Male Speaker: 25 years ago, 1 in 2000 children was diagnosed with Autism. Today its 1 in 150 which means this year 24,000 American kids will be added to those stats. There is no cure but we know the earlier the diagnosis the better the chance existing therapies will work. New research and tools are helping parents answer the question could my child have autism. Female Speaker: Put a red one in. Male Speaker: At first glances Nicholas Voss looks like any other child of his age. But early one his mother saw something different about his behavior. Stefanie Voss: I would ask teachers, I would ask day care workers, I would ask friends and you know something wrong, is that normal. Male Speaker: A few months after this evaluation, Nicholas was diagnosed with Autism. Female Speaker: This is an early red flag of autism spectrum because he has got such a keen interest in trying to make the bowel toddle. Stefanie Voss: In the case of my son, he spun objects. I had of no idea that spinning an object means red flag autism. Male Speaker: There are other early clues, such as difficulties with social interaction. Problem with verbal and non-verbal communication. Non seeking cuddling. And repetitive behaviors like rocking or hand flapping. This clip is part of a video glossary available at autismspeaks.org. Designed to help parents to see the difference between typical behavior and behaviors that can signal autism. Amy Wetherby: What we hope it will do is help them, know other those are behaviors that they need to be worried about and that they need to seek professional information about. Male Speaker: Early diagnosis and intervention helps Nicholas. Female Speaker: I saw the dramatic changes as you know we worked and continued to work hard and improved. And the ways to make that earlier diagnosis are multiply. Ami Klin: I hope as that we continue to lower the age of diagnosis to point and time in which we can intervene and capitalize on brain plasticity that we see in children at first two years of life. Male Speaker: Researches at Yale look for clues using eye tracking data collected for young children watch videos. Our much likely it’s a look at other people’s eyes and decide for the world does it work. A two years old, if autism were more likely to focus on those individuals mouth. Male Speaker 1: This is the sack, the abdominal cavity that the baby would have been in. Male Speaker: Can autism be diagnosed at birth by examining a baby’s placenta. Harvey Kliman: They were basically what I call FLPs funny looking placentas. Male Speaker: Microscopic hole in the placenta indicates something abnormal. Harvey Kliman: It turns out the brains of children with autism also have these abnormal holes. So might be that the very same biology that regulates the abnormal holes in the placenta is regulating the abnormal faults in the brain. Male Speaker: Doctors may eventually be able to catch problems before birth. For now the best hope is finding autism early, when the therapy has the best chance. Stefanie Voss: He is talking and he is smart and he is lovable and he is affection and he is all the things that I want to red who might never be.