UCLA Health researchers are trying to develop a new wearable technology to capture one of the early but often overlooked signs of autism and other developmental conditions in infants.
Supported by a $3.1 million grant from the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, the five-year research project will test wearable sensors such as small fitness trackers to monitor children’s activities in its first year.
Early identification and intervention are the two most important factors for optimal developmental outcomes in autistic individuals, yet early identification in autism remains a major challenge, despite the fact that we know that people who have autism have changes in their brains even before birth. “Our team aims to improve early detection by developing robust clinical predictors of autism that are scalable to home and clinic.”
Dr. Rujuta Wilson, principal investigator of the study and pediatrician at UCLA Health
Motor concerns, such as difficulty coordinating movements or holding objects, are one of the early signs that a child may have autism. Although these motor difficulties are as common, if not more common, than verbal language difficulties in children with autism, studies have shown that for various reasons, they are significantly underrecognized and undertreated, even by pediatric neurologists. Routine screening often only tests basic movement such as sitting or crawling, which can miss more subtle movement issues that may point to autism.
Wilson said that if left untreated, these movement difficulties can persist, causing serious problems on a child’s ability to explore their surroundings, engage socially and develop language and communication skills as they age.
“Catching these movement issues as early as possible in a child’s life is important to help physicians know who to monitor more closely and ensure referral for earlier intervention that can improve their functional abilities, independence and well-being for the rest of their lives,” Wilson said.
The new study will recruit about 120 infants who have an increased chance of developing autism because their older siblings suffer from autism spectrum disorders. Wearable sensors will be placed on infants’ wrists and ankles in comfortable arm and leg warmers to capture data on how infants move around their homes from 3 months to 12 months of age, assessed at three-month intervals. Researchers will also conduct behavioral assessments at each time point and assess for autism spectrum disorder and other developmental conditions at 12 months and 24 months of age.
Additionally, infants could be in their homes at most time points to increase access to the study for a larger range of families. Families will be provided with verbal and written feedback on their babies’ development and can discuss any concerns they have with Dr Wilson and the expert study team.
The new study will build on earlier UCLA research from Wilson’s lab, which has already shown promising metrics of infant movement variability are highly predictive of later autism diagnosis.
“We are really excited to advance this work in collaboration with the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke “To validate these metrics, use machine learning methods to develop a battery of movement metrics that aid in early prediction of developmental concerns, and investigate how we can use these measures in general well-child visits,” Wilson said. “Achieving these goals will allow us to improve early monitoring and referral to appropriate interventions.”
The study recently began in January and will conclude in December 2030.
