Autism Spectrum Disorders and Low Mental Age: Diagnostic Stability and Developmental Outcomes in Early Childhood.
Alexander J Hinnebusch, Lauren E Miller, Deborah A Fein
PMID 28861732WHAT IT FOUND
Very young children with autism and language and reasoning below 12 months kept an autism diagnosis, but made far less progress in communication, play, and daily skills than other autism groups.
Key findings
01The ASD-Low MA group made about half of expected progress in visual reception, about one third in receptive language, and almost no measurable progress in interpersonal relationships, play and leisure, and coping.
02Only 1 of the 25 children in the ASD-Low MA group moved off the autism spectrum at follow-up.
03The AD group improved to the lower end of the mild-to-moderate autism severity range, while the ASD-Low MA group worsened slightly.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The ASD-Low MA group was small, with 25 children, so some analyses had limited power. 44 percent of children who received an initial evaluation did not return for follow-up. Children who returned were more likely to be White and male, so patterns may not capture all backgrounds. Parents of children who did not return may have had fewer concerns, which could bias follow-up results. The study followed children only from about age two to about age four, so it does not show long-term outcomes. Diagnoses used DSM-IV-TR, not DSM-5, so current diagnostic categories may differ. Intervention type, intensity, frequency, and duration were not detailed enough to evaluate their impact. The ASD-Low MA group was about 2.5 months younger at the initial evaluation than the other groups.
Declared interests
Participants were drawn from a larger, federally funded investigation. The supplied text does not include a separate funding statement or conflicts-of-interest declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read autism with low mental age as only global delay. Only one of 25 children with ASD-Low MA moved off the autism spectrum by follow-up.