BY KIMBERLY ESKIN

NEWSJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Autism is a disorder of the brain affecting one in 88 American children according to CBS News and over 500,000 in the United Kingdom, according to BBC News.

However, it is no ordinary brain disorder; rather, it is a spectrum disorder. This means the condition varies by case and affects people in a variety of ways. Those with the illness generally have issues with socializing and communicating. According to BBC News, autism, because it is difficult to diagnose, can sometimes remain undetected for an extensive period.

However, a recent study conducted at Boston Children’s Hospital provides hope for earlier detection of autism. CBS News reports that the study, which was published in the June 26 issue of BMC Medicine, found that an EEG (electroencephalogram), a type of medical test, might be capable of diagnosing 2-year-olds with autism. An EEG works by recording electrical brain activity via sensors stuck to a patient’s head. The test is typically used to detect medical conditions such as epilepsy, sleep disorders, and mental health issues.

According to Time, the study involved recording and comparing the EEG patterns of 430 children with autism and 554 without. It excluded those with high-functioning autism from participation and the children’s ages ranged from 2 to 12.