[Source:  Disability Scoop]

Babies who have trouble falling asleep might later be diagnosed with autism, a new study suggests.

In a study led by the University of Washington and published recently in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers found that “sleep problems in a baby’s first 12 months may not only precede an autism diagnosis, but also may be associated with altered growth trajectory in a key part of the brain, the hippocampus.”

“The hippocampus is critical for learning and memory, and changes in the size of the hippocampus have been associated with poor sleep in adults and older children. However, this is the first study we are aware of to find an association in infants as young as 6 months of age,” lead author Kate MacDuffie, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington Autism Center, said.

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