Questionnaire could lead to earlier autism screenings

“The earlier we can identify a child with autism, the earlier we can intervene with treatment, and the better off the child will be in the long run,’’ says study leader Karen Pierce, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Diego.

In the study, which was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, parents were asked to answer a series of questions about their 1-year-old to determine any developmental delays: Can you predict when your baby is likely to be happy or upset? Does baby use gestures? Make babbling sounds? Look to see if you’re watching her play?

The test is scored by a nurse and put in the patient’s chart before the doctor heads in for the exam.

“It’s simple for parents to fill out, simple to score, and simple for a doctor to make a referral right there on the spot,’’ says Pierce.

But it also casts a wide net looking for autism as well as any verbal, social, or physical delays. Nearly 13 percent of the children who were screened in the study fell into the abnormal range, which meant they should have been referred to a specialist for further evaluation. But of those 1,318 babies, just 184 were extensively evaluated over the course of six months to two years.

While it’s not known why the pediatricians declined to make so many referrals, it could be that the parent’s responses on the survey differed from what the doctor saw on his exam. “Perhaps the doctor did a little interacting with the child and found the child was doing things that weren’t reported like making eye contact,’’ says Lisa Gilotty, a developmental psychologist and chief of the research program on autism spectrum disorders at NIMH.

At the end of the two-year study, some 32 children out of the 184 received a diagnosis of autism, while an additional 92 children were diagnosed with some other disability. The rest of the 46 kids in the group turned out to be “false positives,’’ which meant they had no developmental delays.

“It’s not a test for autism, it’s a screener,’’ says Dr. Alison Schonwald, an autism specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital who wasn’t involved in the study. “Most kids who have positive screens won’t have autism but will have some other disability.’’

What’s not known, says Pierce, is how often the test misses autism and other abnormalities in 12-month-olds. But, she adds, it’s better than doing no screening at all.

“Before entering our study, just 44 percent of the pediatricians told us they were screening for autism before age 2,’’ Pierce says. That’s despite the 2007 recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics for pediatricians to conduct screenings at 18 months and 24 months.

Whether doctors adopt the 12-month screening test in the future remains to be seen. “There’s enough data in this study to suggest that the test is worth looking at more carefully and fully,’’ says Dr. Karl Kuban, chief of the division of pediatric neurology at Boston Medical Center, who had no role in the research. But, he adds, it’s not ready for routine use.

No question, though, some kids may be helped by having therapy before they develop full-fledged signs of autism. “That early intervention is helpful for some,’’ says Kuban, “so the fact that this new test could have therapeutic implications makes it very important.’’

DEBORAH KOTZ

barbsboy wrote: This test IS ready to be used widely and will give thousands of children with autism the early and intensive intervention necessary to achieve their full potential.

Americans confused about what to eat. But why?

And more than 60 percent of survey respondents thought that sea salt had less sodium than regular salt. Perhaps that’s because some health food products proudly proclaim on their labels that they contain sea salt. Also not surprising: The vast majority of us don’t know the recommended limit on sodium is 1,500 milligrams per day.

Given our confusion over nutrition minutiae, it’s probably best to follow some simple rules of thumb:

■ Stick with fresh produce or check the label to make sure there’s no salt added to canned or frozen goods

■ Use fresh spices when you cook to replace salt, and look for sodium-free seasonings

■ Stick to a limit of a glass of wine a day (if you’re a woman) or two glasses if you’re a man. D.K.

heavysauce wrote: Milligrams and ounces and calories, oh my!

dirtdog371 wrote: Confused? How could one not be. One week we are reading something is good for us and then the next it could cause cancer.

frenzee77 wrote: All I got from that was that I can drink more than my wife. Sweet!

Tai chi could boost quality of life for heart patients

Researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital recruited 100 heart failure patients for a 12-week tai chi exercise program consisting of one-hour classes twice a week. A control group received educational materials on managing heart failure.

At the end of the study, the tai chi participants experienced an improvement in mood, less depression, less fatigue, and more energy compared to the control group. While they didn’t improve their fitness level any more than the control group, they were more likely to continue some physical activity after the study ended. D.K.

FredQuimby wrote: Low impact exercise, balance and meditation is good for you? I’m shocked!

Plutarch wrote: I’m sorry a 12 week study as definitive is moronic. It will take that long to develop a BASIC! understanding of a few of the movements.