Canadian researchers have developed a new test for diagnosing autism as early as nine months of age.
Mel Rutherford of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., has led a
team that has been using eye-tracker technology to measures babies' eye
directions while they look at faces, eyes and bouncing balls on a
computer screen.
Rutherford, an associate psychology professor, says the test is "not
at all invasive." The eye-tracker camera sits on a table in front of
the child and collects data from eye movement for 10 minutes.
She believes that this is a way to measure how engaged babies are
with their environment, which is a marker for normal development.
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More information on the Early Autism Study can found at www.earlyautismstudy.com.
