Early detection of autism plays an important role in enhancing developmental outcomes for affected children. Identifying potential characteristics of the disorder evident during infancy and toddlerhood aids our efforts to screen for such symptoms, Which may lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses. This revieW examines the literature on detection of autistic characteristics in infants and toddlers, prior to a formal diagnosis. Findings presented derive from three methodological approaches: retrospective videotape analysis, prospective screening devices, and parent-report. Across methods, marked differences betWeen typically developing infants and toddlers and those subsequently diagnosed With autism Were evidenced in their social, affective, motor, play, and communication skills. Such congruent findings attest to the presence of specific, prediagnostic characteristics that are reliably identifiable.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Adrien, J.L., Lenoir, P., Martineau, J., Per-rot, A., Hameury, L., Larmande, C., & Sauvage, D. (1993). Blind ratings of early symptoms of autism based upon family home movies. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32, 617—627.
2.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author .
3.
Baranek, G.T. (1999). Autism during infancy: A retrospective video analysis of sensory-motor and social behaviors at 9—12 months of age. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 29, 213—224.
4.
Baron-Cohen, S., Allen, J., & Gillberg, C. (1992). Can autism be detected at 18 months? The needle, the haystack, and the CHAT. British Journal of Psychiatry , 161, 839—843.
5.
Baron-Cohen, S., Cox, A., Baird, G., Swettenhan, J., Nightingale, N., Morgan, K., et al. (1996). Psychological markers in the detection of autism in infancy in a large population. British Journal of Psychiatry, 168, 158—163.
6.
Barthelemy, C., Adrien, J.L., Tanguay, P., Sauvage, D., & Lelord, G. (1990). The behavioral summarized evaluation: Validity and reliability of a scale for the assessment of autistic behaviors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 20, 189—204.
7.
Bristol-Power, M.M., & Spinella, G. (1999). Research on screening and diagnosis in autism: A work in progress. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 29, 435—438.
8.
Carmagnat-Dubois, F., Desombre, H., Per-rot, A., Roux, S., Le Noir, P., Sauvage, D., & Garreau, B. (1997). Autism and Rett syndrome: A comparison study during infancy using family home movies. L'Encephale, 23, 273—279.
9.
Charman, T., Swettenham, J., Baron-Cohen, S., Cox, A., Baird, G., & Drew, A. (1997). Infants with autism: An investigation of empathy, pretend play, joint attention, and imitation. Developmental Psychology, 33(5), 781—789.
10.
Charman, T., Swettenham, J., Baron-Cohen, S., Cox, A., Baird, G., & Drew, A. (1998). An experimental investigation of social-cognitive abilities in infants with autism: Clinical implications. Infant Mental Health Journal, 19, 260—275.
11.
Coonrod, E., Turner, L., Pozdol, S., & Stone, W. (2001, April). The parent interview for autism (PIA) for children under the age of three. Paper presented at the biannual meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Minneapolis, MN.
12.
Dahlgren, S.O., & Gillberg, C. (1989). Symptoms in the first two years of life: A preliminary population study of infantile autism. European Archives of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences, 238, 169—174.
13.
De Giacomo, A., & Fombonne, E. (1998). Parental recognition of developmental abnormalities in autism. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 7, 131—136.
14.
Edelson, S.M. (1999). Overview of autism. Retrieved in January of 2002 from http://www.autism.org/overview.html
15.
Eshkol, N., & Wachman, A. (1958). Movement notation. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
16.
Filipek, P.A., Accardo, P.J., Ashwal, S., Baranek, G.T., Cook, E.H., Dawson, G., et al. (2000). Practice parameter: Screening and diagnosis of autism—report of the quality standards subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society. Neurology , 55, 468— 479.
17.
Gillberg, C., Nordin, V., & Ehlers, S. (1996). Early detection of autism: Diagnostic instruments for clinicians. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry , 5, 67—74.
18.
Goddard, J.A., Lehr, R., & Lapadat, J.C. (2000). Parents of children with disabilities: Telling a different story. CanadianJournal of Counselling, 34, 273—289.
19.
Koenig, K., Rubin, E., Klin, A., & Volkmar, F.R. (2000). Autism and the pervasive developmental disorders . In Charles H. Zeanah, Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of infant mental health (2nd ed., pp. 298—310). New York: Guilford Press.
20.
Lord, C., Rutter, M., & LeCouteur, A. (1994). Autism Diagnostic Interview—Revised: A revised version of a diagnostic interview for caregivers of individuals with possible pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 659—685.
21.
National Institute of Mental Health. (1997 ). Autism. Retrieved in January of 2002 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/autism.cfm
22.
Robins, D.L., Fein, D., Barton, M.L., & Green, J.A. (2001). The modified check-list for autism in toddlers: An initial study investigating the early detection of autism and pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 31, 131—144.
23.
Rogers, S.J. (1998). Empirically supported comprehensive treatments for young children with autism. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27, 168—179.
24.
Schall, C. (2000). Family perspectives on raising a child with autism . Journal of Child and Family Studies, 9, 409—423.
25.
Shulman, C. (2001, April). Diagnosis and assessment of autism: A comparison of parental reporting and clinical testing. Paper presented at the biannual meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development , Minneapolis, MN.
26.
Siegel, B. (2001). Pervasive developmental disorders screening test II. Retrieved in November of 2002 from www.firstsigns.org/downloads/I_PDDST_II_5_01_01.PDF
27.
Smith, B., Chung, M.C., & Vostanis, P. (1994). The path to care in autism: Is it better now?Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 24, 551—563.
28.
Stone, W.L., Coonrod, E.E., & Ousley, O.Y. (2000). Brief report: Screening Tool for Autism in Two-year-olds (STAT): Development and preliminary data. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 607—612.
29.
Stone, W., & Hogan, K. (1993). A structured interview for identifying young children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities , 23, 639—652.
30.
Stone, W.L., & Ousley, O.Y. (1997). STAT manual: Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds. Unpublished manuscript, Vanderbilt University.
31.
Teitelbaum, P., Teitelbaum, O., Nye, J., Fryman, J., & Maurer, R.G. (1998). Movement analysis in infancy may be useful for early diagnosis of autism. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 95, 13982— 13987.
32.
Vostanis, P., Smith, B., Corbett, J., Sungum-Paliwal, R., Edwards, A., Gingell, K., et al. (1998). Parental concerns of early development in children with autism and related disorders. Autism, 2, 229—242.
33.
Werner, E., Dawson, G., Osterling, J., & Dinno, N. (2000). Brief report: Recognition of autism spectrum disorder before one year of age—A retrospective study based on home videotapes . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 157—162.
34.
Werner, E.B., & Munson, J.A. (2001, April). Regression in autism: A description and validation of the phenomenon using parent report and home video tapes. Paper presented at the biannual meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Minneapolis, MN.
35.
Williams, B.J., & Ozonoff, S. (2001, April). Parental report of the early development of autistic children who experience a regression. Paper presented at the biannual meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Minneapolis, MN.
36.
Wimpory, D.C., Hobson, R.P., Williams, J.M.G., & Nash, S. (2000). Are infants with autism socially engaged? A study of recent retrospective parental reports. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30, 525—536.
37.
Zakian, A., Malvy, J., Desombre, H., Roux, S., & Lenoir, P. (2000). Early signs of autism: A new study of family home movies. L'Encephale, 26, 38—44.
