Advanced tools for clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are characterized by impairments in social and communication development and are not diagnosed before the second or the third year of life. Early identification of children with ASDs is a critical aspect for the management and treatment of this clinical condition. The aim of this study was the development of a tool for the improvement of the early diagnosis. This paper describes the design and development of this system, which overcomes screening performed with qualitative methods, integrating, in one software a basic patient data record, an audio/video data acquisition system, an editor for the creation of customized tests, a reporting system and an environment for test compilation. Finally, the system also provides interfaces allowing the analysis of the audio signals, such as infant crying, and the perceptual analysis of movements.