Deviations from Typical Developmental Trajectories Detectable at 9 Months of Age in Low Risk Children Later Diagnosed...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Pediatrics
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Early Childhood Intervention

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
• Early identification and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes in children with ASD.
• Routine Well Care checkups offer opportunities for developmental screening.

Purpose of the Study:

• To track the developmental trajectory of infants later diagnosed with ASD during the first 24 months of life.
• To identify early deviations in developmental milestones during routine Well Care checkups.
• To compare developmental achievements of infants with ASD to typically developing children and those with other developmental impairments.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal study of 335 low-risk infants.
• Tracking developmental milestones during the first 24 months of life.
• Comparison with typically developing children and children with non-autistic developmental impairments.

Main Results:

• Infants later diagnosed with ASD showed normal milestone acquisition in the first 6 months.
• By 9 months of age, infants with ASD began to show delays in language/communication and motor skills.
• These delays were significant when compared to both typically developing and non-autistic delayed children.

Conclusions:

• Routine Well Care checkups can be effective in identifying early signs of developmental delay in infants.
• Failure to achieve specific milestones by 9 months may indicate a need for further ASD evaluation.
• Earlier detection through regular checkups can facilitate timely referral for diagnosis and treatment.