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Predictors of longer‐term development of expressive language in two independent longitudinal cohorts of language‐delayed preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Author(s) -
Bal Vanessa H.,
Fok Megan,
Lord Catherine,
Smith Isabel M.,
Mirenda Pat,
Szatmari Peter,
Vaillancourt Tracy,
Volden Joanne,
Waddell Charlotte,
Zwaigenbaum Lonnie,
Bennett Terry,
Duku Eric,
Elsabbagh Mayada,
Georgiades Stelios,
Ungar Wendy J.,
ZaidmanZait Anat
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.13117
Subject(s) - autism diagnostic observation schedule , psychology , autism , joint attention , developmental psychology , autism spectrum disorder , longitudinal study , language development , motor skill , cognition , early childhood , audiology , medicine , pathology , neuroscience
Background Studies estimate that 30% of individuals with autism are minimally verbal. Understanding what factors predict longer‐term expressive development in children with language delays is critical to inform identification and treatment of those at‐risk for persistent language impairments. The present study examined predictors of expressive language development in language‐delayed preschoolers followed through later school‐age and young adulthood. Methods Children using single words or less on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule ( ADOS ) at approximately 3 years old were drawn from the Early Diagnosis ( EDX ) and Pathways in ASD longitudinal cohorts. Age‐3 predictors of Age‐19 ADOS language level were identified using Classification and Regression Trees ( CART ) in the EDX sample. Linear mixed models examined the effects of CART ‐identified predictors on Vineland expressive communication ( VE xp) trajectories from Age‐3 to Age‐19. The same linear mixed models were examined in the Pathways sample, identifying predictors of VE xp from ages 3 to 10.5 years. Results Significantly delayed fine motor skills (T‐score < 20) was the strongest CART predictor of Age‐19 language. In the linear mixed models, time, Age‐3 fine motor skills and initiation of joint attention ( IJA ) predicted VE xp trajectories in the EDX sample, even when controlling for Age‐3 visual receptive abilities. In the Pathways sample, time and Age‐3 fine motor skills were significant predictors of VE xp trajectories; IJA and cognitive skills were not significant predictors. Conclusions Marked deficits in fine motor skills may be a salient proxy marker for identifying language‐delayed children with ASD who are at risk for persistent language impairments. This finding adds to the literature demonstrating a relation between motor and language development in ASD . Investigating individual skill areas (e.g., fine motor and nonverbal problem‐solving skills), rather than broader indices of developmental level (e.g., nonverbal IQ ) may provide important cues to understanding longer‐term language outcomes that can be targeted in early intervention.