Ep. 190: A Strand of Hope: Using Hair to Detect Autism

The road to an autism diagnosis can sometimes take years between a family's first concerns and a formal evaluation. In this episode, we explore the science behind a new hair-based biomarker screening tool in the early stages of development, and seek to understand what researchers hope it could one day offer as part of a larger clinical picture.

Our guest, David Elkin, PhD, a pediatric clinical psychologist and VP, Clinical Liaison & Advocacy at LinusBio, talks about how the tool works, what the current research suggests, and, importantly, what the tool cannot do. The test is designed to help clinicians rule out autism risk, not confirm a diagnosis, and it remains one of many steps in a comprehensive evaluation process.

This is a conversation about emerging science, the complexity of autism diagnosis, and the ongoing search for tools that can support, not replace, the clinicians who serve these families.

Watch the episode on YouTube.

Featuring: 
David Elkin, PhD, VP, Clinical Liaison and Advocacy, LinusBio

Host/Producer: Carol Vassar

Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. 

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