Infants who do not like to look at faces may be at higher risk for autism, according to a new study from Kennedy Krieger Institute and the University of Delaware.
Researchers studied 25 six-month-old babies whose older siblings have autism syndrome, and compared them with a control group of 25 infants from families with no such medical histories.
The high-risk babies spent less time looking at their caretakers and more time focused on toys.
The author of the study, Rebecca Landa, said a lack of interest in people's faces is "a subtle difference that could easily be overlooked by parents and some professionals."
The study appears in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Posted By: Jane St. Clair
