Early language profiles in infants at high-risk for autism spectrum disorders
Kristelle Hudry1, Susie Chandler, Rachael Bedford
1Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia, k.hudry@latrobe.edu.au.
Insights
Infants at high risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) showed a reduced receptive language advantage by 14 months. This difference persisted in those later diagnosed with ASD or other atypicalities.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Language acquisition
Background:
- Preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit a language profile with a relative lack of receptive advantage over expressive language.
- Understanding the emergence of this profile is crucial for early identification and intervention.
- Longitudinal studies are needed to track language development trajectories in high-risk infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal emergence of language profiles in infants at high-risk (HR) for ASD.
- To compare language development between HR infants who develop ASD, other atypicalities, or typical development, and low-risk controls.
- To examine early language differences in receptive and expressive skills.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study involving 54 high-risk (HR) infants and 50 low-risk controls.
- Four language assessments were conducted at approximately 7, 14, 24, and 38 months of age.
- Language measures included direct assessments and parent-reported functional communication.
Main Results:
- HR infants showed a reduced receptive vocabulary advantage by 14 months compared to controls.
- This receptive language lag was maintained at 24 months only in HR infants who later developed ASD or other atypicalities.
- HR infants who developed typically regained a normative language profile, with no significant group differences in direct language assessments or functional communication.
Conclusions:
- Early language development trajectories differ significantly in high-risk infants based on their developmental outcome.
- A reduced receptive language advantage emerging by 14 months may be an early indicator for ASD or other developmental atypicalities.
- Further research into intermediate phenotypes and early developmental processes is warranted.
Abstract:
Many preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) present relative lack of receptive advantage over concurrent expressive language. Such profile emergence was investigated longitudinally in 54 infants at high-risk (HR) for ASD and 50 low-risk controls, with three language measures taken across four visits (around 7, 14, 24, 38 months). HR infants presented three outcome subgroups: ASD, other atypicality, and typical development. Reduced receptive vocabulary advantage was observed in HR infants by 14 months, but was maintained to 24 months only in ASD/other atypicality outcome subgroups while typically-developing HR infants regained a more normative profile. Few group differences appeared on a direct assessment of language and parent-reported functional communication. Processes of early development toward ASD outcome and in intermediate phenotypes are discussed.
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