Is a blood test for Autism on the horizon?

Autism is a developmental disorder that causes impaired social interaction and communication and can also cause other behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and anxiety. While the current method for diagnosing Autism involves questionnaires as well as clinical observation, more precision in diagnosis may be available in the future.

CNN recently reported a study conducted at the University of Warwick and the University of Bologna specifically looking at the difference in proteins between individuals with and without autism. The researchers found that children with autism had greater protein damage in blood and urine samples compared to children without. While these results may  help facilitate a diagnosis of Autism in the future, researchers caution that there is still significant research to be done on the subject. 

Although we may still be a ways out from a specific blood test for autism, it’s exciting to see this type of research occurring with the hopes of developing more precision around the diagnosis of Autism. 

​- Danielle Lyon (pre-med; Northwest University) and Dr. Heugel (pediatrician; Seahurst Pediatrics)