The important thing is to seek medical help if a child exhibits persistent unusual behavior, to either rule out autism or get an early diagnosis, says Alison Singer of Autism Speaks.

Adds Wetherby, "We now know that one out of 150 children has autism, or one out of 94 boys. It's not a rare disability. We also know that early intervention is critical."

The site is available to the public on the Autism Speaks Website (www.autismspeaks.org).

Several autism specialists who reviewed it called it an unusually helpful tool for parents and doctors.

"The moving pictures speak a million words," says Dr Edwin Cook, an autism researcher and educator at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"Not only do I see this as useful for the general public and for parents who might be wondering ... but I will frankly be using it for education" and training, Cook says. He has received research funding from Autism Speaks but has no connection to the new site.

Stefanie Voss of Tallahassee, Florida, said it will be a great tool "for parents who are in the situation I faced three years ago, which is, 'I'm not sure if something's wrong with my child'."

She asked her pediatrician about her son Nicholas when he was 14 months old and was told he did not show "the classic signs" of autism, she says.

"He did smile and have eye contact, but what I've learned since is those aren't the only red flags," Voss said.

Nicholas did not point, wave, or demonstrate any other nonverbal communication. He also spent hours opening and closing cabinet doors or spinning plastic bowls on the floor.

She eventually took him to Florida state where he was diagnosed at the age of 17 months and intervention began. Nicholas is featured in a video on the site.

With speech lessons, physical therapy and behavior training several hours daily, he is now affectionate, social, talking, walking and in preschool.

"It shows you that all your hard work and early intervention pays off," Voss says.

Florida State University Center for Autism and Related Disorders: http://autism.fsu.edu/

(Shanghai Daily January 6, 2009)