New 'Gaze Test' May Diagnose Austism Early

Baby’s Gaze May Signal Autism, a Study Finds

In a study published Wednesday, researchers using eye-tracking technology found that children who were found to have autism at age 3 looked less at people’s eyes when they were babies than children who did not develop autism. But contrary to what the researchers expected, the difference was not apparent at birth. It emerged in the next few months and autism experts said that might suggest a window during which the progression toward autism can be halted or slowed.

The study, published online in the journal Nature, found that infants who later developed autism began spending less time looking at people’s eyes between 2 and 6 months of age and paid less attention to eyes as they grew older. By contrast, babies who did not develop autism looked increasingly at people’s eyes until about 9 months old, and then kept their attention to eyes fairly constant into toddlerhood.

“Kids whose eye fixation falls off most rapidly are the ones who later on are the most socially disabled and show the most symptoms,” said Dr. Jones, director of research at the autism center. “These are the earliest known signs of social disability, and they are associated with outcome and with symptom severity. Our ultimate goal is to translate this discovery into a tool for early identification” of children with autism.

The eye-tracking differences are not something parents and pediatricians would be able to perceive without the technology and expertise of an autism clinic, Dr. Jones said. “We don’t want to create concern in parents that if a child isn’t looking them in the eyes all the time, it’s a problem,” he said. “It’s not. Children are looking all over the place.”

One thing this article fails to mention is that one reason for the now refuted, but still commonly believed theory that autism is caused by vaccines was because it's first symptoms were often noted shortly after the round of vaccines that children get in their first several years of life, especially the 'MMR' (Mumps, Measles and Rubella) vaccine.  This result shows that the symptoms actually begin much earlier, before the bulk of the vaccines are given.

However, this test will cause parents more anxiety as their children grow up.  Did they just look away when they were supposed to look?