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Early Developmental Signs in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results from the Japan Environment and

Hideki Shimomura1, Hideki Hasunuma2,3, Sachi Tokunaga1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya 663-8501, Japan.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 21, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may appear as early as 6 months. Low scores in communication and fine motor skills at 6 months are linked to later ASD diagnosis, aiding early intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Early Childhood Development

Background:

  • Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a significant early childhood developmental disability.
  • Early identification and intervention are crucial for children with ASD and their families.
  • Identifying the earliest indicators of ASD is essential for timely support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the earliest signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • To examine the predictive value of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) in early childhood for ASD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, including 104,062 fetal records.
  • Analyzed Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3) scores from 64,501 children at 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years.
  • Assessed ASQ-3 domains: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social.

Main Results:

  • A low ASQ-3 score in the communication domain at 6 months showed the highest relative risk (RR 1.90) for ASD diagnosis at 3 years.
  • The fine motor domain at 6 months also indicated increased risk (RR 1.50) for ASD.
  • A significant association was found between communication scores at 6 months and later ASD diagnosis.

Conclusions:

  • The ASQ-3, particularly the communication domain at 6 months, can serve as an early screening tool for ASD.
  • Early identification of potential developmental delays using ASQ-3 at 6 months can facilitate timely intervention for ASD.
  • This study highlights the potential of routine developmental screenings for identifying children at risk for ASD.

Keywords:
ASQ-3autism spectrum disorderearly signs

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