Parents like Loni Binstock, whose son Joshua was diagnosed at age three, believe that earlier access to such technology could have allowed for earlier intervention, significantly benefiting their child's development.

Early diagnosis of cerebral palsy is vital because it allows for earlier intervention, which is often more effective, contrasting with the traditional diagnosis age of around 19 months.

A new smartphone app called Baby Moves VIEW, developed by researchers at the University of Melbourne, is revolutionizing early screening for cerebral palsy by allowing parents to film their baby's movements at home.

The app enables parents to record videos of their infants during the critical 12-16 week window and securely send them to healthcare professionals for assessment, potentially reducing the diagnosis age from around 19 months to as early as 3 months.

By bypassing traditional hospital testing, Baby Moves VIEW aims to facilitate earlier detection and intervention, which is crucial because early diagnosis significantly improves treatment outcomes.

Cerebral palsy, affecting about 1 in 700 babies in Australia and especially common among premature infants, is a lifelong condition where early intervention can make a substantial difference.

The app has been successfully tested in over 20 international studies involving more than 10,000 families, supporting its effectiveness in early diagnosis and intervention.

It uses an AI algorithm to evaluate the quality of videos, ensuring recordings are suitable for assessment by checking factors like minimal crying and proper clothing.

Supported by certified assessors, the app facilitates General Movements Assessment, which can lead to faster diagnoses and earlier treatment initiation.

The team behind Baby Moves VIEW plans to commercialize the app after securing funding from Australia's Economic Accelerator program, aiming to improve early detection rates across the country.

The app is being co-designed with input from health professionals and parents, with a public release expected within two years and potential government funding to ensure universal access.

Researchers are also working on building a large dataset of videos to further train AI models for more accurate assessments.