Rutgers research that may eventually enable far earlier autism diagnoses shows that typically developing infants perceive audio-video synchrony better than high-risk for autism infants. If follow-up research demonstrates that most infants who miss unmatched audio and video develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD), physicians may be able to diagnose the condition years earlier — a potentially important step as early treatment strongly predicts better outcomes. “We’re a long way from validating this as a diagnostic tool, but the results definitely suggest it could be a diagnostic tool,” said Michael Lewis, University Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry and director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. To read the full story.