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Declining Gaze to Faces in Infants Developing Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From Two Independent Cohorts

Devon N Gangi1, Sofie Boterberg2, Amy J Schwichtenberg3

  • 1University of California, Davis.

Child Development
|February 22, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Most children later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) showed declining face-gaze patterns from 6 to 36 months. This trajectory-based finding may enable earlier identification and intervention for ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental psychology
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Pediatric medicine

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis often occurs after symptom onset.
  • Early identification of ASD is crucial for effective intervention.
  • Retrospective studies may underestimate the prevalence of early developmental declines in ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively examine gaze patterns to adult faces in infants at high and low risk for ASD.
  • To identify early behavioral markers associated with ASD development.
  • To explore the utility of trajectory-based analysis for early ASD detection.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective follow-up of two independent infant cohorts (N=155, N=126) from 6 to 36 months.
  • Gaze to adult faces was coded during developmental assessments and play interactions.
  • Children were diagnosed with ASD (n=46) at 36 months based on established criteria.

Main Results:

  • Infants who later received an ASD diagnosis exhibited significant declines in face-gaze over time compared to neurotypical peers.
  • These declining trajectories were observed across both independent cohorts.
  • The rate of decline in face-gaze was a distinguishing feature between children who developed ASD and those who did not.

Conclusions:

  • Declining developmental trajectories, particularly in social attention, may be a common early indicator of ASD.
  • Prospective, trajectory-based screening could identify children in the early stages of ASD symptom onset.
  • Early identification facilitates timely intervention, potentially mitigating the full development of ASD.

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