Researchers have created a video game that can identify autism in children with a remarkable 80 per cent accuracy rate.
The Child-Friendly Device, labelled Computerized Assessment of Motor Imitation (CAMI), entails children replicating dance-like movements on the screen for a duration of one minute.
It is effective because people with autism frequently face difficulties in replicating or imitating the movements of others.
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They emphasized the significance of this information, pointing out that it's a common scenario for kids to be diagnosed with both conditions and that distinguishing the symptoms can be difficult for professionals.
An expert in social development at Nottingham University, Dr. Bahar Tunçgenç, noted that while autism is generally linked to communication issues, CAMI identifies other, lesser-known indicators.
"We have growing knowledge that individuals with autism often face challenges with sensory-motor skills, such as imitating movements, and that these difficulties can have a ripple effect on how they develop social interactions and communication skills during childhood," she said.
CAMI captures these sensorimotor obstacles, demonstrating that they are not present in children with ADHD.
She said that CAMI is so exciting due to its simplicity compared to traditional diagnostic methods.
"The popularity of video games is already well-established. They provide enjoyment for kids and yield quick results that clinicians can easily understand," she said.
My aim is for CAMI to eventually be utilized in clinical settings all over the world.
Dr. Stewart Mostofsky, a pediatric neurologist at Kennedy and co-author of the study, stated that CAMI could represent a groundbreaking step in autism diagnosis.
He says this tool has the potential to change the way autism is diagnosed globally.
Yes, identifying autism accurately, if possible, enables us to link children to interventions that can enhance their quality of life and long-term results.
We envision widespread adoption of CAMI in medical clinics to offer rapid, cost-effective diagnostic and treatment solutions with minimal logistical requirements.
The study comprised approximately 180 children ranging in age from seven to 13 years old.
Among these individuals, 21 had autism, 35 had ADHD, 63 had both conditions, and 65 who had neither of these conditions served as the control group.
Children participated in the CAMI video game for one minute, during which their capacity for mirroring the avatar's movements was evaluated through scoring.
Children with autism were found to have poorer results in social intelligence tests compared to their non-autistic peers.
New research highlights that a significant number of children suspected of having autism are facing unacceptably long waiting times for an official diagnosis.
Recent data from the NHS, covering September of last year, indicates that 44,775 children had been waiting over three months for an autism evaluation in England, representing approximately 85 per cent of the total.
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Health service guidelines specify that patients should not have to wait longer than a certain period for this type of assessment.
Across the United Kingdom in recent years.
A number of specialists have continually attributed this increase in cases to progressively deeper recognition of the condition.
This has resulted in a buildup of undiagnosed cases, especially among women and girls, who were previously less likely to receive a diagnosis.
Some experts have expressed worries about the "wild-west" of autism screenings in England, suggesting that over-diagnosis might be a contributing factor to this issue.
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Autism is a spectrum disorder that impacts how individuals communicate and interact with others.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately one in 100 children worldwide have the condition.
However, according to a 2021 study conducted by Newcastle University, approximately one in 57 children in the UK is diagnosed with autism.
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