Animation 'can' identify autistic kids

Autistic children are usually identified after the age of 2; a new study shows animations can help detect the disorder earlier. 

Normal babies start paying attention to normal biological range of human motion when they are about eight months old. Children with autism spectrum, however, are only attracted to motions accompanied by synchronous sounds. 

Normal kids watch the eyes of other people, whereas autistic children stare at their mouths. These children therefore can not track human movements, leading to impaired social interactions. 

According to a study published in Nature, observing a toddler's reaction to animations can help detect autistic infants. 

Audio-visual synchronies, usually ignored by typical kids, capture the attention of autistic children; typically-developing children conversely focus on socially meaningful movements of the human body, such as gestures and facial expressions. 

Scientists believe genetic predispositions in autism are exacerbated by atypical experience from a very early age, altering brain development. 

They are optimistic that their findings would pave the way for developing new therapies based on redirecting visual attention in children with these disorders.