Ability Center brings Cognoa's Canvas Dx to Saudi Arabia, giving families faster, more precise autism evaluations in early childhood
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognoa and The Ability Center today announced the exclusive availability in Saudi Arabia of Canvas Dx, the first ever FDA-authorized, AI-enabled pediatric autism diagnostic aid for children 18 to 72 months who have developmental delay concerns. Canvas Dx has shown strong performance in clinical trials and real-world studies, and is now offered at the Ability Center to help families reach clear answers sooner and begin targeted support earlier.
Canvas Dx supports clinicians in accurately diagnosing or ruling out autism, and goes further by producing a detailed, parent-friendly report that maps observed behaviors to DSM-5 criteria and highlights each child's developmental strengths and challenges. This represents a meaningful step forward in precision medicine for neurodevelopmental care.
"Families want clear answers and a clear plan. Having used Canvas Dx during my time at the Cleveland Clinic, I knew we could provide both," said Dr. Mohammed Aldosari, Consultant Pediatric Neurologist and Chief Executive Officer of Ability Center, former Director of the Center for Pediatric Neurosciences at Cleveland Clinic. "The platform delivers transparent, evidence-based results and a detailed clinical profile that helps our team tailor next steps for each child."
"We're proud to support the use of Canvas Dx at Ability Center," said Raneem Alangari, Clinical Psychologist at Ability Center. "Based on our clinical experience, the platform is smooth, efficient, and easy for both clinicians and families to use. It's also well-suited for remote assessment when appropriate. The combination of FDA authorization and strong real-world evidence builds clinician confidence, while families benefit from faster diagnostic clarity."
"Our goal is to help children everywhere, no matter where a family lives. By partnering with Ability Center we are now able to help children in Saudi Arabia and surrounding countries as well as expand access for primarily Arabic–speaking families in the US," said Dr. Sharief Taraman, CEO of Cognoa. "Too many children around the world still wait years for answers that can be answered today, with earlier diagnosis and therapy, over a third of these children improve so much that they will no longer meet diagnostic criteria of having clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning by early school age."
Why earlier answers matter
Multiple studies show that when developmental delay is present, earlier diagnosis and targeted intervention can improve language, learning, adaptive skills, and long-term outcomes. By helping primary care and developmental clinicians reach diagnostic clarity in weeks rather than many months, Canvas Dx supports timely entry into services during the years when the brain is most responsive to therapy.
How Canvas Dx works
- A clinician identifies developmental concerns and prescribes Canvas Dx.
- Caregivers use a secure smartphone app to answer brief questionnaires and capture short videos of natural interaction.
- Trained clinical analysts review video inputs, and the clinician completes a short clinical questionnaire.
- The device analyzes all inputs and returns a Positive, Negative, or Indeterminate output.
- The clinician reviews the result and the DSM-5 mapped report, discusses findings with the family, and sets a personalized plan.
Who is eligible
Families with children 18 to 72 months who have developmental delay concerns can inquire about Canvas Dx at the Ability Center. Services are available in English and Arabic.
Availability
Canvas Dx is exclusively available in the Kingdom at the Ability Center. To learn more or to schedule an appointment:
Phone: SA +966 55 072 4770
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.abilitycenter.sa
*SFDA approval pending
About the Ability Center
Ability Center is a specialized rehabilitation center for neurodiverse children. We provide integrated therapeutic programs led by a highly qualified team of Saudi specialists and supervised by Dr. Mohammed Aldosari, Consultant Pediatric Neurologist.
We believe every child has unique abilities worth discovering and nurturing. That's why we design individualized treatment plans that support each child in reaching their full potential with confidence, independence, and a sense of accomplishment.
About Cognoa
Cognoa is a pediatric behavioral health company that develops AI-enabled solutions to support earlier, more accessible evaluations for neurodevelopmental conditions. Canvas Dx is US FDA authorized as a diagnostic aid for autism in children 18 to 72 months and is designed for use in both primary care and specialty settings.
Media Contact
Kate Schoenstadt (on behalf of Cognoa)
[email protected]
US: +1 917 724 2604
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