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Normal and deviant behavior in blind children with ROP
1Department for Education, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Insights
Congenitally blind children with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may show autistic traits. A specific pattern of unresponsiveness and stereotypic object manipulation between 12-30 months can help distinguish autistic from non-autistic blind children.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Pediatric ophthalmology
- Autism spectrum disorder research
Background:
- Congenitally blind children, particularly those with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), face an elevated risk for developing autistic traits.
- Existing behavioral screening tools lack the specificity needed to accurately identify at-risk blind children, as typical autism symptoms overlap with those of non-autistic blind children.
- Early identification of specific behavioral markers is crucial for timely intervention in this vulnerable population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify early behavioral patterns that differentiate autistic from non-autistic congenitally blind children with ROP.
- To assess the diagnostic value of developmental delays versus specific behavioral patterns in screening for autism in blind children.
- To propose a potential risk behavior pattern for further investigation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of developmental data, parental reports, and video recordings of congenitally blind children with ROP.
- Comparison of behavioral observations between children diagnosed with autism and those without autistic disturbance.
- Longitudinal observation of behavioral patterns emerging between 12 and 30 months of age.
Main Results:
- General developmental delays were found to be non-specific for screening the at-risk group.
- A distinct behavioral pattern characterized by unresponsiveness and stereotypic object manipulation was identified in autistic blind children.
- This specific pattern emerged between 12 and 30 months, differentiating autistic from non-autistic subjects.
Conclusions:
- Developmental delay observations are insufficient for accurately screening autistic traits in blind children with ROP.
- A specific behavioral pattern of unresponsiveness and stereotypic object manipulation presents a potential early risk indicator for autism in this population.
- Further prospective studies are required to validate this identified risk behavior pattern and its predictive value.
Abstract:
Congenitally blind children, especially with ROP, are at risk for developing autistic traits. Early behavior risk screening would be of value, but no instruments with acceptable specificity are available. Traditional behavioral symptoms of infantile autism also characterize blind children without autistic disturbance. This report attempts at identifying early behavior patterns that distinguish autistic from non-autistic blind children with ROP. Developmental data, parents' reports, and video-recordings are analyzed. It is concluded that observations of developmental delays are not specific enough in screening out the risk group. However, it is possible to describe a behavior pattern, emerging between 12 and 30 months, of unresponsitivity and stereotypic object manipulation, which distinguishes autistic and non-autistic subjects. This might be a pattern of specific risk behavior in blind children. However, further prospective studies must be performed to test these proportions.