Autism and developmental delay: a comparative clinical study in very young children using IBSE scale
Hugues Desombre1, Joelle Malvy, Sylvie Roux
1Unité de Psychopathologie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent Dépt. de Pédiatrie, Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Place d'Arsonval, 69437, Lyon Cedex 03, France. hugues.desombre@chu-lyon.fr
Insights
Early autistic disorder (AD) symptoms differ from developmental delay (DD) in young children. Cognitive delay significantly impacts early autism symptom presentation and diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Understanding early autistic symptomatology is crucial for timely intervention.
- Distinguishing between autistic disorder (AD) and developmental delay (DD) in infants presents diagnostic challenges.
- The influence of cognitive delay on the manifestation of early autism symptoms requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify significant behavioral differences between children with AD and DD.
- To explore the impact of cognitive delay on the symptomatology of early autism.
- To enhance knowledge regarding early autism diagnosis in infants.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of two groups: 20 children with AD and 20 with DD, aged 7-42 months.
- Groups were matched for chronological and developmental age.
- Subgroup analysis based on age (<24 months vs. >24 months) and global development quotient (GDQ).
- Evaluation using the Infant Behavior Summarized Evaluation (IBSE) scale.
Main Results:
- Younger children (<24 months) with AD showed significant differences in social communication and environmental adaptation (e.g., intolerance to frustration).
- Older children (>24 months) exhibited a rapid increase in distinct signs differentiating AD from DD.
- Age and developmental level influenced the progression of observable symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive delay plays a significant role in the observable symptomatology of early autism.
- Findings contribute to a better understanding of the nature of autism spectrum disorder in early development.
- This research aids in the early diagnosis of autism-specific disorders during infancy.
Objective:
This study improves the knowledge of early autistic symptomatology and research concerning (i) the significant differences in the behaviors of children with autistic disorder (AD) and children with a developmental delay (DD), and (ii) the influence of the cognitive delay on symptomatology.
Method:
Two groups of 20 young children (7-42 months) were compared: children with AD, and those with DD. The groups were paired by chronological and developmental age. The comparison was extended to four subgroups composed according to age (younger and older children--<24 months, >24 months) and to the global development quotient (GDQ) (the more and less delayed). Each child was evaluated with the Infant Behavior Summarized Evaluation scale (IBSE).
Results:
For the younger AD children, significant differences affected social communication and their adaptation to the environment (intolerance to frustration, resistance to change). For the older children (>24 months), this study showed the rapid progression of the number of distinctive signs between AD and DD children according to age and/or developmental level.
Conclusions:
Cognitive delay has an important influence on the symptomatology at the moment of initial recognition of an autistic syndrome. This study is a complement for the fuller understanding of the nature and early diagnosis of disorders specific to autism at the earliest phases of development.
