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Patterns of skill attainment and loss in young children with autism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2013

Audrey Thurm ,
Stacy S. Manwaring ,
David A. Luckenbaugh ,
Catherine Lord  and
Susan E. Swedo
Audrey Thurm*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health
Stacy S. Manwaring
Affiliation:
University of Utah
David A. Luckenbaugh
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health
Catherine Lord
Affiliation:
Cornell University
Susan E. Swedo
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Audrey Thurm, Pediatrics & Developmental Neuroscience Branch, NIMH, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1255, Building 10, Room 1C250, Bethesda, MD 20892-1255; E-mail: [email protected].
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to extend the literature on the ontogeny of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by examining early attainment and loss of specific sociocommunicative skills in children with autism (AUT; n = 125), pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS; n = 42), nonspectrum developmental delays (n = 46), and typical development (n = 31). The ages of skill attainment and loss were obtained from a caregiver interview. The findings indicated that children with AUT, PDD-NOS, and developmental delays diverged from typically developing children in attainment of sociocommunicative skills early in the first year of life. Loss of at least one skill was reported in a majority of children with AUT and PDD-NOS. Significant delays in attainment of skills were also reported in children who lost skills. The wide variation in skill attainment and loss reported across children indicates that symptom onset and regression may be best represented continuously, with at least some early delay and loss present for a great majority of children with ASD.

Type
Regular Articles
Information
Development and Psychopathology , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , February 2014 , pp. 203 - 214
Creative Commons
This is a work of the US Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States.
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013.

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