{"id":234883,"date":"2026-04-23T17:20:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T21:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/23\/can-wearable-technology-detect-the-earliest-signs-of-autism-in-infants-new-study-seeks-to-find-out\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T17:40:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T21:40:07","slug":"can-wearable-technology-detect-the-earliest-signs-of-autism-in-infants-new-study-seeks-to-find-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/23\/can-wearable-technology-detect-the-earliest-signs-of-autism-in-infants-new-study-seeks-to-find-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Can wearable technology detect the earliest signs of autism in infants? New study seeks to find out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can wearable technology detect the earliest signs of autism in infants? New study seeks to find out<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.newswise.com\/articles\/can-wearable-technology-detect-the-earliest-signs-of-autism-in-infants-new-study-seeks-to-find-out<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-04-23 17:20:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: www.newswise.com<\/a><\/p>\n

UCLA Health researchers are seeking to develop a new wearable technology to catch one of the earliest but often overlooked signs of autism and other developmental conditions in infants.<\/p>\n

Supported by a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, the five-year research project will test wearable sensors akin to tiny fitness trackers to monitor babies\u2019 movements in their first year.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly detection and intervention are the two most important factors for optimal developmental outcomes in autistic individuals, yet early identification remains a major challenge in autism, despite the fact that we know changes in the brain happen as early as prenatally in those who go on to have autism,\u201d said Dr. Rujuta Wilson, the study\u2019s lead investigator and pediatric neurologist at UCLA Health. \u201cOur team seeks to improve early identification by developing robust clinical predictors of autism that are scalable to the home and clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Motor concerns, such as difficulty in coordinating movements or grasping objects, are among the earliest signals that a child may have autism. While these motor difficulties are as common, if not more common, than verbal language difficulties in children with autism, studies have shown they are significantly underrecognized and undertreated, even by pediatric neurologists, for various reasons. Regular checkups often only test basic movement such as sitting up or crawling, which may overlook the more subtle movement issues that can point to autism.<\/p>\n

Wilson said these movement difficulties can persist if untreated, creating cascading issues on the child\u2019s ability to explore their surroundings, engage socially and develop language and communication skills as they age.<\/p>\n

\u201cCatching these movement issues as early as possible in a child\u2019s life is crucial to helping clinicians know who to monitor more closely and to ensure referral to earlier \u00a0\u00a0intervention that can improve their functional…<\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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