Autism Spectrum Disorder Children Research Articles

Pro-drop in Farsi: A Case Study of Bilingual Speakers

This research is meant to uncover some of the internal grammatical structure of bilingual Farsi speakers who have English as their dominant language. Bilinguals, whose mother tongue is Farsi but whose dominant language is English, are influenced by their dominant language on their mother tongue concerning pro-drop. One of the issues often seen in bilingual speakers of null subject languages is the use of pro-drop in languages such as Hungarian, Japanese, Chinese, Slavic languages, and Arabic. This paper will demonstrate how these bilingual speakers incorrectly use the null subjects in their sentences and in addition, how SEN children i.e. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) understand and use the pronoun-dropping phenomenon. Choosing a null pronoun in the non-dominant language seems unacceptable to some speakers because their dominant language lacks pro-drop; therefore, in certain situations, researchers might say that these bilingual speakers do not sound as fluent in their native language as they do in their dominant language. The main focus of this research is the investigation into the preference of bilingual speakers as well as ASD children of English and Farsi and their use of pro-drop

Investigation of the Effectiveness of a Relation Based Early Intervention Program on Parent Outputs

ABSTRACT This investigation aims to adapt to Turkish and examine the Keyhole Early Intervention Program’s effectiveness with parents who have children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in early childhood. In the study, using parallel pattern approaching mixed research methods, Maternal Behavior Rating Scale- Turkish Version (MBRS-TV) Parenting Stress Index Short Form (PSI-SF), semi-structured interview questions and personal information form were used. The study in which the criterion sample is used in the selection of the study group is pre-experimental. In quantitative data analysis, Friedman’s Two-Way Analysis of Variance and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test showed that the Keyhole Early Intervention Program increased emotional expressiveness and decreased parental stress.

The Impact of Cues on Joint Attention in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Eye-Tracking Study in Virtual Games.

Joint attention (JA), a core deficit in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is crucial for social interaction, emotional understanding, and cognitive development. This study aims to compare and analyze the eye-tracking data of ASD and typically developing children (TDC) during virtual games, exploring how different cue types affect JA performance in ASD children. A total of 31 TDC and 40 ASD children participated in the study. Using eye-tracking devices, we recorded the children's eye movements as they played virtual games, selecting the correct target based on cues provided by virtual characters. Our findings revealed that different cue types significantly impacted the game scores of ASD children but had no significant effect on TDC, highlighting a notable disparity between the two groups. ASD children showed a lower fixation frequency, irregular fixation paths, and increased attention to non-target objects compared to TDC. Interestingly, among the three cue types, ASD children exhibited a preference for the third type, leading to longer fixation on the region of interest and higher game scores. These results underscore the importance of cue selection in enhancing JA in ASD children. This study provides novel insights into the JA deficits in ASD children and offers a scientific basis for the development of targeted and individualized intervention programs.

Reduced multiscale complexity of daily behavioral dynamics in autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is difficult to diagnose objectively due to its heterogeneous and complex manifestations. This study aimed to objectively characterize the behavioral phenotypes of ASD children by exploring the multiscale behavioral dynamics. We applied behavioral organization (BO) and multiscale sample entropy (MSE) analyses to physical activity data collected from ASD and typically developing children, using wearable monitors in their daily life. We also examined their correlation with auditory startle response measures and clinical questionnaires, including the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). A significant decrease in MSE at timescales longer than 6 min was observed in ASD children, suggesting decreased irregularity or unpredictability, potentially linked to repetitive behaviors or stereotyped patterns commonly observed in ASD. Additionally, an increase in MSE positively correlated with prepulse inhibition levels, indicating its relationship with sensorimotor gating. Moreover, the observed significant negative correlation with the total difficulty score of SDQ substantiates MSE's potential as an objective metric for assessing general mental health problems associated with ASD. Multiscale analysis enhances the understanding of ASD's behavioral dynamics, providing valuable metrics for real-world assessments.

Effects of Ball Combination Exercise Combined with cTBS Intervention on Sleep Problems in Children with Autism.

Sleep problems significantly affect the quality of life of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week ball combination exercise, continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) stimulation, and combined intervention on sleep problems in children with ASD. Forty-five ASD children were divided into three intervention groups (ball combination exercise(n = 12), cTBS stimulation(n = 10), combined (n = 12) and a control group (n = 11). The intervention groups underwent intervention, while the control group maintained daily activities. The effects were assessed using the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) scale. The results revealed that after 12 weeks of intervention, three programs reduced sleep problems in children with ASD. The post-test scores of the cTBS group (p = 0.002) and the combined group (p < 0.001) were significantly lower than the baseline scores on the CSHQ scale. The exercise group (p = 0.002) and the combined group (p < 0.001) showed significant improvement in sleep anxiety, while there was no statistically significant difference in the effectiveness of the three interventions for sleep-onset delay. The combined group outperformed the single intervention groups in the CSHQ score and sleep anxiety sub-dimensions. The combined intervention group showed slightly superior performance in sleep onset latency, however, there was no significant difference. Three interventions alleviated sleep issues in ASD children, with the combined method proving more effective. This study validates non-pharmacologic and combined approaches for ASD sleep problems. Future research should delve deeper into the mechanisms of these interventions in ASD children's sleep improvement.

Building bridges: Resilience and Autism- a Mixed Methods Study

Background: Families dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children try to adapt with different strategies. Objectives: To assess the resilience of parents dealing with children having ASD and its associated factors (2) To explore the perspective and strategies of families dealing with children having ASD Methodology: This was a mixed-methods study done over a period of 3 months among parents having children diagnosed with ASD; undergoing institutional therapy for more than 6 months in duration. Data collection was done using the PREQ questionnaire and Key informant interviews (KII). Informed consent was taken prior to each interview and audio recordings. Relevant tests of significance and deductive analysis followed. Results: There was an equal divide observed between the low (50%) and high resilience (50%) groups. Binary logistic regression showed that the upper socio-economic class showed higher odds of better resilience (OR 4.038, 95% CI 2.857-4.894) as compared to the lower socio-economic class, and those with higher levels of education showed better resilience (OR 9.903, 95% CI 2.502-3.483) than the lesser educated. KII explored different perspectives on personal experiences, concerns, challenges, attitudes, etc. and it was observed that although opinions differed, eventually ways of self-resilience were taught, respectively. Conclusion: Education and socio-economic backgrounds played a role in mending the resilience and adaptive narratives of children with ASD varies from individual to individual.

Covid-19 and Role of the Caregivers of the Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are the most vulnerable group in the society, who have suffered a lot during the Covid-19 pandemic. Objectives: The main objective of this study is to explore the strategies taken by the caregivers of the ASD children during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methodology: The study followed a holistic mixed-method approach. Simple random sampling was used to select the respondents to conduct a survey for the research. For quantitative analysis Chi-square test has been conducted to examine the association between the variables. For the qualitative part of the study, 5 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were carried out from the experts (such as therapists and teachers) by constructing 15 open-ended questions. Results: Analysis of data revealed the strategies taken by the caregivers of the ASD children during the Covid-19 pandemic such as- assigning therapists, providing teletherapy, making session plans and taking online classes. It has also disclosed the behavioral changes noticed by the caregivers of the ASD children such as hyperactivity, lack of attention. In this research, for quantitative analysis a total 248 data were collected from the caregivers (parents) of the ASD Children in Dhaka City and most of the respondents (80%) were the mother of the children. 98% of the parents observed some sorts of behavioral changes and 90% of them followed different strategies for their mental and physical development during the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusion: To put it simply, sufferings of the ASD children and their caregivers know no bounds during the pandemic. The caregivers fought many more challenges than we can imagine from the outside.

Neonatal risk factors associated with autism spectrum disorders: an umbrella review.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe social communication deficits and stereotypical repetitive behaviors. This umbrella review assessed neonatal risk factors associated with ASD using meta-analyses and systematic reviews. We conducted a systematic search of interna- tional databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published through April 2022 utilizing pertinent keywords. A random-effects model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Substantial heterogeneity was considered at values of I2≥50%. A quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR2) checklist. A total of 207,221 children with ASD and 22,993,128 neurotypical children were included. Six meta- analyses were included in this umbrella review. The factors of congenital heart disease (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.17-1.52), macrosomia (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.05-1.18), low birth weight (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.48-1.81), very low birth weight (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.79-2.83), small for gestational age (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.24), jaundice (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.42- 2.12), male sex (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.39-1.55) and 1-minute Apgar score <7 (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.26-1.55) were graded as suggestive evidence (class III). Only 3 studies reported heterogeneity (I2<50%). Based on the AMSTAR2 analysis, the methodological quality was critically low in 3 meta- analyses, low in 2, and moderate in 1. Based on these results, clinicians should consider the risk factors for ASD and screen children in clinics.

A - 64 Neuropsychological Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Objective Now more than ever, the neuropsychologist is frequently called upon to assess and diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Neuropsychological assessment provides a comprehensive and objective analysis of a child suspected of having ASD. To ensure accurate and early diagnosis of young children, this review will inform on the essential domains to include in the evaluation of ASD, highlight the cognitive profile of individuals with ASD, and address gender differences to consider as part of the diagnosis. Data Selection The following selection criteria were utilized: -articles published in peer-reviewed journals during the previous 10 years focusing on neuropsychological evaluations of ASD -employed a variety of assessment tools and methodologies - reporting on validity and reliability of specific measures to include in the evaluation of ASD in children. Data Synthesis It is essential to evaluate intelligence, attention, executive functioning, social communication, and fine motor skills as part of a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Intelligence tests can sometimes underestimate the IQ of individuals with ASD. The uneven cognitive development in children with ASD makes accurate diagnosis even more challenging. Sex related cognitive profiles should be considered to assist in the accurate diagnosis of girls with ASD. Conclusions Early and accurate identification of ASD in children is essential for improved outcomes. Schools, physicians, insurance agencies, and other stakeholders rely on the results of the neuropsychological evaluation to authorize essential interventions. Therefore, it is imperative to employ the most recent research related to the assessment of ASD, with an emphasis on increasing the identification of girls.

A machine learning model based on CHAT-23 for early screening of autism in Chinese children.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that significantly impacts the mental, emotional, and social development of children. Early screening for ASD typically involves the use of a series of questionnaires. With answers to these questionnaires, healthcare professionals can identify whether a child is at risk for developing ASD and refer them for further evaluation and diagnosis. CHAT-23 is an effective and widely used screening test in China for the early screening of ASD, which contains 23 different kinds of questions. We have collected clinical data from Wuxi, China. All the questions of CHAT-23 are regarded as different kinds of features for building machine learning models. We introduce machine learning methods into ASD screening, using the Max-Relevance and Min-Redundancy (mRMR) feature selection method to analyze the most important questions among all 23 from the collected CHAT-23 questionnaires. Seven mainstream supervised machine learning models were built and experiments were conducted. Among the seven supervised machine learning models evaluated, the best-performing model achieved a sensitivity of 0.909 and a specificity of 0.922 when the number of features was reduced to 9. This demonstrates the model's ability to accurately identify children for ASD with high precision, even with a more concise set of features. Our study focuses on the health of Chinese children, introducing machine learning methods to provide more accurate and effective early screening tests for autism. This approach not only enhances the early detection of ASD but also helps in refining the CHAT-23 questionnaire by identifying the most relevant questions for the diagnosis process.

Contributions of the ELENA Cohort to Study Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents from a Biopsychosocial Framework.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition influenced by a myriad of developmental, biological, psychological, and socio-demographic factors. The ELENA cohort seeks to delineate the intricate interplay of these factors, facilitating the identification of risk factors and the development of targeted interventions. This paper emphasizes the clinical profiles of children and outlines key findings from a biopsychosocial perspective. The ELENA cohort, a multicenter initiative across French regional centers, conducted a systematic prospective analysis on children newly diagnosed with DSM-5 ASD between 2012 and 2019. This encompassed direct assessments and parent-reported questionnaires covering a broad spectrum of developmental, biological, psychological and socio-demographic measures. Embedded case-control studies further examined risk and protective factors, alongside specific environmental and psychosocial influences during pregnancy and early childhood. A subset of participants also contributed biospecimens, with data enhancement via linkage to French National Administrative Healthcare Databases. The study unveils baseline clinical characteristics for 876 children, average age 6 (SD ± 3.3) previously unreported in protocol descriptions. It highlights the study's developmental biopsychosocial approach and its novel findings on children's socio-adaptive functioning, ASD severity, comorbidities, quality of life and interventions. Employing developmental biopsychosocial insights offers a promising pathway to integrating health, social care, and experiential insights, ultimately aiming to enhance the future well-being and outcomes for children with ASD. This approach underscores the need of a holistic, interdisciplinary strategy in encouraging and supporting the ASD community.

Transmethylation and Oxidative Biomarkers in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Cross Sectional Study.

We aimed to investigate the potential role of biomarkers of transmethylation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by comparing them with that of typically developing children (TDC) controls. We also tried to correlate them with severity of autism, sensory issues, behavioural comorbidities and developmental quotients 119 with ASD and 52 age and sex matched typically developing children (TDC) controls were enrolled excluding those with chronic-illness or on any antioxidant therapy/multivitamins/anti-epileptic drugs. Median levels of biomarkers- serum homocysteine, cysteine, methionine, urine uric acid-to-creatinine ratio, arterial lactate, serum vitamin E, vitamin B12, folate, Nε-carboxymethyllysine, Nω- carboxymethylarginine (CMA), dityrosine and MTHFR C677T polymorphism were calculated. Children with ASD were further characterised using Childhood Autism Rating Scale-2, Childhood behavioural checklist, child sensory profile 2 caregiver questionnaire, Developmental Profile 3 for any correlation with the various biomarker levels. The median level of serum homocysteine in ASD group was 9 μmol/L(Range, 7- 16μmol/L), which was significantly higher than controls 7 μmol/L(Range, 4- 11μmol/L)(p=0.01). The prevalence of hyper-homocystinemia(>15μmol/L) was 13.4% in ASD as compared to 3.8% in controls with a significant difference(p=0.04). Dityrosine level was higher among ASD children when compared to TDC (9.8 vs 2.2 counts per second(cps), p<0.001). No significant correlation was found between prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia and severity of autism/DQ/behavioural issues. No significant difference was found between the median levels of other biomarkers. Results support possible role of transmethylation defects and oxidative stress in ASD pathogenesis. Further studies are warranted for a better understanding of ASD pathogenesis.

Early Auditory Temporal Processing Deficit in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Research Domain Criteria Framework.

Altered sensory processing especially in the auditory system is considered a typical observation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Auditory temporal processing is known to be impaired in ASD children. Although research suggests that auditory temporal processing abnormalities could be responsible for the core aspects of ASD, few studies have examined early time processing and their results have been conflicting. The present event-related potential (ERP) study investigated the early neural responses to duration and inter-stimulus interval (ISI) deviants in nonspeech contexts in children with ASD and a control group of typically developing (TD) children matched in terms of age and IQ. A passive auditory oddball paradigm was employed to elicit the mismatch negativity (MMN) for change detection considering both the duration and ISI-based stimulus. The MMN results showed that the ASD group had a relatively diminished amplitude and significant delayed latency in response to duration deviants. The findings are finally discussed in terms of hyper-hyposensitivity of auditory processing and the fact that the observed patterns may potentially act as risk factors for ASD development within the research domain criteria (RDoC) framework.

Evaluating mental chronometry as a quantitative measure of information processing in early childhood autism

Objectives Mental chronometry is the scientific study of cognitive processing speed measured by reaction time (RT), which is the elapsed time between the onset of a stimulus and an individual’s response. This study aims at measuring the RT among young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comparing it with normal (typically developing) children. Methods 60 ASD children were selected from different ASD centers, and 60 normal children were selected from different kindergartens for participation in this study. Participants were aged 3–6 years old. The RT was measured using the Fitlight trainer device. The findings were statistically evaluated using independent t-tests and ANOVA tests. Result Significant differences (p < 0.0001) were found between both groups in all tasks, and ASD children demonstrated slower RT compared to the normal group. The RT measured through three senses (visual, auditory, and touch) for ASD and normal were 3.64 ± 2.16, 13.19 ± 2.41(trial), 1835.23 ± 757.95, 697.12 ± 87.83 (second), and 1550.89 ± 499.76, 752.67 ± 124.02 (second) respectively. Conclusion The evaluated RT showed significant impairment in RT among ASD in comparison to normal children and this was true for the three senses. The Fitlight trainer could be used to assess RT and stimulus-response among ASD children in various cognitive tasks. Similar studies, involving larger samples from different areas and involving other sense organs, are indicated to confirm the results.

Oral health status and dental treatment needs in children with autism spectrum disorder

ObjectiveTo evaluate oral health care practices, health status, and dental treatment needs in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 96 children diagnosed with ASD per the DSM-V criteria and 96 typically developing healthy children. The WHO form assessed oral health status and dental treatment needs. ResultsOver 50 % of ASD children had mild/moderate autism, 35.4 % had severe autism, and 13.5 % had autistic traits. ASD children experienced more toothbrushing difficulties compared to non-ASD children. Based on Nyvad's criteria and decayed/filled teeth (dft) index, non-ASD children had higher caries prevalence than ASD children, indicating less need for restorative treatments in the ASD group. However, ASD children had poorer plaque scores than non-ASD children. A significantly higher percentage of ASD children exhibited harmful oral behaviors, including mouth breathing, lip biting, bruxism, nail biting, object biting, and self-injury (p < 0.001). ASD children also showed increased traumatic dental injuries compared to non-ASD children. ConclusionCompared to non-ASD peers, children with ASD have lower dental caries prevalence and less need for restorations, yet poorer plaque control. They also demonstrate more frequent oral self-injuries. ASD status appears related to toothbrushing difficulties. These findings highlight the need for tailored oral health interventions for children with ASD.

Quantitative assessment of brain structural abnormalities in children with autism spectrum disorder based on artificial intelligence automatic brain segmentation technology and machine learning methods

Rationale and objectivesTo explore the characteristics of brain structure in Chinese children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using artificial intelligence automatic brain segmentation technique, and to diagnose children with ASD using machine learning (ML) methods in combination with structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) features. MethodsA total of 60 ASD children and 48 age- and sex-matched typically developing (TD) children were prospectively enrolled from January 2023 to April 2024. All subjects were scanned using 3D-T1 sequences. Automated brain segmentation techniques were utilized to obtain the standardized volume of each brain structure (the ratio of the absolute volume of brain structure to the whole brain volume). The standardized volumes of each brain structure in the two groups were statistically compared, and the volume data of brain areas with significant differences were combined with ML methods to diagnose and predict ASD patients. ResultsCompared with the TD group, the volumes of the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex, right medial orbitofrontal cortex, right pars opercularis, right pars triangularis, left hippocampus, bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, bilateral insula, bilateral inferior parietal cortex, right precuneus cortex, bilateral putamen, left pallidum, and right thalamus were significantly increased in the ASD group (P< 0.05). Among six ML algorithms, support vector machine (SVM) and adaboost (AB) had better performance in differentiating subjects with ASD from those TD children, with their average area under curve (AUC) reaching 0.91 and 0.92, respectively. ConclusionAutomatic brain segmentation technology based on artificial intelligence can rapidly and directly measure and display the volume of brain structures in children with autism spectrum disorder and typically developing children. Children with ASD show abnormalities in multiple brain structures, and when paired with sMRI features, ML algorithms perform well in the diagnosis of ASD.

Exploring the effect of dialogic reading on children with autism spectrum disorder: Do siblings promote their language development?

Most educators engaged in dialogic reading (DR) are adults, whilst less attention is paid to the teaching effect of siblings on the language development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study, which included 1007 Chinese kindergarteners with ASD, aimed to examine the possible effects of siblings' DR involvement on the language development of ASD children in terms of receptive vocabulary, expressive vocabulary, character reading, listening comprehension and reading interest. After a 12-week intervention period, results revealed that, except listening comprehension, ASD children who read with their older siblings demonstrated greater improvements than when they read with their parents in terms of expressive vocabulary, character reading skills and reading interest. These findings demonstrated the positive effects of DR on the language development of ASD children and highlight the importance of involving siblings in home literacy activities to facilitate the language development of ASD children. The effects of gender dyads and age differences between educators and ASD children have also been discussed.

Phonological Development in 3-6-Year-Old Mandarin-Speaking Children with Autism, Developmental Delays, and Typical Development.

Research on the phonological development of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has not yet reached consistent conclusions, and systematic studies from different language groups are needed. This study aimed to systematically investigate the characteristics of phonological development in 3-6year-old Mandarin-speaking children with ASD. We analyzed 10min speech samples from 21 children with ASD, 18 development level-matched children with developmental disorders (DD), and 15 chronological age-matched typically developing (TD) children during semi-structured parent-child free play based on Mandarin phonological features. The children with ASD had a significantly smaller inventory than those with TD on the initial and final inventories. The children with ASD had only a significantly smaller initial inventory than those with DD in Phases 2 and 4. Compared with TD children, children with ASD used a higher proportion of V1 and V1V2C and a smaller proportion of V1V2V3, CV1C, and CV1V2C. No significant differences existed between ASD and DD children in the proportion of any syllable structure, but V1V2V3, CV1, and CV1V2C numbers were significantly fewer than in DD children. Children with ASD were significantly greater than children with TD in the diversity of V1V2, CV1, and overall syllables. ASD children had significantly fewer different types of syllables in both V1V2C and CV1 than did DD children and significantly greater diversity in CV1 and overall syllables than did DD children. These preliminary data suggest that the gap between TD and ASD children's language abilities increased with age, and this gap was reflected in initial, final, and syllable complexity and diversity. Children with DD and ASD showed similar language abilities, and children with DD showed detailed differences from those with ASD regarding initial, syllable complexity and diversity.

NAO robot promoting sensorimotor synchronization in high-functioning autism spectrum disorder children

Objectives Sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) refers to an individual’s motor rhythm is temporally coordinated with a predictable external rhythm. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children have weakened SMS performance than typically developing (TD) children, which may affect their relationship with peers and caregivers, and social cognition abilities. Synchronization referent (e.g. an adult or a non-social beat) and the length of inter-stimulus interval (ISI) would influence SMS performance. Methods In this study, we adapted a tapping task to investigate the SMS ability in twenty-one 5–8-year-old high-functioning ASD and twenty-one age-, gender- and IQ-matched TD children. Children were asked to tap on a computer keyboard with videos of a woman or a robot tapping with one finger. We compared the synchronization performance of the two groups when they synchronized with different partners (an adult or an NAO robot) and under different ISIs (800 ms or 1500 ms). The relationships with participants’ autistic traits (Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) and Autism Spectrum Quotient), and cognitive ability (IQ) were also examined. Results We found that ASD children had an overall attenuated synchronizing accuracy and stability than TD children only when ISI was longer than one second. Both groups performed better when synchronized with the NAO robot than the adult partner. The synchronization performance was correlated with the cognitive ability of ASD children when ISI was 1500 ms. Conclusions Results show that tapping with the robot could improve the SMS performance of ASD children since it promoted a higher motivation level. ASD children have an attenuated SMS ability, which may be caused by abnormal temporal perceptions when ISI is longer than one second, while their SMS ability may be intact in sub-second ISIs.

Impaired motor and social skill development in infancy predict high autistic traits in toddlerhood

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Early diagnosis in the critical period is important for ASD children. Recent studies of neurodevelopmental behavioral features and joint attention in high-risk infants showed there are some special cues which can distinguish ASD from typical development infant. But the findings of high-risk population may not be applicable to the general population. It is necessary to “analogically” study the potential warning traits of ASD in infancy in the general population. We did a nested case-control study from June 2019 to November 2022 in Tianjin, China, including 76 general infants whom completed the neurodevelopmental evaluation, the Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-23 (CHAT-23) screening, and eye tracking task. Social behavior quotient in infancy was negatively correlated to CHAT-23 total scores in toddlerhood. Social behavior quotient in infancy was positively correlated to initiating joint attention in toddlerhood. Regression model showed that high fine motor scale and social behaviour scale quotient in infancy were associated with an decreased risk of the total score of CHAT-23 ≥ 2 in toddlerhood. The Receiver operating characteristic curve showed the social behaviour in infancy alone and the combination of fine motor and social behaviour in infancy contributed to auxiliary diagnosis of higher level of autistic traits in toddlerhood. These findings suggest that Impaired development of fine motor and social behavior in infancy are potential warning features of high autistic traits in general population.