Early Differences in Pre-Intentional Communication Patterns between Children with Typical Development and Children with Complex Communication Needs

Abstract

Although children with complex communication needs (CCN) may be identified during infancy, there is little information on systematic differences in social and communicative interaction patterns from typical expectations, particularly during the pre-intentional period. This article summarizes conclusions drawn from a research study (Cress et al., 2013) that contrasted pre-intentional communication behaviors in typically developing infants at 6–7 months with pre-intentional communication behaviors in children with CCN at an average of 20 months chronological age, and average 6–7 months receptive language age equivalence scores. Behaviors in both groups were analyzed from structured play video samples using coding from the Infant Social and Communication Behavior Scales (ISCBS), a prototype assessment of pre-intentional communication in infants (Cress, Olsen, Sabers, & Wetherby, 2012). Multiple differences emerged in communication patterns between these two groups at similar points in receptive language development that indicate very early divergence of social and communication patterns demonstrated by young children with CCN from typical expectations.