A tool that diagnoses autism spectrum disorders (ASD) identifies autism risk in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) earlier than ever before possible.

TSC causes malformations and tumors in the brain and other vital organs. Children with TSC are more likely to have ASD.

A study published online in Pediatric Neurology evaluated 79 children up to 24 months old, all of whom had TSC. Researchers administered the Autism Observation Scale for Infants at 12 months of age, examining activities including visual tracking and response to facial emotion. They followed this with the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 at 24 months.

Infants at greater risk of ASD scored significantly higher at 12 months than the non-ASD group, says Jamie Capal, MD, lead author, Division of Neurology, “demonstrating that it is a useful clinical tool in determining which infants with TSC are at increased risk of developing ASD.”