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Pino MC, Donne IL, Vagnetti R, Tiberti S, Valenti M, Mazza M. Using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales to Evaluate a Developmental Profile of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Symptomatologic Severity. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2024; 55:117-126. [PMID: 35763176 PMCID: PMC10796491 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01390-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Early diagnosis is crucial for Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is achieved through a screening of developmental indicators to recognise children who are at risk of autism. One of the most widely used instruments in clinical practice for assessing child development is the Griffiths Mental Development Scale (GMDS). We sought (a) to assess longitudinally whether children diagnosed with ASD, with a mean age of 33.50 months (SD 7.69 months), show a developmental delay of abilities measured by the GMDS over time and (b) to analyse which skills of the GMDS could be associate to the symptomatologic severity of ASD. Our results showed lower scores of General Quotient and all sub-quotients of GMDS from first (T0) to second assessment (T1), except for the Performance sub-quotient. Three sub-quotients (Personal-Social, Hearing and Language and Practical Reasoning) also associate symptom severity at the time when the diagnosis of ASD is made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Pino
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - Ilenia Le Donne
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
- Abruzzo Region Health System, Reference Regional Centre for Autism, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Roberto Vagnetti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Sergio Tiberti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Marco Valenti
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
- Abruzzo Region Health System, Reference Regional Centre for Autism, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Monica Mazza
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, Località Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
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Schaaf RC, Mailloux Z, Ridgway E, Berruti AS, Dumont RL, Jones EA, Leiby BE, Sancimino C, Yi M, Molholm S. Sensory Phenotypes in Autism: Making a Case for the Inclusion of Sensory Integration Functions. J Autism Dev Disord 2023; 53:4759-4771. [PMID: 36167886 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05763-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Sensory features are part of the diagnostic criteria for autism and include sensory hypo/hyper reactivity and unusual sensory interest; however, additional sensory differences, namely differences in sensory integration, have not been routinely explored. This study characterized sensory integration differences in a cohort of children (n = 93) with a confirmed diagnosis of autism (5-9 years) using a standardized, norm-referenced battery. Mean z scores, autism diagnostic scores, and IQ are reported. Participants showed substantial deficits in tactile perception, praxis, balance, visual perception, and visual-motor skills. Relationship with autism diagnostic test scores were weak or absent. Findings suggest additional sensory difficulties that are not typically assessed or considered when characterizing sensory features in autism. These data have implications for a greater understanding of the sensory features in the autism phenotype and the development of personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roseann C Schaaf
- Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence, Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Zoe Mailloux
- Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence, Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Ridgway
- Department of Pediatrics, Rose F. Kennedy Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Alaina S Berruti
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 10461, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rachel L Dumont
- Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence, Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily A Jones
- Queens College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, Queens, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin E Leiby
- Division of Biostatistics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Catherine Sancimino
- The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 10461, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Misung Yi
- Division of Biostatistics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sophie Molholm
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 10461, Bronx, NY, USA
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