Researchers from the University of California Davis, Sacramento, spent two years monitoring a high-risk group of children whose older siblings had autism against a control group. Three-quarters of the babies who did not respond to their name at 12 months were identified with developmental problems at the age of two years. Ninety-four per cent of those who had no developmental delays at two years had passed the 'name test', compared with only 50 per cent who were later diagnosed with autism.
Autism spectrum disorder is usually not diagnosed until children are three or four years old, although half of parents of children with the disorder report concerns about their child's development before their first birthday. The 'name test' could possibly enable the condition to be identified earlier and improve outcomes for children.
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