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Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism
09:03

Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism

Published on: March 27, 2012

Course of autism signs in the first year of life

S Maestro1, F Muratori, A Cesari

  • 1Division of Child Neuropsychiatry, Scientific Institute Stella Maris, Pisa University, Pisa, Italy.

Psychopathology
|February 26, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Most children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show symptoms within the first year of life. Early identification of these patterns is crucial for timely intervention and support.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often present from birth, but onset patterns vary.
  • Lack of clear criteria hinders differentiation between early-onset and regressive ASD.
  • Understanding early symptom presentation is vital for diagnosis and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the onset time, type, frequency, and stability of ASD symptoms in the first year of life.
  • To identify typical early behavioral patterns in infants later diagnosed with ASD.
  • To inform early diagnosis and treatment strategies for ASD.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 40 home movies of children diagnosed with ASD using a behavioral summarized evaluation scale.
  • Retrospective assessment of early developmental and behavioral patterns.
  • Identification of symptom clusters and their prevalence in the first year.

Main Results:

  • 87.5% of children with ASD exhibited symptoms within the first year of life.
  • Only 12.5% of subjects were symptom-free in their first year.
  • A characteristic pattern emerged: social withdrawal, poor social initiative, hypoactivity, and atypical emotional modulation.

Conclusions:

  • Early identification of ASD symptoms in the first year is possible and common.
  • A distinct pattern of early symptoms suggests specific developmental trajectories.
  • Findings support the importance of early screening and intervention for ASD.

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