Observed Social Emotional Behavior at 22 Months Predicts a Later ASD Diagnosis in High-Risk Siblings.

Social engagement, pretend play, and concern for another's distress represent fundamental features of typical social-emotional development in the second year. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) display delays and deficits in these areas, and research on toddlers at heightened risk for ASD (HR; younger siblings of children with ASD) indicates these deficits may be apparent in toddlerhood. Prior research has examined these aspects of social-emotional development individually in HR toddlers.

Trajectories of Posture Development in Infants With and Without Familial Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study investigated early posture development prospectively in infants at heightened (HR) vs. low risk (Low Risk; LR) for ASD. Fourteen HR infants diagnosed with ASD (HR-ASD), 17 HR infants with language delay (HR-LD), 29 HR infants with no diagnosis (HR-ND), and 25 LR infants were videotaped at home for 25 min during everyday activities and play at 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 months.

Coordination is key: Joint attention and vocalisation in infant siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Research indicates that social communicative behaviours develop atypically during the second year in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study evaluated whether these behaviours also differed in the extent to which they were coordinated across modalities.

Aims: To measure joint attention behaviours (e.

The Relation Between Walking and Language in Infant Siblings of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In typical development, walk onset is accompanied by increased language growth (e.g., Walle & Campos, 2014).

Early Gesture and Vocabulary Development in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study examined longitudinal growth in gestures and words in infants at heightened (HR) versus low risk (LR) for ASD. The MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory was administered monthly from 8 to 14 months and at 18 and 24 months to caregivers of 14 HR infants diagnosed with ASD (HR-ASD), 27 HR infants with language delay (HR-LD), 51 HR infants with no diagnosis (HR-ND), and 28 LR infants. Few differences were obtained between LR and HR-ND infants, but HR-LD and HR-ASD groups differed in initial skill levels and growth patterns.

Developmental Changes in Pretend Play from 22- to 34-Months in Younger Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Developmental trajectories of children's pretend play and social engagement, as well as parent sensitivity and stimulation, were examined in toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, high risk; HR) and toddlers with typically-developing older siblings (low risk; LR). Children (N = 168, 97 boys, 71 girls) were observed at 22, 28, and 34 months during free play with a parent and elicited pretend play with an examiner. At 28 and 34 months, children were asked to imagine the consequences of actions pantomimed by the examiner on a pretend transformation task.

The development of autism spectrum disorders: variability and causal complexity.

The autism spectrum is highly variable, both behaviorally and neurodevelopmentally. Broadly speaking, four related factors contribute to this variability: (1) genetic processes, (2) environmental events, (3) gene × environment interactions, and (4) developmental factors. Given the complexity of the relevant processes, it appears unlikely that autism spectrum atypicalities can be attributed to any one causal mechanism.

Pretend Play and Social Engagement in Toddlers at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk (LR) toddlers with typically-developing older siblings were observed during free play with a parent and elicited pretend with an examiner at 22-months. Functional and pretend play, children's social engagement, and parent sensitivity were assessed during free play. Complexity of play was assessed during the elicited pretend task.

Concern for Another's Distress in Toddlers at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

We examined concern for others in 22-month-old toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk typically-developing toddlers with older siblings. Responses to a crying infant and an adult social partner who pretended to hurt her finger were coded. Children with a later diagnosis of ASD showed limited empathic concern in either context compared to low risk toddlers.

Social engagement with parents in 11-month-old siblings at high and low genetic risk for autism spectrum disorder.

Infant siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder are at heightened genetic risk to develop autism spectrum disorder. We observed high risk (n = 35) and low risk (n = 27) infants at 11 months during free play with a parent. Children were assessed for autism spectrum disorder in toddlerhood.

Maternal verbal responses to communication of infants at low and heightened risk of autism.

This study investigates mothers' responses to infant communication among infants at heightened genetic risk (high risk) of autism spectrum disorder compared to infants with no such risk (low risk). A total of 26 infants, 12 of whom had an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder, were observed during naturalistic in-home interaction and semistructured play with their mothers at 13 and 18 months of age. Results indicate that overall, mothers of low-risk and high-risk infants were highly and similarly responsive to their infants' communicative behaviors.

Object exploration at 6 and 9 months in infants with and without risk for autism.

During the first year of life, infants spend substantial amounts of time exploring objects they encounter in their daily environments. Perceptuo-motor information gained through these experiences provides a foundation for later developmental advances in cognition and language. This study aims to examine developmental trajectories of visual, oral, and manual object exploration in infants with and without risk for autism spectrum disorder before the age of 1 year.