Project
An investigation of autistic behaviours in 'at risk' infants.
This study will investigate whether autistic behaviours are present during
infancy. Currently autism is not diagnosed until a child is around 3 years
of age; however both parental accounts and retrospective video studies
have suggested that symptoms may be present from a much earlier age, even
from birth. There has been little prospective and empirically sound research
in this area. It is therefore unclear what the earliest manifestations
of the disorder are, or at what age they first appear.
This project will follow a group of infants who have an increased chance
of developing autism (younger siblings of children already diagnosed with
the disorder). Their development will be documented over a two year period
to investigate whether those who go onto receive diagnoses of autism demonstrated
atypical behaviour during infancy.
Identifying these early traits of autism will allow infant screening
tools to be established, thus lowering the age of diagnosis. The earlier
the disorder is identified the earlier a child can commence vital early
intervention strategies which can improve their prognosis. |
