r/science Professor | Medicine Jan 30 '25

Neuroscience A low-cost tool accurately distinguishes neurotypical children from children with autism just by watching them copy the dance moves of an on-screen avatar for a minute. It can even tell autism from ADHD, conditions that commonly overlap.

https://newatlas.com/adhd-autism/autism-motion-detection-diagnosis/
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u/K3u21 Jan 30 '25

New terms to me: Would that mean better imitation puts them in the ADHD and ASD diagnosis, or would worse imitation be the diagnosis?

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u/Stephen_Hero_Winter Jan 30 '25

The abstract says that kids with ASD performed worse at imitation, while ADHD and neurotypicals performed equally well.

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u/[deleted] Jan 30 '25

I cannot square dance for the life of me. Now i am diagnosed.

1

u/WonderfulShelter Jan 30 '25

I sucked at learning to dance in middle school. Foxtrot.. square dance.. I sucked!

I was pretty good at awkwardly dancing in a circle at actual dances though to inappropriate rap music for middle schoolers...