Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means that no two individuals will have exactly the same symptoms. The three major areas of symptoms are impairments in communication, impairments in social interaction, and restricted interests and repetitive behavior. There is no known cure for autism, but several treatments have become recognized as reducing the symptoms of autism.
Researchers have known for years that the early detection and treatment of autism is essential for long-term improvement. At this point in time, there is no reliable diagnostic test for autism. An accurate diagnosis of infants and toddlers is even more difficult; doctors typically diagnose autism by observing behaviors and interactions with others.
Recently, researchers at the University of Utah and Harvard developed a brain scan test which identifies individuals with high functioning autism with 94% accuracy. Though the test is not yet ready for clinical use, the initial results of the study look quite promising. Learn more about this ground-breaking research.
