles," said Rebecca Gater, James' mother. She was concerned when she had her third child John, who is now a year old. 20 percent of siblings of autistic children end up developing the disorder.
"It was definitely a mixed bag of emotions. Honestly there was a little part of us that was ya know um a little afraid," said Rebecca.
So they put John in a study at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. After a behavioral analysis, siblings of kids with autism undergo an MRI, every six months until they're two years old.
"We're interested in how the brains of children who are at risk for autism develop," said Dr. Sarah Paterson, the study's lead researcher at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Center for Autism Research. She says changes in the brain can show early signs of the disorder.
"We're looking to see which parts of the brain enlarged. We're expecting certain parts of the brain might be bigger than in typical development. And we're also looking to see when this enlargement takes place," said Dr. Paterson.
And seeing the changes at it earliest stages means an early diagnosis.
"If we can pick up early signs then we can intervene earlier than we have done before," said Dr. Paterson.
"We're praying that John doesn't end up with a diagnosis, but if he did, being able to start those therapies early would give him such an advantage," said Rebecca.
Dr. Paterson says right now John seems to be developing normally.
If you want more information on the Autism Sibling Trial you can contact The Center for Autism Research at 1-866-570-6524.
RELATED LINKS:
Autism Sibling Study Information-
http://www.ibis-network.org/http://stokes.chop.edu/programs/car/dnl/
Walk Now For Autism Information-
http://www.walknowforautism.org/site/c.rmL1KbN1LzH/b.3628309/
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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