Research has shown that early intervention for children with autism is linked to improved development, especially in language skills. A University of Texas at Dallas researcher is spearheading a nationwide effort to identify language and communication markers for autism in infants. The project team will also use brain imaging to identify and monitor potential biomarkers for autism and will develop speech intervention strategies for children’s caregivers. “Even though this is no longer part of the autism diagnostic criteria, a large part of the population has significant language struggles. “There are also limitations to the conventional ways of measuring language skills in a 2-year-old.