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Eye Tracking Young Children with Autism
Published on: March 27, 2012
Telemonitoring of children with risk indicators for Autism Spectrum Disorder: preliminary findings
Alessandra Pinheiro da Silva1, Ana Manhani Cáceres-Assenço1
1Programa Associado de Pós-graduação em Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN - Natal (RN), Brasil.
Insights
Parental guidance improved pragmatic skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk indicators. The study observed increased use of communicative acts and interactive functions post-intervention.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Children with clinical risk indicators for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require targeted interventions to support pragmatic skill development.
- Early intervention, particularly involving parental guidance, is crucial for enhancing communication in at-risk children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To monitor the development of pragmatic skills in children with clinical risk indicators for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- To evaluate the impact of an integrated parental guidance protocol on these skills before and after intervention.
Main Methods:
- A study involving seven families with children exhibiting clinical risk indicators for ASD.
- Intervention included structured interviews, parental guidance via virtual sessions, and reassessment of children's pragmatic skills.
- Statistical analysis focused on communicative space occupation, function use, and communicative means at baseline and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- No significant overall difference was found between the two evaluation moments.
- However, an increase in the use of communicative acts and more interactive communicative functions was observed.
Conclusions:
- Monitoring pragmatic skills suggests discrete evolution in children following the integrated parental guidance protocol.
- The protocol appears particularly effective in enhancing more interactive pragmatic skills in children at risk for ASD.
Purpose:
monitor the development of pragmatic skills in children with clinical risk indicators for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) before and after the application of an integrated parental guidance protocol.
Methods:
Seven families who had children with clinical risk indicators for autism spectrum disorder and were in the diagnostic process participated in this study. The study was divided into three moments: (1) structured interview with parents and assessment of children's pragmatic skills, (2) virtual sessions with guidance to parents related to the characteristics of the condition and skills that can be developed to favor their development, and (3) reassessment of children's pragmatic skills. Statistical analysis considered occupation of communicative space, use of functions and communicative means at ground zero and post-monitoring.
Results:
There was no significant difference between the two evaluation moments, but a greater number was observed in the use of communicative acts and more interactive communicative functions as an outcome.
Conclusion:
The monitoring of children's pragmatic skills suggests that they present discrete evolution, especially the more interactive ones, after the application of the integrated parental guidance protocol.
