Head Growth Trajectories During the First Year of Life and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Growth and Development
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

• Atypical infant head circumference (HC), including macrocephaly and microcephaly, is associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Specific head growth trajectories linked to ASD remain poorly understood, necessitating further investigation into early developmental patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To delineate specific infant head circumference growth trajectories associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• To examine the relationship between head circumference growth patterns and height trajectories in infants.
• To identify early markers for ASD risk based on head growth patterns.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case-control study involving 262 children with ASD and 560 matched controls.
• Analysis of head circumference and height growth measures at multiple infant ages (1-12 months).
• Clustering of head circumference patterns and estimation of ASD associations using conditional logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Significant correlations between head circumference and height were observed throughout infancy, stronger in children with ASD.
• Consistently small or large head circumference percentiles showed the highest likelihood of ASD diagnosis.
• These associations were particularly pronounced in children with similar height growth trajectories, indicating potential physiological growth dysregulation.

Conclusions:

• Atypical head circumference growth in infancy is significantly associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Extreme head circumference percentiles, especially when coupled with similar height growth, are strong indicators of ASD risk.
• Infant head growth patterns may reflect broader physiological dysregulation relevant to ASD development.