Diagnosing autism is a complex and often inexact science. However, new research shows two distinct genetic tests may help to identify, genetic mutation attributed to the autism condition. Researchers believed that this information can help parents identify if their next children will develop the same condition in the future and help parents create a more personalized treatment plan for the child with autism. In a study conducted on a group of 258 children with autism, more than 9% showed a result of a molecular diagnosis from “chromosomal microarray analysis,” or CMA and around 8% received from “whole-exome sequencing,” or WES. The two genetic tests results give clues as to why the children developed autism. The number might sound low to some, but according to Stephen Schercher (director of the Center for Applied Genomics at the Hospital for Sick Children) there are factors that affect autism and its development both in genetics and otherwise. He also added that parents would like to know why autism happens to their children, and now they can answer it clinically. He hopes that with these results ASD children can now be subdivided to receive targeted treatments.

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