| Autism is diagnosed by examining social and | | | | According to the National Institutes of Health, |
| psychological responses of children. There is no | | | | Bethesda, the apex agency for health care |
| objective method to diagnose this disease. | | | | overisight and funding in the United States, early |
| However, in a recent news item published by an | | | | intervention can greatly improve the condition of |
| online science news publication scientists have | | | | children with autism. But current methods and |
| discovered that a simple urine test may be able | | | | techniques are not adequate to diagnose autism |
| to diagnose the disease. It was reported that | | | | in children under 18 months of age. |
| urine from children with autism may have a | | | | The scientists also suggested that difference in |
| different molecular signature than that of the | | | | gut bacteria as well as changes in the metabolic |
| normal children. | | | | process in autistic children as compared to others |
| A very robust and sensitive technique called H | | | | might be responsible for the differential molecular |
| NMR spectroscopy was used to obtain the | | | | fingerprint in their urine. |
| results. This is not a technique that can be | | | | "We hope our findings might be the first step |
| used in routine laboratories, however such | | | | towards creating a simple urine test to diagnose |
| complex techniques are feasible in specialized | | | | autism at a really young age, although this may |
| laboratories. | | | | be a long way off - such a test could take years |
| The scientists demonstrated the experimental | | | | to develop. We know that giving therapy to |
| feasibility of this technique by studying several | | | | children with autism when they are very young |
| autistic children, their non-autistic siblings and | | | | can make a huge difference to their progress. A |
| non-autistic volunteers. If found reproducible | | | | urine test might enable professionals to quickly |
| and reliable, this method is likely to provide a | | | | identify children with autism and help them early |
| much needed relief to the patients and doctors | | | | on" said Dr Jeremy Nicholson who was the senior |
| dealing with autism. It may be noted that three to | | | | author of the study. Dr Nicholson is a senior |
| six children out of every 1,000 will have autism or | | | | Professor at the Imperial College London. |
| related disorders and is more prevalent in the | | | | Autism is a neurological developmental disorder |
| males. | | | | for which there is no cure discovered so far. |