Executive Summary
Current autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis relies heavily on subjective behavioral assessments that often delay identification until ages 3-5, missing critical early intervention windows. This white paper proposes implementing C-Reactive Protein (CRP) testing as a universal screening biomarker for ASD, based on emerging evidence linking systemic inflammation to autism pathophysiology.
Research has demonstrated that children with ASD exhibit significantly elevated hs-CRP levels (often exceeding 500 ng/mL compared to normal levels below 1.0 ng/mL), suggesting that inflammatory biomarkers could serve as objective, early screening tools. Combined with existing behavioral screening instruments like the M-CHAT, CRP testing could dramatically improve early detection rates and enable timely intervention.