More research related to Autism treatment continues to show that early diagnosis is the best way to go when treating children with autism. A child who is diagnosed at an early stage, say between 18-24 months, has a less chance of being severely impacted by the disorder behavior-wise when they get older, as compared to those who get diagnosed later in life.

This is further supported by the fact that children are less resistant to treatment and have greater potential to acquire developmental skills in early childhood therapies. Adults, too, can get treated for autism; however, it is better if diagnosis is done earlier in life.

Autism Diagnosis

That said, Autism diagnosis is a tedious process that requires extensive evaluation and observation from trained professionals. It is also an often expensive process where sometimes questionnaires can be used to further pick up on signs of autism. To help quicken the diagnosis process, researchers at Duke University have decided to develop an app that will quickly and effectively help in children’s Autism diagnosis.

It is noteworthy that this app is not meant to replace the role of trained professionals in diagnosing autism. Rather, it is intended to be used as a tool to aid in the process of evaluation and speed up some basic tests, making it more efficient for medics. Using the app takes like ten minutes to administer to the patient, compared to an hour or so.

Important Features

And, of course, there are videos and prompts that are carefully selected to assist in the treatment of the child. The videos serve as a visual aid for better interaction with the child. So the child doesn’t have to endure the pressure of speaking verbally, as it is often a challenge for autistic children.

The prompts, on the other hand, are often used to assess certain abilities or behaviors in a child. For example, the Doctor may prompt the child to drive a toy car, that way he will assess the child’s fine motor skills and communication abilities. Either the child will be attentive &  responsive or simply uninterested and aloof.

The latter is not a direct sign that a child is Autistic, but it is a pointer or a red flag that will help the Doctor take note of. The Doctor will give more prompts to get a clear map of the child’s traits.

Illinois Autism Center

The app is under continuous development, and hopefully, the Duke team will incorporate more features, such as data analytics, which will enable progress tracking over time. Other things that could be included are more interactive games to assess a child’s social skills. Or, much better, a platform for parents to communicate with therapists and offer feedback regarding their child’s progress.

Autism diagnosis is intricate and requires constant evaluation; this is why the Illinois Autism Center staff is dedicated to providing cutting-edge solutions for Autistic children and their families in Chicago.

Check out our website for more information on our services and how we can help your child with autism reach their full potential.