Babbling of babies can offer clues to autism

Published on Monday 19 July 2010 18:51

BABIES with autism can be identified by listening to the noises they make, scientists have discovered.

Research has shown that the babbling of infants with the disorder is not the same as that of normal children.

Scientists were able to use automated vocal analysis technology to spot the differences with 86 per cent accuracy.

The system was also able to single out very young children with impaired language development.

Professor Steven Warren, an expert in autism spectrum disorders at the University of Kansas, US, who took part in the study, said: "This technology could help paediatricians screen children for ASD (autism spectrum disorder] to determine if a referral to a specialist for a full diagnosis is required and get those children into earlier and more effective treatments."

Autism is the name given to a group, or "spectrum", of lifelong developmental conditions characterised by an inability to communicate with or relate to others, a lack of social skills, obsessional traits, and repetitive behaviour.

An estimated 500,000 people in the UK are believed to be affected by autism.

The US scientists analysed nearly 1,500 day-long vocal soundtracks from battery-powered recorders attached to the clothing of 232 children aged ten months to four years.

In total more than three million individual child utterances were used in the research, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study focused on 12 specific sound parameters associated with vocal development.

The new system, called Lena (Language Environment Analysis) could make a big difference to the screening, assessment and treatment of autism, say the researchers.