Longitudinal Relations Between Early Sensory Responsiveness and Later Communication in Infants with Autistic and Non-autistic Siblings.
Jacob I Feldman, Varsha Garla, Kacie Dunham and 16 others
PMID 36441431WHAT IT FOUND
Infants with low reaction to sensory input or high distress from it had lower language scores nine months later.
These early behavioral signs predicted communication delays in both high-risk and typical groups.
Key findings
01Caregiver-reported low reaction to sensory input and high distress from sensory input at 12-18 months significantly predicted lower receptive communication scores at 21-27 months.
02Observational measures of high distress from sensory input significantly predicted lower expressive communication scores at 21-27 months.
03The link between sensory seeking and expressive communication was significant only in infants with non-autistic siblings, not in those with autistic siblings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The sample was very small with only 40 infants. The participants were mostly white and non-Hispanic, limiting generalizability. The study measured association over time but did not prove that sensory issues cause language delays. The link between sensory seeking and language in the high-risk group was not consistent across all analyses.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and other academic and charitable organizations.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that treating the sensory behavior will prevent the language delay. The study shows that these behaviors are early markers of risk, not necessarily the cause of the delay.