Brain scans detecting a sound processing delay common in children with autism could lead to earlier diagnosis of the developmental disorder, researchers said Friday.

In a study of children with and without autism, researchers monitored brain activity while the children listened to various sounds. They found that it took children with autism an average of 11 milliseconds longer for their brains to respond, researchers report online Friday in the journal Autism Research.

“This delayed response suggests that the auditory system may be slower to develop and mature in children with ASDs,” said study leader Timothy Roberts of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “An 11-millisecond delay is brief, but it means, for instance, that a child with ASD, on hearing the word ‘elephant’ is still processing the ‘el’ sound while other children have moved on.”

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