Autism research fascinates me, regardless of the angle of the research or who funded the study. I love to read about what is going on out there in the world of autism and so it is no surprise that this article in the BBC caught my attention. Evidently the results of a new study reveal that there are detectable differences in the brainwaves of children with autism, when compared to their typically developing peers, as early as six months of age.

Here is an excerpt from the story:

“His team looked for the earliest signs of autism in 104 children aged between six and 10 months. Half were known to be at risk of the disorder because they had on older sibling who had been diagnosed with autism. The rest were low risk.”

Read the entire article: Autism: Brainwaves ‘show risk from age of six months’

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A study that appears in the January 2010 online preview issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders examines the role of early functional play and an eventual autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. The study, “Play and Developmental Outcomes in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism,” examined the play habits of 18-month old children that had a sibling with autism to those that do not have a sibling on the autism spectrum.

Three specific types of play were examined: functional, symbolic, and repeated. Overall, the survey showed that infant siblings of children on the autism spectrum that eventually went on to receive an ASD diagnosis themselves (ASD sibling group) had more repeated play behaviors and fewer functional play behaviors than the typically-developing control group. However, both groups scored similarly in the symbolic play area, which is likely due to their age.

Autism and Play Study Hypotheses
The early functional play study operated on three different hypotheses. The first hypothesis was that the ASD sibling group would exhibit less functional play behaviors than the control group. The second hypothesis of the study projected that the ASD siblings would have more non-functional repetitive play than the control group.

The final hypothesis examined during this research study examined functional repeated play. The research team predicted that there would be no statistical difference between the ASD sibling and control groups in the arena of functional, repetitive play.

Autism and Play Study Results
The researchers accurately predicted that the ASD sibling group would exhibit fewer functional play behaviors than their typical counterparts. Additionally, infant siblings of children with autism also participated in more repetitive play that was not functional in nature when compared to the control group. However, both groups participated in functional repeated play at similar rates.

The fact that the ASD sibling group participated in significantly fewer functional play behaviors supports the theory that impairments in play are evident from a very young age and may help in more accurately diagnosing children with autism at a younger age.

Although the children were assessed at 18 months, which is quite young, these children are already engaging in behavior that is noticeably different than their typically developing peers. This is most evident in the increase of non-functional repeated play that was observed during the research study.

What is important to note is that some level of repetitive play is to be expected in an 18-month old child and does not indicate an autism spectrum disorder. However, it is the type of repetitive play that is being observed that may be cause for concern. Examples of non-functional repetitive play that may raise warning flags including hand flapping, mouthing objects, spinning toys, and other such actions.

Although this research was limited by the fact that the play sessions observed were limited to four-minutes each, the study will likely serve as a starting point for more detailed research. With autism, early diagnosis is one of the most important tools and often leads to a better outcome. The more research conducted on how autism presents in the infant stage, the better results these children will see.

Source:
Christensen, L., et. al. (2010). Play and Developmental Outcomes in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

I’ve been on this autism journey for nearly three years now. Although my kids are older and have had “quirks” from birth, the first diagnosis wasn’t made until November 2006. For those that don’t know my history, I’m the mom of two children on the spectrum. My daughter was diagnosed with autistic disorder the day before her third birthday in 2006. My son was dx’d with Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD-NOS in the next year (difference of opinion). During that time, I’ve seen a lot of autism money sinks and when I read this article, I wondered if the LENA Language and Autism Screen (LAS) would be the next must-have (and expensive) device for parents of children with autism.

However, this is different. The LENA Language and Autism Screen (LAS) is designed to help parents screen their own children for symptoms of autism. Honestly, I’m a bit uncomfortable about this device. I feel that it is important for parents to understand the early signs of autism, as early intervention is proven to help dramatically in some cases, but I don’t feel that it is a parent’s place to screen and/or diagnose their own children.

It is imperative that if a parent is concerned, they see a licensed clinical psychologist, a developmental pediatrician, or contact their local school district or state early intervention office to request a thorough assessment. I understand the importance of giving parents the tools to recognize the early signs of autism, however I don’t feel that placing a $200 price tag on the tool is in the best interest of the child.

I’d love to hear your feedback on the device. Read the entire article on the ABC website and then head back here and leave me a comment (please!).