Autism can be diagnosed at age 1

BALTIMORE, July 5 (UPI) -- Autism can be diagnosed at about one year of age -- the earliest the disorder has ever been diagnosed, according to U.S. researchers.

Researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Md., evaluated social and communication development in autism spectrum disorders from 14 to 36 months of age and found that approximately half of all children with autism can be diagnosed around their first birthday.

Lead author Dr. Rebecca Landa, director of Kennedy Krieger's Center for Autism and Related Disorders, and colleagues identified the following signs of developmental disruptions for which parents and pediatricians should watch for:

-- Abnormalities in initiating communication with others.

-- Compromised ability to initiate and respond to opportunities to share experiences with others -- children with autism spectrum disorders infrequently monitor other people's focus of attention.

-- Irregularities when playing with toys.

-- Significantly reduced variety of sounds, words and gestures used to communicate.

The findings are published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.