Prediction of autism in infants: progress and challenges.

Researchers are studying ways to identify autism signs in babies before the usual diagnosis age of 18-24 months. Brain scans show differences in babies who later get an autism diagnosis. These babies also have more sleep problems, stomach issues, and vision problems. They show differences in attention, communication, social behavior, and movement. While research is promising, we're not yet able to predict autism in individual babies.

This review examines research progress in predicting autism in infants before traditional diagnosis at 18-24 months. Studies using brain imaging (MRI, EEG, near-infrared spectroscopy) have identified developmental differences in infants later diagnosed with autism. Retrospective studies reveal increased prevalence of sleep disorders, gastrointestinal issues, and vision problems in these infants. Behavioral differences include variations in attention, communication, social engagement, sensory processing, and motor abilities.

While research offers insights into promising screening approaches, individual-level predictions remain a future goal. Multiple scientific challenges and ethical considerations must be addressed before translating these findings into reliable clinical screening tools.

While promising research exists on early autism predictors, clinical application requires addressing scientific and ethical challenges. Current findings may inform developmental monitoring but cannot yet provide individual predictions before traditional diagnosis age.

Individual-level predictions remain a future goal. Multiple scientific challenges and ethical questions must be addressed before research findings can be translated into feasible and reliable clinical screening tools.

Autism spectrum disorder (henceforth autism) is a neurodevelopmental condition that can be reliably diagnosed in children by age 18-24 months. Prospective longitudinal studies of infants aged 1 year and younger who are later diagnosed with autism are elucidating the early developmental course of autism and identifying ways of predicting autism before diagnosis is possible. Studies that use MRI, EEG, and near-infrared spectroscopy have identified differences in brain development in infants later diagnosed with autism compared with infants without autism. Retrospective studies of infants younger than 1 year who received a later diagnosis of autism have also showed an increased prevalence of health conditions, such as sleep disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and vision problems.

Behavioural features of infants later diagnosed with autism include differences in attention, vocalisations, gestures, affect, temperament, social engagement, sensory processing, and motor abilities. Although research findings offer insight on promising screening approaches for predicting autism in infants, individual-level predictions remain a future goal. Multiple scientific challenges and ethical questions remain to be addressed to translate research on early brain-based and behavioural predictors of autism into feasible and reliable screening tools for clinical practice.