Researchers at the Karolinska Institute have developed an AI model that, based on relatively limited information, appears to be able to identify small children with autism with 80 percent accuracy.
The hope is that it can provide much better opportunities to identify children with autism early in life – which is important for getting the right help, according to Kristiina Tammimies, who led the study.
If families and preschools get understanding and can make adjustments at an early age, it can make a big difference, she says.
Few "false" diagnoses
The AI model is based primarily on parameters that can be obtained relatively easily before the age of two, such as age at first smile and first short sentence.
The model was trained using an American database with information on thousands of individuals with and without autism spectrum disorders, and was then tested on 12,000 individuals.
We are very pleased with the accuracy, and especially that the proportion of "false" autism diagnoses was low, since such can create unnecessary anxiety, says Kristiina Tammimies.
Mostly, the model was good at identifying children with greater difficulties, such as social interaction, but worse at identifying those with milder symptoms.
Use at Child Health Centers
The idea is to develop a tool that can be used, for example, at Child Health Centers if parents or preschools suspect autism. But it should not replace a clinical investigation.
The hope is to give healthcare professionals a tool that provides a more secure assessment, says Tammimies.
A lot of work remains before the model can be put into use, including developing a tool that is easy to use in healthcare. The researchers are also working on including genetic information to increase accuracy.
The study is presented in the journal Jama Open Network.
Hanna Odelfors/TT
Facts: Autism
TT
1-2 percent of the Swedish population has an autism diagnosis, and the number of diagnoses has increased significantly in recent years. More boys than girls have the diagnosis.
Autism involves difficulties in interacting and communicating with others, as well as limited and repetitive patterns in behavior, interests, and activities. Most people with autism have average intelligence.
Autism debuts in early childhood but is often noticed later.
Source: Autismforum
