Free Republic

Meghan Puglia, a neurologist at the University of Virginia, is working to detect autism in babies much earlier. Her goal is to help children with autism achieve optimal outcomes through earlier diagnosis. “We know early intervention is the strongest predictor of optimal outcomes for kids with autism,” Puglia said. Right now, she says the earliest age that autism can be diagnosed is at 18 months. “All babies, before they leave the hospital, get a hearing screening and metabolic tests. There is no screening for autism until the baby is toddling around and starting to talk,” Puglia said. Each week, Puglia...