Eye-tracking Tech Helps Identify Children on the Autism Spectrum
Out of West Palm Beach, there’s news of EarliPoint technology, a device that uses eye-tracking technology to help pinpoint if a child as young as 16 months is on the autism spectrum. A typical diagnosis can come as late as five years old.
The new device eliminates any chance of discrimination and allows a non-biased evaluation. EarliPoint, approved by the FDA, tracks a child’s eye movements while they watch other kids socialize. Children with autism might appear more interested in hand gestures rather than the human who’s making them or in objects like jewelry.
The EarliPoint Evaluation allows healthcare professionals to see that a young child’s brain processes information differently, alerting them to future developmental and behavioral delays. With it, clinicians can diagnose for autism spectrum disorder in children as young as 16 months.
The test takes 15 minutes, compared with available testing, which takes approximately an hour. The Els Center in South Florida is the first to use the diagnostic device and one of only a handful of clinical centers in the country to have it.
The test allows kids to have earlier intervention during their formative years.
