Hong Kong researchers create faecal test kit that can detect autism in toddlers

The test kit, which will be available by the end of this year, requires parents to collect a sample of their children’s stool in a bottle and mix it with certain chemicals.

According to statistics from the World Health Organization, 1 per cent of children are diagnosed with autism globally.

Ng said the stool test would accurately and rapidly predict early risks of autism, and while it targeted children under four years old, it could also be applied to those who were slightly older.

Professor Francis Chan Ka-leung said the test kit was an early, time-saving measure that would allow children at risk of autism to seek medical intervention as early as possible.

He added that the test could also help those dealing with suspected but unclear symptoms, allowing parents to ascertain whether their children were indeed suffering from autism-related symptoms.

“The test kit also allows young infants to be tested for the risk of autism. Parents no longer have to wait until they are five to to six to determine whether their child truly has autism or not,” Chan said.

The test kit will be made available for online purchase and at mental health clinics in the city. The cost of the test kit has not been disclosed but will be released closer to its roll out, according to the researchers.