Office of Speaker Dennis M. O’Brien

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

139 Main Capitol Building, Harrisburg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            CONTACT:  Bill Patton

                                                                                                                       717-787-4610

New studies show value of early autism diagnosis

HARRISBURG, Oct. 30 – Studies presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend screening all young children at least twice by age 2 for early signs of autism spectrum disorders.

House Speaker Dennis O’Brien said the new research supports previous findings that autism spectrum disorders become evident in children at an early age if parents and doctors know what signs to look for.

“Early diagnosis leads to better treatment outcomes and has the potential to save millions of dollars in treatment costs over a child’s lifetime,” O’Brien said. “More important, studies show that long-term quality of life for individuals living with autism and their families are tied to early diagnosis and effective treatment.

“It’s critical for pediatricians to get to know about these simple diagnostic techniques and to use them,” he said.

Some of the things to look for are a child's failure to respond to their name, make eye contact, or a failure to make babbling noises or point out objects.

”We are learning more about autism all the time and many of the breakthroughs are the work of scientists and medical researchers working in Pennsylvania,” O’Brien said. “The most exciting discoveries are those which confirm how treatable most forms of autism can be if it’s detected early in a child’s developmental years.”

The study on “Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders” was authored by Dr. Scott M. Myers, M.D., a neurodevelopmental pediatrician at the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital/Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa.

O’Brien urged any parents who have concerns about their child’s development to talk with their pediatrician about it. The findings reported today can be accessed at http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/oct07autism.htm.

O’Brien also noted that lack of insurance coverage is a reality facing many parents once a child has been diagnosed with autism. He is working for passage of autism insurance legislation (H.B. 1150) now in the state Senate.

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