Autism Brain Scan

November 2, 2007 (WPVI) -- Just this week, America's pediatricians issued new guidelines to screen all children for autism by age 2, now a new high-tech tool that may unlock some secrets of this disorder now estimated to affect 1 in 150 kids.

There is no question that diagnosing autism early and starting therapy as soon as possible gives an affected child the best chance. But there's still a lot of mystery about what goes on inside the autistic brain. Now, cutting edge research at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is uncovering new clues.

8-year-old Parker Leiby is an autism pioneer. He was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome a developmental disorder on the autism spectrum at age 2. Most affected is Parker's speech.

"Parker could not talk. He couldn't speak one word. Not at all," said Art Leiby, Parker's father.

With early intervention and therapy Parker has made great progress. But his parents still don't know why talking is so difficult for him. That's why they jumped at the chance to be part of a brand new autism scanning study at Children's Hospital.

"Because I knew it was cutting edge. And it will help

provide answers for so many children out there," said Kim Leiby, Parker's mother.

At a recent visit, Parker climbed into an ominous looking diagnostic device called Magnetoencephalography, MEG for short. There are only a handful of them in pediatric hospitals in the U.S.

"It records your magnetic brainwaves."

Lead researcher Timothy Roberts says MEG is often used to pinpoint the source of seizures in epilepsy or to map the brain before surgery.

While Parker is occupied watching "Scooby-Doo" the machine measures how his brain responds to a series of close-together sounds.

"With the MEG machine, we don't ask the child, we ask the child's brain," said Dr. Roberts.

It turns out that the 'hearing' part of Parker's brain can't process fast-moving sounds. Dr. Roberts said kids with this type of deficit never 'hear' words correctly, and therefore have such a tough time learning to 'say' them. By understanding, which brain connections are missing or malfunctioning in autism, doctors hope to develop better therapies in the future.

For now the best thing parents and pediatricians can do is be aware of warning signs, even in babies. They include a failure to make eye contact or if a baby doesn't seem to recognize or respond to a parent's voice. No babbling at 9 months of age, and no words by 16 months. Then there are unusual, repetitive movements with toys and other objects.

So parents can see what experts are talking about relating to the symptoms the organization Autism Speaks has launched a website with video of autistic and typical children in different developmental stages.

One "red flag" behavior doesn't necessarily signal autism but a cluster of them might.

The Leiby's said trust your instincts and seek out help for your child.

"Don't dismiss anything. If you think there's something wrong, trust that gut feeling. We all have it."

For More Information:
Autism Speaks
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

MEG Autism Study Information: please note all children may not be eligible
267-426-0979

(Copyright 2007 by Action News and 6abc. All Rights Reserved.)

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•