Cognitive Skills of Young Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder Using the BSID-III

Carolyn Long,James Blackman,Matthew J Gurka

doi:10.1155/2011/759289

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of the study was to compare the cognitive skills of young children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to same-aged peers referred for possible developmental delays or behavioral concerns using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Third Edition. Method. A retrospective chart review was conducted of 147 children ages 16 to 38 months who were referred to a diagnostic clinic for developmental evaluation. Children with ASD were compared to those without ASD with respect to cognition and language outcomes, both overall and by age. Results. While language skills in children with ASD were more significantly delayed than language skills in children without ASD, there was less discrepancy in the cognitive skills of children with and without ASD. Conclusion. Formal cognitive assessment of children with ASD can provide guidance for developmental expectations and educational programming. Cognitive skills of children with ASD may be underappreciated.

Highlights

The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has rapidly increased in recent years
Of the 147 children referred to the clinic, 64 children were administered both the BSID-III and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) compared to 72 children who received only the BSID-III assessment because they were not observed to exhibit any behavioral characteristics associated with ASD
The current study found that young children being screened for possible ASD were able to be evaluated using a standardized measure such as the BSID-III

Summary

Introduction

The number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has rapidly increased in recent years. While the presence of language delay has always been an essential component in the diagnosis of children with ASD, there has been less agreement on the cognitive ability of these children. Autism was first described by Kanner [2], who observed a number of children with characteristics that included obsessiveness, stereotypy, and echolalia, but exhibited “good cognitive potentialities.”. Even in the children who had not developed language, Kanner noted an ability to perform tasks such as puzzles at or above age level. He reported, that “Binet or similar testing could not be carried out because of limited accessibility” [3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion