New approaches to the diagnosis of autism.

Objectives: Within the last decade there has been growing emphasis on early diagnosis of autism. It has been proved, that early diagnosis of autism followed by an appropriate intensive intervention lead to the reduction of autistic psychopathology and significant improvement of the child's prognosis. Efforts to identify children at risk of autism as early as possible resulted in the development of many screening tools and some new diagnostic methods that could be used even before the age of two years. Despite many attempts of the researchers worldwide, we still lack general agreement on the optimal screening method. Abnormal sensory symptoms have a specific position among the early signs of autism. Difficulties with sensory processing have been associated with autism since it was first defined as a diagnosis; nevertheless evaluation of sensory symptoms is under-represented in autism screening tools. There has been a long lasting debate whether sensory symptoms are a component of core autistic deficits or a co-morbid phenomenon, however, new version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) has already included sensory dysfunction among the diagnostic criteria of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Methods: Over 90% of children with autism have sensory abnormalities and present with..