As a new mom, I worried. I fretted. I questioned every newborn noise my son made and the timing of every milestone he met. It was eight years ago, but I still remember it so clearly. The pediatrician grew to expect a litany of questions at every appointment. The thoughts and concerns consumed me to the point where I was surely missing out on some of motherhood’s sweetest joys.
When my son turned 15 months old and still wasn’t walking (or crawling), the nagging voice in the back of my mind grew louder. Was there anything to worry about? I was used to Googling the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children aged six months, 10 months, a year… looking for any sign in my son. I knew it was a spectrum, and I knew it was always a possibility, as 1 in 31 children have been diagnosed with the neurodevelopmental disorder. It’s not entirely uncommon, especially in boys. We sought early intervention and physical therapy for his gross motor skills through Early Steps — and although my son was finally walking two months later, the questions persisted.
When his little brother was born, I started to relax. It was never a concern for my oldest’s doctor or his teachers, so why should I be worried? My son has since grown out of those behavioral quirks that initially had me curious. But what if there had been a way to get answers sooner? Or at least ease some of my autism-related anxiety? I surely would have been able to enjoy those milestones a little more had I not been questioning them so much. Enter ClearStrand-ASD.
What Is ClearStrand-ASD?
ClearStrand-ASD is the first and only objective laboratory test that can help healthcare providers rule out autism in children less than 3 years old, using just a strand of hair. The non-invasive test can detect a biomarker in children 1 month through 36 months of age that is associated with autism by analyzing hundreds of points along a strand of hair to assess the likelihood of ASD. It is not a genetic test.
When the ClearStrand-ASD result is negative, and the biomarker is not detected, the child is unlikely to be on the autism spectrum. If the result is non-negative and autism cannot be ruled out, your child’s healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for further evaluation. This gives parents the opportunity to plan the next steps (and intervention if needed) for their child earlier than ever before.
After years of research, ClearStrand-ASD was developed by Dr. Manish Arora, Harvard-trained and professor at Mount Sinai Medical School of Medicine, to help families get answers sooner and take action earlier, using advanced technology to detect patterns commonly seen in children on the autism spectrum.
Early Detection Matters
Children who are born prematurely are 2.5 times more likely to be on the autism spectrum compared with full-term births, and those with a sibling with ASD are 8 to 10 times more likely to be on the spectrum. The risk also increases for children born to fathers who are older than 45 years of age.
As far as those nagging questions in the back of my mind? The first indication of autism might be that a child is not achieving developmental milestones at the same age as neurotypical children — in our case, such as walking — along with difficulties with communication and social interactions beyond what would be expected for their age, as well as repetitive behaviors or restricted interests. When he was first learning to talk, my son went through a period of repeating things I said, leading me down a rabbit hole of learning about echolalia, which is a common characteristic of ASD. This behavior dissipated over time, but had I been able to test, I may have worried less.
While ClearStrand-ASD doesn’t replace a clinical diagnosis, it can help flag children who may be at a higher likelihood of autism, so parents can take the next steps sooner. If the test comes back non-negative, further evaluations can be done. Though a diagnosis of autism can be made as early as 14 to 18 months of age, waitlists for evaluations can be long, leaving families feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Even then, diagnoses are based purely on subjective observations of symptoms.
Here’s the truth: Early identification of ASD — even the possibility of it — can make a world of difference. Research shows that early intervention (especially before age 3) can dramatically improve a child’s social skills, communication, and learning outcomes. But the challenge is that most children don’t get an official autism diagnosis until around age 4 or later. That’s years of precious time when interventions could have already started. For this reason, early detection and early intervention are so important!
The science-backed ClearStrand-ASD offers peace of mind and empowers families with early, objective information.
A Special Promotion for Jacksonville Moms
ClearStrand-ASD is now offered at a special price in honor of Autism Awareness Month — $499 instead of $749. Jacksonville Moms get an additional $50 off with code JACKSONMOM (enter the code during checkout).
Learn more here — ClearStrand-ASD can be ordered by a healthcare provider.
