Phenotyping variability in early socio-communicative skills in young children with autism and its influence on later development.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often face challenges in early social communication skills, prompting the need for a detailed exploration of specific behaviors and their impact on cognitive and adaptive functioning. This study aims to address this gap by examining the developmental trajectories of early social communication skills in preschoolers with ASD aged 18-60 months, comparing them to age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Utilizing the early social communication scales (ESCS), the research employs a longitudinal design to capture changes over time. We apply a principal component analysis (PCA) to ESCS variables to identify underlying components, and cluster analysis to identify subgroups based on preverbal communication profiles. The results reveal consistent differences in early social communication skills between ASD and TD children, with ASD children exhibiting reduced skills. PCA identifies two components, distinguishing objects-directed behaviors and social interaction-directed behaviors. Cluster analysis identifies three subgroups of autistic children, each displaying specific communication profiles associated with distinct cognitive and adaptive functioning trajectories. In conclusion, this study provides a nuanced understanding of early social communication development in ASD, emphasizing the importance of low-level behaviors. The identification of subgroups and their unique trajectories contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of ASD heterogeneity. These findings underscore the significance of early diagnosis, focusing on specific behaviors predicting cognitive and adaptive functioning outcomes. The study encourages further research to explore the sequential development of these skills, offering valuable insights for interventions and support strategies.

Measuring the Emergence of Specific Abilities in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Example of Early Hyperlexic Traits.

The presence of a restricted interest in written materials, including an early ability to name and recognize letters and numbers, is regularly reported in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). There is, however, scarce information on this early ability akin to emerging hyperlexic traits in preschoolers with ASD younger than 3 years old. Here, we defined a measure of early naming and recognition of letters and numbers in 155 preschoolers with ASD using a sliding window approach combined with a 90th percentile threshold criterion, and subsequently compared the profiles of children with ASD with and without early hyperlexic traits. Using this measure, we found that 9% of children with ASD showed early hyperlexic traits. The early ability to name and recognize letters and numbers was associated with a higher level of restricted and repetitive behaviors yet more social-oriented behaviors at baseline and with better expressive and written communication at baseline and one year later. This study contributes to a better definition of the profile of children with ASD with an early ability in letters and numbers akin to emerging hyperlexic traits, a skill that is associated with promising social strengths and language abilities in this subgroup of children.