According to a study conducted by Rutgers University researchers, a standard hearing test given to newborn babies might be used as a screening test for neurodevelopmental differences such as autism.
The study found that newborns who were subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had substantial delays in their brainstem sound responses when compared to their peers.
These delayed reactions may impair newborns’ ability to process sounds with other sensory information, leading to communication and language impairments. This research opens the door to developing a universal screening test for neurodevelopmental disorders, which might lead to more targeted therapies.
The waveforms were standardized by the research team to avoid anatomical variations as a potential cause of inconsistency. The researchers next analyzed the waveforms of newborns eventually diagnosed with ASD in a control group of babies.
Infants diagnosed with ASD have consistently delayed reactions to clicking and restricted access to the frequency range.
Researchers can better treat the processing of sensory signals within the ranges and timeframes that correspond to neurotypical individuals by discovering these disparities early on, promoting communication and data processing between the two systems.