Autism is slowly becoming popular as the most recent estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that about 1 in every 68 children are diagnosed with some level of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Seeing the rise, researchers have come up their newest approach in which they use new technologies to analyze brain chemistry, behavior and treatment models.

Dr. Roberto Tuchman, director of the Autism and Neurodevelopment Program at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, said in a statement that they are not treating autism spectrum disorders; they are treating the individual child who has the behaviors consistent with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. To do that, they are designing some specific treatments for that particular child.

As far as the diagnosis, there is no blood test or EKG or MRI which can confirm autism spectrum disorder. Due to which there are some concerns among professionals in the field as to whether the disorder is on the rise, or whether new technology and information have made it easier to identify symptoms.

Tuchman said, “We define ASD and diagnose it purely by behaviors even though it is a neurological problem. I explain to parents what the behaviors are and we come to a diagnosis together in a way”.

The use of diagnosis for ASD is to get appropriate educational and behavioral interventions that will help address those behaviors, he said.

Researchers like Dr. Lucina Q. Uddin use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to observe blood flow changes in the brains of autism spectrum disorder patients including children as young as seven.

Uddin has recently won a grant from the National Institutes of Health to observe brain dynamics, using new advances in neuroimaging, computer science and electrical engineering.