By Steven Reinberg FRIDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- In
children as young as 6 months old, changes in the brain that can
lead to autism spectrum disorder may have already begun,
preliminary research suggests. Although early signs of autism,
such as problems communicating and repetitive behaviors, can
often be seen as early as 1 year, processes in the brain linked
to communication are seemingly being altered months earlier,
University of North Carolina researchers report. "We know that
there is evidence that autism affects the ability of different
brain regions to communicate with each other. This study
confirms that this atypical brain development begins very early
in life," said study co-author Geri Dawson, the chief science
officer at Autism Speaks. "These findings raise the possibility
of developing imaging markers that could detect risk for autism
in advance of actual symptoms, and [to] begin treatment before
symptoms begin," she said. However, whether these brain changes
occur in all autistic children