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L West K, E Steward S, Roemer Britsch E, M Iverson J. Infant Communication Across the Transition to Walking: Developmental Cascades Among Infant Siblings of Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2024; 54:2847-2859. [PMID: 37906320 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-023-06030-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
New motor skills can shape how infants communicate with their caregivers. For example, learning to walk allows infants to move faster and farther than they previously could, in turn allowing them to approach their caregivers more frequently to gesture or vocalize. Does the link between walking and communication differ for infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), whose communicative and motor development differs from their neurotypically developing peers? We prospectively followed two groups of infants longitudinally during the transition from crawling to walking: (1) N = 25 infants with no family history of ASD; and (2) N = 91 infants with an older sibling with ASD. Fifteen infants were later diagnosed with ASD, and 26 infants showed a language delay (but did not receive an ASD diagnosis). After learning to walk, infants without ASD or language delay showed considerable changes in their communication: They gestured more frequently, and increasingly coordinated their gestures and vocalizations with locomotion (e.g., by approaching a caregiver and showing a toy). Infants with language delay showed similar but attenuated growth in their communication. However, infants later diagnosed with ASD did not display enhanced communication after they began to walk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L West
- Department of Psychology, Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA.
- Department of Psychology, New York University, 4 Washington Place, Room 406, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Sarah E Steward
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | | | - Jana M Iverson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
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2
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Lopez LD, Walle EA. Caregiver encouragement to act on objects is related with crawling infants' receptive language. INFANCY 2024; 29:550-570. [PMID: 38529523 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
The progression from crawling to walking in infancy is associated with changes in infant language development. One possible explanation for such change is the infant's language environment. Prior research indicates that caregivers use more action directives with walking infants compared to crawling infants, but the relations of such parental speech with infant vocabulary is unknown. Here, we present findings from day-long home audio recordings (Study 1) and laboratory observations (Study 2) of same-aged crawling and walking infants to explore how caregiver language, specifically action directives, were associated with parent reported infant vocabulary size. Findings in both studies indicated that caregiver action directives were associated with crawling, but not walking infants' receptive vocabulary sizes. Specifically, action directives about objects occurring when the infant and caregiver were not jointly engaged were associated with higher receptive vocabulary scores for crawling infants, but no such pattern was found for walking infants. The replication of results in distinct samples with different research methodologies strengthens the findings. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that caregiver social engagement specific to infant motoric development is related with infant language learning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric A Walle
- University of California, Merced, California, USA
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3
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Tamis-LeMonda CS, Kachergis G, Masek LR, Gonzalez SL, Soska KC, Herzberg O, Xu M, Adolph KE, Gilmore RO, Bornstein MH, Casasola M, Fausey CM, Frank MC, Goldin-Meadow S, Gros-Louis J, Hirsh-Pasek K, Iverson J, Lew-Williams C, MacWhinney B, Marchman VA, Naigles L, Namy L, Perry LK, Rowe M, Sheya A, Soderstrom M, Song L, Walle E, Warlaumont AS, Yoshida H, Yu C, Yurovsky D. Comparing apples to manzanas and oranges to naranjas: A new measure of English-Spanish vocabulary for dual language learners. INFANCY 2024; 29:302-326. [PMID: 38217508 PMCID: PMC11019594 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12571] [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] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The valid assessment of vocabulary development in dual-language-learning infants is critical to developmental science. We developed the Dual Language Learners English-Spanish (DLL-ES) Inventories to measure vocabularies of U.S. English-Spanish DLLs. The inventories provide translation equivalents for all Spanish and English items on Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) short forms; extended inventories based on CDI long forms; and Spanish language-variety options. Item-Response Theory analyses applied to Wordbank and Web-CDI data (n = 2603, 12-18 months; n = 6722, 16-36 months; half female; 1% Asian, 3% Black, 2% Hispanic, 30% White, 64% unknown) showed near-perfect associations between DLL-ES and CDI long-form scores. Interviews with 10 Hispanic mothers of 18- to 24-month-olds (2 White, 1 Black, 7 multi-racial; 6 female) provide a proof of concept for the value of the DLL-ES for assessing the vocabularies of DLLs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Marc H. Bornstein
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, MD, USA
- Institute for Fiscal Studies, UK
- UNICEF, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Laura Namy
- Institute for Education Sciences, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Adam Sheya
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Walle
- University of California Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Chen Yu
- University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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4
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West KL, Saleh AN, Adolph KE, Tamis-LeMonda CS. "Go, go, go!" Mothers' verbs align with infants' locomotion. Dev Sci 2023; 26:e13397. [PMID: 37078147 PMCID: PMC10653669 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13397] [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] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Caregivers often tailor their language to infants' ongoing actions (e.g., "are you stacking the blocks?"). When infants develop new motor skills, do caregivers show concomitant changes in their language input? We tested whether the use of verbs that refer to locomotor actions (e.g., "come," "bring," "walk") differed for mothers of 13-month-old crawling (N = 16) and walking infants (N = 16), and mothers of 18-month-old experienced walkers (N = 16). Mothers directed twice as many locomotor verbs to walkers compared to same-age crawlers, but mothers' locomotor verbs were similar for younger and older walkers. In real-time, mothers' use of locomotor verbs was dense when infants were locomoting, and sparse when infants were stationary, regardless of infants' crawler/walker status. Consequently, infants who spent more time in motion received more locomotor verbs compared to infants who moved less frequently. Findings indicate that infants' motor skills guide their in-the-moment behaviors, which in turn shape the language they receive from caregivers. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Infants' motor skills guide their in-the-moment behaviors, which in turn shape the language they receive from caregivers. Mothers directed more frequent and diverse verbs that referenced locomotion (e.g., "come," "go," "bring") to walking infants compared to same-aged crawling infants. Mothers' locomotor verbs were temporally dense when infants locomoted and sparse when infants were stationary, regardless of whether infants could walk or only crawl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L. West
- Department of Psychology, Center for Innovative Research in Autism, University of Alabama
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5
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Karasik LB, Adolph KE, Fernandes SN, Robinson SR, Tamis-LeMonda CS. Gahvora cradling in Tajikistan: Cultural practices and associations with motor development. Child Dev 2023; 94:1049-1067. [PMID: 37016553 PMCID: PMC10521344 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
In Tajikistan, infants are bound supine in a "gahvora" cradle that severely restricts movement. Does cradling affect motor development and body growth? In three studies (2013-2018), we investigated associations between time in the gahvora (within days and across age) and motor skills and flattened head dimensions in 8-24-month-old Tajik infants (N = 269, 133 girls, 136 boys)) and 4.3-5.1-year-old children (N = 91, 53 girls, 38 boys). Infants had later motor onset ages relative to World Health Organization standards and pronounced brachycephaly; cradling predicted walk onset age and the proficiency of sitting, crawling, and walking. By 4-5 years, children's motor skills were comparable with US norms. Cultural differences in early experiences offer a unique lens onto developmental processes and equifinality in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana B. Karasik
- College of Staten Island & Graduate Center, CUNY, Staten Island, New York, USA
| | | | - Sara N. Fernandes
- College of Staten Island & Graduate Center, CUNY, Staten Island, New York, USA
- New York University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Scott R. Robinson
- College of Staten Island & Graduate Center, CUNY, Staten Island, New York, USA
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Kawa R. The relationship between object play, language, and visual and motor skills in children at risk of developmental disorders between 12 and 37 months. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY REPORT 2023; 12:87-95. [PMID: 38425887 PMCID: PMC10900973 DOI: 10.5114/hpr/161656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exploratory object play is a primary strategy in amassing knowledge about one's environment and determines the development of language skills at a later age. However, still much remains unknown about how object play is related to visual and language development in children at risk of developmental disorders. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE Forty-four children at risk of developmental disorders aged 13 to 37 months took part in the study. The measurement of object play relied on observation of children manipulating novel objects. Language skills were assessed by the Mullen Scales. RESULTS The results indicate that there is a correlation between specific object play behaviours, language and visual skills. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study support the hypothesis that the relationship between visual and language skills and object play in children at risk of developmental disorders is different in younger and older children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Kawa
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Chen Q, Schneider JL, West KL, Iverson JM. Infant locomotion shapes proximity to adults during everyday play in the U.S. INFANCY 2023; 28:190-205. [PMID: 36180977 PMCID: PMC9899299 DOI: 10.1111/infa.12503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Learning to walk expands infants' access to the physical environment and prompts changes in their communicative behaviors. However, little is known about whether walking also shapes infants' proximity to their adult social partners during everyday activities at home. Here we followed 89 infants (42 boys, 47 girls; 92% White, not Hispanic or Latino) longitudinally and documented connections between infant locomotion and infant-adult proximity on two timescales: (1) across developmental time, by comparing data from a session when infants could only crawl to a later session when they could walk (M walk onset = 12.15 months, range = 8-15); and (2) in real time, by testing whether the amount of time that infants spent in motion (regardless of their locomotor status) related to their interpersonal distance to adults. The developmental transition to walking corresponded to a significant, but modest, decrease in infant-adult proximity. Infants' moment-to-moment locomotion, however, was strongly related to patterns of interpersonal distance: infants who spent more time in motion spent less time near adults and instigated more proximity transitions, resulting in shorter and more dispersed bouts of proximity throughout sessions. Findings shed new light on how infants' motor achievements can reverberate across other domains of development, and how changes in infant development that researchers often observe over months arise from infants' moment-to-moment experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Chen
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | | | - Kelsey L West
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jana M Iverson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
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8
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Guo LX, Pace A, Masek LR, Golinkoff RM, Hirsh-Pasek K. Cascades in language acquisition: Re-thinking the linear model of development. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 64:69-107. [PMID: 37080675 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2022.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The first 5 years of life are characterized by incredible growth across domains of child development. Drawing from over 50 years of seminal research, this chapter contextualizes recent advances in language sciences through the lens of developmental cascades to explore complexities and connections in acquisition. Converging evidence-both classic and contemporary-points to the many ways in which advances in one learning system can pose significant and lasting impacts on the advances in other learning systems. This chapter reviews evidence in developmental literature from multiple domains and disciplines (i.e., cognitive, social, motor, bilingual language learning, and communication sciences and disorders) to examine the phenomenon of developmental cascades in language acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura X Guo
- University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Amy Pace
- University of Washington, Seattle, United States.
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Calabretta BT, Schneider JL, Iverson JM. Bidding on the go: Links between walking, social actions, and caregiver responses in infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2022; 15:2324-2335. [PMID: 36254470 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The development of walking is associated with a shift in how neurotypical infants initiate social interactions. Walking infants are more likely to locate objects in distant places, carry them, and then share those objects by approaching caregivers and using gestures to show or offer their discoveries (i.e., moving bids). The simultaneous organization of the behaviors necessary to generate moving bids requires the coordination of multiple skills-walking, fine motor skills, and gesturing. Infants with an elevated likelihood (EL) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit differences and delays in each of these behaviors. This study investigated interconnections between infant walking, social actions, and caregiver responses in 18-month-old EL infants with diverse developmental outcomes (ASD, non-ASD language delay, no diagnosis). We observed 85 infant-caregiver dyads at home during everyday activities for 45 minutes and identified all times when infants walked, instances of walking paired with social action (i.e., approaching the caregiver, approaching while carrying an object, producing a moving bid), and whether caregivers responded to their infants' social actions. There were no group differences in infants' production of social actions. Caregiver responses, however, were more clearly modulated by outcome group. While all caregivers were similarly and highly likely to respond to moving bids, caregivers of EL-ASD infants were substantially more likely to respond when their infants simply approached them (with or without an object in hand). Taken together, this research underscores the complexity of EL infant-caregiver interactions and highlights the role that each partner plays in shaping how they unfold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca T Calabretta
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Joshua L Schneider
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jana M Iverson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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10
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Iverson JM. Developing language in a developing body, revisited: The cascading effects of motor development on the acquisition of language. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2022; 13:e1626. [PMID: 36165333 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In the first years of life, infants rapidly acquire a series of new motor skills. They learn to sit independently, to walk with skill, and to engage in a wide variety of interactions with objects. Over these same years, infants also begin to develop language. These are not isolated events. In a complex developing system, even small changes in one domain can have far-reaching effects on development in other domains. This is the fundamental idea behind the rich framework known as the developmental cascades perspective. Here we employ this framework to show how early motor advances can exert downstream effects on the development of language. Focusing first on the emergence of independent sitting, then on the development of walking, and finally on changes in the ways in which infants act on and combine actions on objects, we describe how the nature and quality of infant actions change dramatically over the first few years and how this brings with it new possibilities for engaging the environment, more sophisticated ways of interacting with people, and significant alterations in communications directed by caregivers to the infant and coordinated with infant action in time and in meaning. The developmental cascades framework provides an approach for understanding how advances in motor skills influence communicative and language development, and more generally, for conceptualizing the constant, dynamic, and complex interplay between developing infants and their environments as it unfolds over time. This article is categorized under: Linguistics > Language Acquisition Psychology > Motor Skill and Performance Psychology > Development and Aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana M Iverson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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11
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Fears NE, Palmer SA, Miller HL. Motor skills predict adaptive behavior in autistic children and adolescents. Autism Res 2022; 15:1083-1089. [PMID: 35322578 PMCID: PMC9167704 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
It is well-documented that intelligence quotient (IQ) is a poor predictor of adaptive behavior scores in autism, with autistic children having lower adaptive behavior scores than would be predicted based on their IQ scores. Differences in motor skills may explain the variability in their adaptive behavior scores. The current study examined how motor skills might explain autistic individuals' low adaptive behavior scores and which individual components of IQ (i.e., verbal comprehension and perceptual reasoning) and motor skills (i.e., manual dexterity, aiming and catching, and balance) may drive this effect. We examined the associations between IQ, motor skills, calibrated severity, and adaptive behavior scores in 45 autistic children and adolescents. Using a t-test, we found a significant difference (p <0.001) between full-scale IQ and adaptive behavior scores, indicating that our participants' adaptive behavior scores were lower than would be expected given their full-scale IQ. Using a linear regression, we investigated whether motor skills predicted adaptive behavior in autistic children and adolescents and found that motor skills scores were associated with adaptive behavior scores (p = 0.022). To further investigate these associations, we used another linear regression to examine how individual components of IQ and motor skills predicted adaptive behavior scores in autistic children and adolescents. Our results indicated that manual dexterity scores were associated with adaptive behavior scores (p = 0.036). These findings clearly illustrate the need for further understanding of autistic individuals' difficulties with adaptive behavior and the potential role of motor skill difficulties that may underlie these difficulties. LAY SUMMARY: Autistic children have lower adaptive behavior scores (e.g., daily living skills, social skills, communication) than intelligence scores (e.g., verbal and perceptual skills) along with difficulties with motor skills. Motor skills may explain the gap between adaptive behavior and intelligence. We found motor skills were associated with adaptive behavior in autistic children and adolescents. In particular, hand coordination was associated with adaptive behavior. We need to better understand how autistic individuals' motor skills impact their adaptive behavior to provide effective supports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Fears
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.,School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Haylie L Miller
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA.,School of Kinesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Rincón-Rufo D, Vera-Pérez V, Cuesta-Gómez A, Carratalá-Tejada M. Prediction of Communicative Disorders Linked to Autistic Spectrum Disorder Based on Early Psychomotor Analysis. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:397. [PMID: 35327769 PMCID: PMC8947747 DOI: 10.3390/children9030397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This systematic review evaluated psychomotor differences between children with and without siblings who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as the most reliable psychomotor skills that can help predict ASD and its associated language disorders. Literature from 2005 to 2020 was searched using the following databases: PubMed, Trip Medical Database, Cochrane, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Brain. A total 11 papers were included. Fine motor skills and joint attention displayed reliable results in order to predict ASD and its associated language disorders. The period between the first and the second year of life was considered the most appropriate one for the assessment of psychomotor skills. The best period to predict language disorders and ASD diagnosis is around 36 months old.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alicia Cuesta-Gómez
- Motion Analysis, Ergonomics, Biomechanics and Motor Control Laboratory (LAMBECOM), Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain;
| | - María Carratalá-Tejada
- Motion Analysis, Ergonomics, Biomechanics and Motor Control Laboratory (LAMBECOM), Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28922 Alcorcón, Spain;
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Posar A, Visconti P. Early Motor Signs in Autism Spectrum Disorder. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 9:children9020294. [PMID: 35205014 PMCID: PMC8870370 DOI: 10.3390/children9020294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
A growing number of literature data suggest the presence of early impairments in the motor development of children with autism spectrum disorder, which could be often recognized even before the appearance of the classical social communication deficits of autism. In this narrative review, we aimed at performing an update about the available data on the early motor function in children with autism spectrum disorder. Early motor impairment in these children can manifest itself both as a mere delay of motor development and as the presence of atypicalities of motor function, such as a higher rate and a larger inventory, of stereotyped movements both with and without objects. In the perspective of a timely diagnosis, the presence of early motor signs can be an important clue, especially in an individual considered at high risk for autism. Motor and communication (both verbal and non-verbal) skills are connected and a pathogenetic role of early motor dysfunctions in the development of autism can be hypothesized. From this, derives the importance of an early enabling intervention aimed at improving motor skills, which could also have favorable effects on other aspects of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annio Posar
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Disturbi dello Spettro Autistico, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Neuromotorie, Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-051-6225111
| | - Paola Visconti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOSI Disturbi dello Spettro Autistico, 40139 Bologna, Italy;
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Gallagher S, Sparaci L, Varga S. Disruptions of the Meshed Architecture in Autism Spectrum Disorder. PSYCHOANALYTIC INQUIRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/07351690.2022.2007032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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15
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Iverson JM, West KL, Schneider JL, Plate SN, Northrup JB, Roemer Britsch E. Early development in autism: How developmental cascades help us understand the emergence of developmental differences. ADVANCES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 64:109-134. [PMID: 37080666 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many theories of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focus on a single system or factor as an explanatory mechanism for autism symptoms and behavior. However, there is growing recognition that ASD is a complex, multisystem neurodevelopmental condition with origins in prenatal life. Researchers therefore need a conceptual framework that allows examination of the interplay between multiple interacting domains and systems and the ways in which they extend their influence beyond the individual into the surrounding environment. The developmental cascades perspective suggests that even relatively small perturbations in early emerging behaviors in domains that are not traditionally linked may influence subsequent achievements across these areas. In this chapter, we illustrate how a developmental cascades framework can be used to inform the study of developmental differences. The developmental cascades perspective provides us with conceptual and methodological tools for considering how variation in children's real time behavior can provide new insights into sources of variation in their developmental trajectories and outcomes. It also suggests approaches for intervention that leverage targeted skills in novel ways, creating opportunities to support development in other domains and fine-tune caregiver behavior to create powerful moments for infant learning.
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Schneider JL, Iverson JM. Cascades in action: How the transition to walking shapes caregiver communication during everyday interactions. Dev Psychol 2022; 58:1-16. [PMID: 34843275 PMCID: PMC9588170 DOI: 10.1037/dev0001280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
New motor skills supply infants with new possibilities for action and have consequences for development in unexpected places. For example, the transition from crawling to walking is accompanied by gains in other abilities-better ways to move, see the world, and engage in social interactions (e.g., Adolph & Tamis-LeMonda, 2014). Do the developmental changes associated with walking extend to the communicative behaviors of caregivers? Thirty infants (14 boys, 16 girls; 93% White, not Hispanic or Latino) and their caregivers (84% held a college degree or higher) were observed during everyday activities at home during the two-month window surrounding the onset of walking (M infant age = 11.98 months, range = 8.74-14.86). Using a cross-domain coding system, we tracked change in the rates of co-occurrence between infants' locomotor actions and caregivers' concurrent language and gesture input. We examined these relations on two timescales-across developmental time, as infants transitioned from crawling to walking, and in real time based on moment-to-moment differences in infant posture. A consistent pattern of results emerged: compared to crawling, bouts of infant walking were more likely to co-occur with caregiver language and gestures that either requested or described movement or provided information about objects. An effect of infants' real-time behavior was also discovered, such that infants were more likely to hear language from their caregivers when they moved while upright compared to prone. Taken together, findings suggest that the emergence of walking reorganizes the infant-caregiver dyad and sets in motion a developmental cascade that shapes the communication caregivers provide. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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17
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Gallagher S. Integration and Causality in Enactive Approaches to Psychiatry. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:870122. [PMID: 35859602 PMCID: PMC9289159 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.870122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In this paper I address what has been called the integration problem in psychiatry. This problem is tied to conceptions of causality and explanatory levels in our understanding of mind. I take an interdisciplinary enactive perspective to develop a 3-fold method for exploring the dynamics of integration, based on a concept of dynamical causation and a non-hierarchical (level-free) notion of gestalt. I also consider Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as a test case.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaun Gallagher
- Department of Philosophy, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, United States.,School of Liberal Arts, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
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18
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Wang LAL, Petrulla V, Zampella CJ, Waller R, Schultz RT. Gross motor impairment and its relation to social skills in autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and two meta-analyses. Psychol Bull 2022; 148:273-300. [PMID: 35511567 PMCID: PMC9894569 DOI: 10.1037/bul0000358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Gross motor ability is associated with profound differences in how children experience and interact with their social world. A rapidly growing literature on motor development in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) indicates that autistic individuals exhibit impairment in gross motor skills. However, due to substantial heterogeneity across studies, it remains unclear which gross motor skills are impaired in ASD, when and for whom these differences emerge, and whether motor and social impairments are related. The present article addressed these questions by synthesizing research on gross motor skills in ASD in two separate meta-analyses. The first examined gross motor deficits in ASD compared to neurotypical (NT) controls, aggregating data from 114 studies representing 6,423 autistic and 2,941 NT individuals. Results demonstrated a significant overall deficit in gross motor skills in ASD (Hedges' g = -1.04) that was robust to methodological and phenotypic variation and was significant at every level of the tested moderators. However, moderation analyses revealed that this deficit was most pronounced for object control skills (i.e., ball skills), clinical assessment measures, and movements of the upper extremities or the whole body. The second meta-analysis investigated whether gross motor and social skills are related in ASD, synthesizing data from 21 studies representing 654 autistic individuals. Findings revealed a modest but significant overall correlation between gross motor and social skills in ASD (r = 0.27). Collectively, results support the conclusion that motor deficits are tied to the core symptoms of ASD. Further research is needed to test the causality and directionality of this relationship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah A. L. Wang
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States,Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | - Casey J. Zampella
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| | | | - Robert T. Schultz
- Center for Autism Research, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States,Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
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19
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Patterson JW, Armstrong V, Duku E, Richard A, Franchini M, Brian J, Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson SE, Sacrey LAR, Roncadin C, Smith IM. Early trajectories of motor skills in infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2021; 15:481-492. [PMID: 34826349 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Delays in motor development are not considered a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, recent studies of infant siblings of children with ASD suggest that early delays in motor skills may be associated with later delays in developmental areas considered to be core features of an ASD diagnosis. While these studies demonstrate the longitudinal association between core features and motor delays observed at single time points, there is considerable interest in studying the trajectories of motor development over the first 3 years of life. To accomplish this, we investigated early trajectories of motor development in a cohort of 499 infant siblings of children with ASD and 176 children with no family history of ASD. Data for the current study were drawn from the prospective, multi-site, Canadian Infant Sibling Study. We evaluated trajectories of fine and gross motor development over the first 3 years using group-based trajectory modeling. Our results show that membership for both fine and gross motor trajectory groups was related to expressive language skills, receptive language skills, ASD symptom severity scores, and diagnostic classification at age 3. These results provide evidence that the trajectory of a child's early motor development may have important prognostic implications in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eric Duku
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annie Richard
- Autism Research Centre, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
| | | | - Jessica Brian
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Autism Research Center, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Susan E Bryson
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Lori-Ann R Sacrey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Autism Research Center, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Caroline Roncadin
- McMaster Children's Hospital Autism Program, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Isabel M Smith
- Autism Research Centre, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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20
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Andalò B, Rigo F, Rossi G, Majorano M, Lavelli M. Do motor skills impact on language development between 18 and 30 months of age? Infant Behav Dev 2021; 66:101667. [PMID: 34837789 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite recent evidence on the relation between motor development and language development in infancy, this relation is still little explored in the late second and third year. This study investigated whether gross and/or fine motor skills affect language outcomes in this age range and whether any such effects narrow over time to specific language categories related to motor experience, such as spatial vocabulary. Thirty-six Italian monolingual toddlers (58% girls) participated, divided into two groups based on their age. They were assessed twice: the younger group at 18 (Time-1) and 24 months (Time-2); the older group at 24 (Time-1) and 30 months (Time-2). At Time-1 motor and language abilities were measured using the Griffiths Mental Development Scales. At Time-2, only language outcomes (three vocabularies: nouns, predicates, and spatial terms) were assessed, using the Picture Naming Game-PiNG. Hierarchical linear regressions show that motor skills affect language abilities also in the late second and third year, but the impact varies according to the type of motor skills (gross vs. fine) and children's age. At 18 months, controlling for linguistic abilities, a global score of gross motor skills predicted predicate production, and a specific gross-motor coordination skill: general dynamic coordination (GDC) predicted noun production at 24 months. At 24 months, controlling for linguistic abilities, GDC predicted predicate production, and a combination of fine- and gross-motor coordination skills (bilateral coordination and GDC) predicted spatial vocabulary comprehension at 30 months. Overall, results suggest that the relation between motor and language development is not simple or stable over time, but rather dynamic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Federica Rigo
- Department of Human Sciences, University of Verona, Italy
| | - Germano Rossi
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
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21
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Franchak JM, Scott V, Luo C. A Contactless Method for Measuring Full-Day, Naturalistic Motor Behavior Using Wearable Inertial Sensors. Front Psychol 2021; 12:701343. [PMID: 34744865 PMCID: PMC8570382 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.701343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
How can researchers best measure infants' motor experiences in the home? Body position-whether infants are held, supine, prone, sitting, or upright-is an important developmental experience. However, the standard way of measuring infant body position, video recording by an experimenter in the home, can only capture short instances, may bias measurements, and conflicts with physical distancing guidelines resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we introduce and validate an alternative method that uses machine learning algorithms to classify infants' body position from a set of wearable inertial sensors. A laboratory study of 15 infants demonstrated that the method was sufficiently accurate to measure individual differences in the time that infants spent in each body position. Two case studies showed the feasibility of applying this method to testing infants in the home using a contactless equipment drop-off procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M. Franchak
- Perception, Action, and Development Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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22
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Zampella CJ, Wang LAL, Haley M, Hutchinson AG, de Marchena A. Motor Skill Differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Clinically Focused Review. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2021; 23:64. [PMID: 34387753 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-021-01280-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review synthesizes recent, clinically relevant findings on the scope, significance, and centrality of motor skill differences in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). RECENT FINDINGS Motor challenges in ASD are pervasive, clinically meaningful, and highly underrecognized, with up to 87% of the autistic population affected but only a small percentage receiving motor-focused clinical care. Across development, motor differences are associated with both core autism symptoms and broader functioning, though the precise nature of those associations and the specificity of motor profiles to ASD remain unestablished. Findings suggest that motor difficulties in ASD are quantifiable and treatable, and that detection and intervention efforts targeting motor function may also positively influence social communication. Recent evidence supports a need for explicit recognition of motor impairment within the diagnostic framework of ASD as a clinical specifier. Motor differences in ASD warrant greater clinical attention and routine incorporation into screening, evaluation, and treatment planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey J Zampella
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Leah A L Wang
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Margaret Haley
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anne G Hutchinson
- Center for Autism Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ashley de Marchena
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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23
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Alcock K, Connor S. Oral Motor and Gesture Abilities Independently Associated With Preschool Language Skill: Longitudinal and Concurrent Relationships at 21 Months and 3-4 Years. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2021; 64:1944-1963. [PMID: 33979210 DOI: 10.1044/2021_jslhr-19-00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Early motor abilities (gesture, oral motor, and gross/fine skills) are related to language abilities, and this is not due to an association with cognitive or symbolic abilities: Oral motor skills are uniquely associated with language abilities at 21 months of age. It is important to determine whether this motor-language relationship continues beyond the earliest stage of language development to understand language acquisition better and better predict which children may have lasting language difficulties. Method In this longitudinal study, we assessed language comprehension and production, oral motor skill, gross/fine motor skill, and meaningless manual gesture at ages 3 years (N = 89) and 4 years (N = 71), comparing the contribution of motor skill and earlier (at 21 months of age) language ability. We also examined covariates: nonverbal cognitive ability, socioeconomic status, and stimulation in the home as measured on the Home Screening Questionnaire. Results Motor abilities continue to have a significant relationship with language abilities independent of other factors in the preschool years. Meaningless manual gesture ability, gross/fine motor skill, and oral motor skill were still associated with language skill at 3 years of age; these relationships are not explained by the contribution of cognitive abilities or earlier language abilities. Conclusions Relationships between early motor skill and language development persist into preschool years and are not explained by other cognitive or home factors, nor by a relationship with earlier language ability. This finding should lead to a better understanding of the origins of language abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Alcock
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Connor
- Department of Psychology, Lancaster University, United Kingdom
- Simon Connor Psychological Services Ltd. Gloucester, United Kingdom
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24
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Iverson JM. Developmental Variability and Developmental Cascades: Lessons from Motor and Language Development in Infancy. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2021; 30:228-235. [PMID: 34194130 DOI: 10.1177/0963721421993822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The first year of life is punctuated by explosions of growth in motor and language abilities. This is not a coincidence. The notion of developmental cascades provides a conceptual framework for considering ways in which advances in one component of a developing system can exert far-reaching and lasting change in other domains. In this article, I review evidence for the cascading effects of early motor advances on the developing communication and language system and describe how variability in the timing of these advances may alter the nature of these effects.
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25
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Molinini RM, Koziol NA, Marcinowski EC, Hsu LY, Tripathi T, Harbourne RT, McCoy SW, Lobo MA, Bovaird JA, Dusing SC. Early motor skills predict the developmental trajectory of problem solving in young children with motor delays. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22123. [PMID: 33942902 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this study was to quantify the relationship between early motor skills, such as sitting, and the development of problem-solving skills in children with motor delays. METHODS Motor (Gross Motor Function Measure) and problem-solving (Assessment of Problem-Solving in Play) skills of 134 children 7-16 months adjusted age at baseline with motor delay were assessed up to 5 times over 12 months. Participants were divided into two groups: mild and significant motor delay. RESULTS Motor and problem-solving scores had large (r's = 0.53-0.67) and statistically significant (p's > .01) correlations at all visits. Baseline motor skills predicted baseline and change in problem solving over time. The associations between motor and problem-solving skills were moderated by level of motor delay, with children with significant motor delay generally having stronger associations compared to those with mild motor delay. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that overall baseline motor skills are predictive of current and future development of problem-solving skills and that children with significant motor delay have a stronger and more stable association between motor and problem-solving skills over time. This highlights that children with motor delays are at risk for secondary delays in problem solving, and this risk increases as degree of motor delay increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Molinini
- Motor Development Lab, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Natalie A Koziol
- Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Emily C Marcinowski
- School of Kinesiology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Lin-Ya Hsu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tanya Tripathi
- Pediatric and Rehabilitation Laboratory, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Regina T Harbourne
- Rangos School of Health Sciences, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sarah W McCoy
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Michele A Lobo
- Move to Learn Innovation Lab, Department of Physical Therapy and Biomechanics and Movement Science Program, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - James A Bovaird
- Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
| | - Stacey C Dusing
- Motor Development Lab, Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
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26
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West KL, Iverson JM. Communication changes when infants begin to walk. Dev Sci 2021; 24:e13102. [PMID: 33556219 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Learning to walk allows infants to travel faster and farther and explore more of their environments. In turn, walking may have a cascading effect on infants' communication and subsequent responses from caregivers. We tested for an inflection point-a dramatic shift in the developmental progression-in infant communication and caregiver responses when infants started walking. We followed 25 infants longitudinally over 7 months surrounding the onset of walking (mean walk onset age = 11.76 months, SD = 1.56). After learning to walk, the pace of gesture growth (but not vocalization growth) increased substantially, and infants increasingly coordinated gestures and vocalizations with locomotion (e.g., by walking to a caregiver and showing off a toy bear). Consequently, caregivers had more opportunities to respond contingently to their infants during walking months compared to crawling months (e.g., "What did you find? Is that your bear?"). Changes in communication were amplified for infants who began walking at older ages, compared to younger walkers. Findings suggest that learning to walk marks a point in development when infants actively communicate in new ways, and consequently elicit rich verbal input from caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L West
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jana M Iverson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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27
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Caruso A, Ricceri L, Scattoni ML. Ultrasonic vocalizations as a fundamental tool for early and adult behavioral phenotyping of Autism Spectrum Disorder rodent models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 116:31-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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28
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Reindal L, Nærland T, Weidle B, Lydersen S, Andreassen OA, Sund AM. Age of First Walking and Associations with Symptom Severity in Children with Suspected or Diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2020; 50:3216-3232. [PMID: 31278523 PMCID: PMC7434723 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04112-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Age of first walking (AOW) is reported to be later in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with typical development. However, the relationship between AOW and variations in ASD symptoms across different neurodevelopmental disorders is largely unknown. This study investigated AOW and its association with autism symptom severity in a large sample of children (N = 490, 23% females) clinically evaluated for suspected ASD, differentiated into ASD (n = 376) and non-ASD (n = 114) diagnoses. Children with ASD achieved independent walking significantly later than children with non-ASD diagnoses. AOW was significantly associated with ASD symptom severity, and females had a non-significant later AOW. The current findings suggest that in cases with delayed AOW, ASD should be considered as an actual differential diagnosis, perhaps particularly in girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Reindal
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust, Volda Hospital, Pb 113, 6101, Volda, Norway.
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Terje Nærland
- NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders and Disabilities, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- NORMENT Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bernhard Weidle
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Stian Lydersen
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- NORMENT Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Anne Mari Sund
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare, Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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29
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Exploring the Unmet Need for Technology to Promote Motor Ability in Children Younger Than 5 Years of Age: A Systematic Review. Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl 2020; 2:100051. [PMID: 33543078 PMCID: PMC7853335 DOI: 10.1016/j.arrct.2020.100051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To (1) identify types of technology that promote motor ability in children younger than 5 years of age, (2) report on the type of support these devices provide, and (3) evaluate their potential for use in the community (outside of the laboratory or clinic). Data Sources A literature search of PubMed was conducted in February 2019 using specific terms, including child, rehabilitation, movement, and instrumentation. Study Selection The search yielded 451 peer-reviewed articles, which were screened by multiple reviewers. Articles that described the use of devices for the purpose of motor rehabilitation and/or assistance (regardless of device type or body part targeted) in the age range of 0-5 years were eligible for inclusion. Data Extraction In conformity with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, final stage data extraction consisted of full text readings where each article was reviewed twice by 3 independent reviewers. Data Synthesis About half of the devices available (46%) for children younger than 5 years of age are orthotics and corrective casting devices. There are more facilitative (ie, power mobility devices) than inhibitive (ie, casting) technologies being used. Approximately 60% of the devices are designed for use by a single body part. Walking is the most common motor skill addressed. Although most of the devices were used to some degree outside of the laboratory or clinic, most of the devices available are considered investigative and are not available for commercial purchase. Conclusions Many types of pediatric devices to assist movement exist, but the current scope of employed devices is limited. There is a need for developing technology that allows for, if not supports, high-dosage, early, and variable motor practice that can take place in community settings.
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30
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West KL, Roemer EJ, Northrup JB, Iverson JM. Profiles of Early Actions and Gestures in Infants With an Older Sibling With Autism Spectrum Disorder. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2020; 63:1195-1211. [PMID: 32302252 PMCID: PMC7242984 DOI: 10.1044/2019_jslhr-19-00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose Infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) produce fewer play actions and gestures than neurotypical infants (e.g., Mastrogiuseppe et al., 2015; Veness et al., 2012; Zwaigenbaum et al., 2005). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether different "types" of actions and gestures are more or less likely to develop atypically in ASD. Method We examined eight types of actions and gestures longitudinally from ages 8 to 14 months in 80 infants with a heightened risk for developing ASD by virtue of having an affected older sibling (high risk [HR]; e.g., Ozonoff et al., 2011) and 25 infants with no such familial risk (low risk). Data were collected using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (Fenson et al., 1994, 1993). Results HR infants later diagnosed with ASD showed less growth across nearly all types of actions and gestures compared to the low-risk comparison group. Importantly, these HR infants who were later diagnosed with ASD also exhibited reduced growth in frequent deictic gestures and in actions that involve object manipulation relative to HR infants with non-ASD language delay. Conclusions During infancy, it is challenging for clinicians to distinguish ASD from other early communicative delays (e.g., Camarata, 2014). Our results indicate that deictic gestures, as well as actions and gestures involving object manipulation, may be useful targets of surveillance strategies for HR infants and could support early detection efforts for ASD.
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31
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Wilson RB, Elashoff D, Gouelle A, Smith BA, Wilson AM, Dickinson A, Safari T, Hyde C, Jeste SS. Quantitative Gait Analysis in Duplication 15q Syndrome and Nonsyndromic ASD. Autism Res 2020; 13:1102-1110. [PMID: 32282133 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Motor impairments occur frequently in genetic syndromes highly penetrant for autism spectrum disorder (syndromic ASD) and in individuals with ASD without a genetic diagnosis (nonsyndromic ASD). In particular, abnormalities in gait in ASD have been linked to language delay, ASD severity, and likelihood of having a genetic disorder. Quantitative measures of motor function can improve our ability to evaluate motor differences in individuals with syndromic and nonsyndromic ASD with varying levels of intellectual disability and adaptive skills. To evaluate this methodology, we chose to use quantitative gait analysis to study duplication 15q syndrome (dup15q syndrome), a genetic disorder highly penetrant for motor delays, intellectual disability, and ASD. We evaluated quantitative gait variables in individuals with dup15q syndrome (n = 39) and nonsyndromic ASD (n = 21) and compared these data to a reference typically developing cohort. We found a gait pattern of slow pace, poor postural control, and large gait variability in dup15q syndrome. Our findings improve characterization of motor function in dup15q syndrome and nonsyndromic ASD. Quantitative gait analysis can be used as a translational method and can improve our identification of clinical endpoints to be used in treatment trials for these syndromes. Autism Res 2020, 13: 1102-1110. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Motor impairments, particularly abnormalities in walking, occur frequently in genetic syndromes highly penetrant for autism spectrum disorder (syndromic ASD). Here, using quantitative gait analysis, we find that individuals with duplication 15q syndrome have an atypical gait pattern that differentiates them from typically developing and nonsyndromic ASD individuals. Our findings improve motor characterization in dup15q syndrome and nonsyndromic ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rujuta B Wilson
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - David Elashoff
- Department of Medicine Statistics Core, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Arnaud Gouelle
- Gait and Balance Academy, Protokinetics, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.,Laboratory Performance, Sante, Metrologie, Societe (PSMS), UFR STAPS, Reims, France
| | - Beth A Smith
- Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy and Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew M Wilson
- Greater Los Angeles VA HealthCare System, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Abigail Dickinson
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tabitha Safari
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Carly Hyde
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Shafali S Jeste
- Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Bhat AN. Is Motor Impairment in Autism Spectrum Disorder Distinct From Developmental Coordination Disorder? A Report From the SPARK Study. Phys Ther 2020; 100:633-644. [PMID: 32154876 PMCID: PMC7297441 DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzz190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor impairments are pervasive in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, children with ASD rarely receive a dual diagnosis of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). The Simons Foundation SPARK study engaged families affected by ASD through an online study. OBJECTIVES The DCD parent questionnaire (DCDQ) was used to assess the prevalence of a risk for motor impairment or DCD in children with ASD between 5 and 15 years of age. DESIGN This study utilizes parent reports from a large database of children with ASD. METHODS A total of 16,705 parents of children with ASD completed the DCDQ. We obtained our final SPARK dataset (n = 11,814) after filtering out invalid data, using stronger cut-offs to confirm ASD traits, and excluding children with general neuromotor impairments/intellectual delays. We compared DCDQ total and subscale scores from the SPARK dataset with published norms for each age between 5 and 15 years. RESULTS The proportion of children with ASD at risk for a motor impairment was very high at 86.9%. Children with ASD did not outgrow their motor impairments and continued to present with a risk for DCD even into adolescence. Yet, only 31.6% of children were receiving physical therapy services. LIMITATIONS Our analysis of a large database of parent-reported outcomes using the DCDQ did not involve follow-up clinical assessments. CONCLUSIONS Using a large sample of children with ASD, this study shows that a risk for motor impairment or DCD was present in most children with ASD and persists into adolescence; however, only a small proportion of children with ASD were receiving physical therapist interventions. A diagnosis of ASD must trigger motor screening, evaluations, and appropriate interventions by physical and occupational therapists to address the functional impairments of children with ASD while also positively impacting their social communication, cognition, and behavior. Using valid motor measures, future research must determine if motor impairment is a fundamental feature of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Narayan Bhat
- A.N. Bhat, PT, PhD, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Delaware, 540 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19713 (USA); and Biomechanics & Movement Science Program, University of Delaware; and Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware,Address all correspondence to Dr Bhat at:
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Gonzalez SL, Alvarez V, Nelson EL. Do Gross and Fine Motor Skills Differentially Contribute to Language Outcomes? A Systematic Review. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2670. [PMID: 31849775 PMCID: PMC6901663 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Changes in motor development provide children with new learning opportunities to interact with objects, their environment, and with caregivers. Previous research finds that both gross and fine motor skills are predictive of later language outcomes across early infancy and childhood. However, gross and fine motor skills afford different types of interactions. Thus, gross and fine motor skills may potentially differ in the developmental trajectories through which cascading changes in language may occur. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there are differences in the predictive capacities of gross and fine motor skills toward language outcomes across infancy and early childhood in typical development. Method: A systematic review of existing literature on motor-language cascades was conducted in across studies measuring gross and/or fine motor and language development in children from 0 to 5 years old. Searches were conducted in PsycINFO, PubMed, and MEDLINE. Keywords used were a combination of "gross motor," "fine motor," "motor performance," "motor development," or "psychomotor development" along with "language," "language development," or "communication skills." Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full texts based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: A total of 23 articles were retained. Of these, seven studies measured only gross motor skills, four studies measured only fine motor skills, and 12 studies measured both gross and fine motor skills in the same study. Studies used a variety of measures to assess gross motor skills, fine motor skills, and language development (e.g., parent report, in lab observations, standardized assessment), and findings varied based on analyses used. Results demonstrated that both gross and fine motor skills are related to language outcomes, but due to a smaller amount of studies testing fine motor skills, conclusions regarding whether one is more important for language outcomes cannot be drawn. Conclusions: We conclude that both gross and fine motor skills help foster language development from infancy to early childhood. Limitations regarding current knowledge regarding the mechanisms that underlie motor-language cascades are discussed, as well as the need for more studies on fine motor skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandy L. Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Veronica Alvarez
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Eliza L. Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
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Lüke C, Leinweber J, Ritterfeld U. Walking, pointing, talking - the predictive value of early walking and pointing behavior for later language skills. JOURNAL OF CHILD LANGUAGE 2019; 46:1228-1237. [PMID: 31434588 DOI: 10.1017/s0305000919000394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Both walking abilities and pointing gestures in infants are associated with later language skills. Within this longitudinal study we investigate the relationship between walk onset and first observed index-finger points and their respectively predictive value for later language skills. We assume that pointing as a motor as well as a communicative skill is a stronger predictor of later language development than walk onset. Direct observations, parent questionnaires, and standardized tests were administered in 45 children at ages 1;0, 2;0, 3;0, and 4;0. Results show that both walk onset and early index-finger pointing predict language abilities at age 2;0, but only early index-finger pointing predicts language skills at ages 3;0 and 4;0. Walk onset seems to contribute to an initial increase in language acquisition without a sustained advantage. The predictive value of first observed index-finger points, however, is strong and lasts at least until age 4;0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Lüke
- Paderborn University, Germany
- TU Dortmund University, Germany
| | - Juliane Leinweber
- TU Dortmund University, Germany
- Trier University of Applied Sciences, Germany
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Sansavini A, Guarini A, Zuccarini M, Lee JZ, Faldella G, Iverson JM. Low Rates of Pointing in 18-Month-Olds at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder and Extremely Preterm Infants: A Common Index of Language Delay? Front Psychol 2019; 10:2131. [PMID: 31649572 PMCID: PMC6794419 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Infants with an older sibling with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis (Sibs ASD) are at high risk for language delay (LD) as well as infants born preterm, especially those with an extremely low gestational age (ELGA, GA ≤ 28 weeks). Gestures play a crucial role in language development and delays in gesture production may have negative cascading effects on it. The present exploratory study examined gesture production in 18-month-old infants with different underlying risks for LD. Seventy monolingual United States infants (41 Sibs ASD with no eventual ASD diagnosis and 29 infants with a typically developing older sibling -Sibs TD) and 40 monolingual Italian infants (20 ELGA without major cerebral damages, congenital malformations or sensory impairments and 20 full-term - FT infants, GA ≥ 37 weeks) were included. Both groups were followed longitudinally from 18 to 24, 30, and 36 months (corrected for ELGA infants). A 30-minute mother-infant play session with age-appropriate toys was video recorded at 18 months of age. Deictic (requesting, pointing, showing and giving), conventional, and representational gestures spontaneously produced by infants were coded; rate per 10 min was calculated. LD was defined as a score ≤10th percentile on the American English or Italian version of the MacArthur-Bates CDI on at least two time points between 18 and 36 months. Fifteen Sibs ASD and 9 ELGA infants were identified as infants with LD. Sibs ASD-LD and Sibs ASD-no LD produced fewer pointing gestures compared to Sibs TD (p = 0.038; p = 0.004); ELGA-LD infants produced significantly fewer pointing gestures than ELGA-no LD (p = 0.024) and FT (p = 0.006) infants. Low rates of pointing at 18 months are a marker of LD in Sibs ASD and ELGA infants. The potential implications of reduced pointing production and characteristics of different populations at risk for LD should be considered for understanding the emergence of LD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jessica Zong Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Giacomo Faldella
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Jana Marie Iverson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Gustison ML, Borjon JI, Takahashi DY, Ghazanfar AA. Vocal and locomotor coordination develops in association with the autonomic nervous system. eLife 2019; 8:e41853. [PMID: 31310236 PMCID: PMC6684270 DOI: 10.7554/elife.41853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In adult animals, movement and vocalizations are coordinated, sometimes facilitating, and at other times inhibiting, each other. What is missing is how these different domains of motor control become coordinated over the course of development. We investigated how postural-locomotor behaviors may influence vocal development, and the role played by physiological arousal during their interactions. Using infant marmoset monkeys, we densely sampled vocal, postural and locomotor behaviors and estimated arousal fluctuations from electrocardiographic measures of heart rate. We found that vocalizations matured sooner than postural and locomotor skills, and that vocal-locomotor coordination improved with age and during elevated arousal levels. These results suggest that postural-locomotor maturity is not required for vocal development to occur, and that infants gradually improve coordination between vocalizations and body movement through a process that may be facilitated by arousal level changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Gustison
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Jeremy I Borjon
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Daniel Y Takahashi
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Asif A Ghazanfar
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of PsychologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
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Taffoni F, Focaroli V, Keller F, Iverson JM. Motor performance in a shape sorter task: A longitudinal study from 14 to 36 months of age in children with an older sibling ASD. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217416. [PMID: 31136606 PMCID: PMC6538155 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During development, motor skills are fundamental in supporting interactions with the external world. The ability to plan actions is a particularly important aspect of motor skill since it is involved in many daily activities. In this work, we studied the development of motor planning longitudinally in children with an older sibling with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are at heightened risk (HR) for the disorder and children with no such risk (low risk; LR) using a shape sorter task. Children were observed at 14, 18, 24 and 36 months. Three HR children with a later diagnosis of ASD (HR-ASD) were analyzed separately from the rest of the sample. Behavioral and kinematic data indicated that precision demands significantly influenced children's actions, and that children's performance improved with age. No differences were found between the HR and LR groups, but a descriptive analysis of data from the three HR-ASD suggested differences in the variables describing children's action (as reaching time and acceleration) as well as variables describing children's performance (as the adjustment of the shapes).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Taffoni
- Laboratory of Biomedical Robotics and Biomicrosystems, Università Campus Biomedico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Focaroli
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience, Università Campus Biomedico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavio Keller
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuroscience, Università Campus Biomedico di Roma, Rome, Italy
| | - Jana Marie Iverson
- Infant Communication Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, United States of America
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Trajectories of Posture Development in Infants With and Without Familial Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 49:3257-3277. [DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04048-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Variability in Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Infants at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder: Predictors and Outcomes. J Autism Dev Disord 2019; 48:3417-3431. [PMID: 29767824 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3607-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Early communication impairment is among the most-reported first concerns in parents of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using a parent-report questionnaire, we derived trajectory groups for early language and gesture acquisition in siblings at high risk for ASD and in children at low risk, during their first 2 years of life. Developmental skills at 6 months were associated with trajectory group membership representing growth in receptive language and gestures. Behavioral symptoms also predicted gesture development. All communication measures were strongly related to clinical and developmental outcomes. Trajectory groups further indicated slowest language/gesture acquisition in infants with later ASD diagnoses, in particular when associated with language delay. Overall, our results confirm considerable variability in communication development in high-risk infants.
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40
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Iverson JM, Shic F, Wall CA, Chawarska K, Curtin S, Estes A, Gardner JM, Hutman T, Landa RJ, Levin AR, Libertus K, Messinger DS, Nelson CA, Ozonoff S, Sacrey LAR, Sheperd K, Stone WL, Tager-Flusberg HB, Wolff JJ, Yirmiya N, Young GS. Early motor abilities in infants at heightened versus low risk for ASD: A Baby Siblings Research Consortium (BSRC) study. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 128:69-80. [PMID: 30628809 DOI: 10.1037/abn0000390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Research has identified early appearing differences in gross and fine motor abilities in infants at heightened risk (HR) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because they are the younger siblings of children with ASD, and it suggests that such differences may be especially apparent among those HR infants themselves eventually diagnosed with ASD. The present study examined overall and item-level performance on the gross (GM) and fine motor (FM) subscales of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) administered at 6 months to a large, geographically diverse sample of HR infants with varying developmental outcomes (ASD, elevated ADOS without ASD, low ADOS without ASD) and to infants with low ASD risk (low risk [LR]). We also explored whether motor abilities assessed at 6 months predicted ASD symptom severity at 36 months. FM (but not GM) performance distinguished all 3 HR groups from LR infants with the weakest performance observed in the HR-Elevated ADOS children, who exhibited multiple differences from both LR and other HR infants in both gross and fine motor skills. Finally, 6-month FM (but not GM) scores significant predicted 36-month ADOS severity scores in the HR group; but no evidence was found of specific early appearing motor signs associated with a later ASD diagnosis. Vulnerabilities in infants' fine and gross motor skills may have significant consequences for later development not only in the motor domain but in other domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carla A Wall
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina
| | | | | | - Annette Estes
- Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington
| | | | - Ted Hutman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | | | | | | | - Charles A Nelson
- Boston Children's Hospital and Graduate School of Education, Harvard University
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jason J Wolff
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota
| | - Nurit Yirmiya
- Psychology Department, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Early behavioral indices of inherited liability to autism. Pediatr Res 2019; 85:127-133. [PMID: 30356093 PMCID: PMC6353672 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-018-0217-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The observed heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-and the diversity of rare germline mutations with which it has been associated-has been difficult to reconcile with knowledge of its pronounced heritability in the population. METHODS This article reviews and synthesizes recent family and developmental studies incorporating behavioral indices of inherited risk for ASD. RESULTS Autism may arise from critical combinations of early inherited neurobehavioral susceptibilities-some specific to autism, some not-each of which may be traceable to partially-independent sets of genetic variation. These susceptibilities and their respective genetic origins may not relate to the characterizing symptoms of autism (after it develops) in a straightforward way, and may account for "missing heritability" in molecular genetic studies. CONCLUSIONS Within-individual aggregations of a finite set of early inherited neurobehavioral susceptibilities-each individually common in the population-may account for a significant share of the heritability of ASD. Comprehensive identification of these underlying traits my help elucidate specific early intervention targets in individual patients, especially if autism represents a developmental consequence of earlier-interacting susceptibilities. Scientific understanding of the early ontogeny of autism will benefit from epidemiologically-rigorous, genetically-informative studies of robust endophenotypic candidates whose inter-relationships in infancy are mapped and normed.
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Iverson JM. Early Motor and Communicative Development in Infants With an Older Sibling With Autism Spectrum Disorder. JOURNAL OF SPEECH, LANGUAGE, AND HEARING RESEARCH : JSLHR 2018; 61:2673-2684. [PMID: 30418495 PMCID: PMC6693573 DOI: 10.1044/2018_jslhr-l-rsaut-18-0035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Purpose A recent approach to identifying early markers of risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been to study infants who have an older sibling with ASD. These infants are at heightened risk (HR) for ASD and for other developmental difficulties, and even those who do not receive an eventual ASD diagnosis manifest a high degree of variability in trajectories of development. The primary goal of this review is to summarize findings from research on early motor and communicative development in these HR infants. Method This review focuses on 2 lines of inquiry. The first assesses whether delays and atypicalities in early motor abilities and in the development of early communication provide an index of eventual ASD diagnosis. The second asks whether such delays also influence infants' interactions with objects and people in ways that exert far-reaching, cascading effects on development. Results HR infants who do and who do not receive a diagnosis of ASD vary widely in motor and communicative development. In addition, variation in infant motor and communicative development appears to have cascading effects on development, both on the emergence of behavior in other domains and on the broader learning environment. Conclusions Advances in communicative and language development are supported by advances in motor skill. When these advances are slowed and/or when new skills are not consolidated and remain challenging for the infant, the enhanced potential for exploration afforded by new abilities and the concomitant increase in opportunities for learning are reduced. Improving our understanding of communicative delays of the sort observed in ASD and developing effective intervention methods requires going beyond the individual to consider the constant, complex interplay between developing communicators and their environments. Presentation Video https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7299308.
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Zuccarini M, Guarini A, Iverson JM, Benassi E, Savini S, Alessandroni R, Faldella G, Sansavini A. Does early object exploration support gesture and language development in extremely preterm infants and full-term infants? JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2018; 76:91-100. [PMID: 30300842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2018.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing body of research on typically and atypically developing infants has shown that motor skills play an important role in language development. To date, however, the role of specific object exploration skills for early gesture and vocabulary development has not been investigated in extremely low gestational age infants (ELGA, GA < 28 weeks), who are at greater risk for motor and language delays than full-term (FT) infants. PURPOSE This longitudinal study examined relations between 6-month active exploratory behaviors and 12- month word comprehension, gestures and vocal production, controlling for cognitive performance and neonatal condition (ELGA vs FT). METHODS Forty infants, 20 ELGA and 20 FT, and their mothers participated in the study. Mother-infant play interaction was video-recorded at 6 and 12 months. Oral and manual object exploration at 6 months and spontaneous gestures and vocal production at 12 months were coded. Word comprehension was evaluated with the Italian version of the MacArthur-Bates CDI parent questionnaire at 12 months. Cognitive performance was examined with the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales at 6 months and the Bayley-III Scales at 12 months. RESULTS Regression analyses showed that after accounting for cognitive performance and neonatal condition, oral exploration was related to word comprehension, and manual exploration to gestures and vocal production in the overall sample. CONCLUSIONS Cascading effects of specific object exploration skills on gestures and language comprehension and production in preterm infants and FT infants are discussed. Clinical implications for early assessment of and interventions involving object exploration skills, which may affect language development, are considered for the preterm population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Erika Benassi
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Savini
- Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Rosina Alessandroni
- Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit-S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giacomo Faldella
- Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit-S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
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Heymann P, Northrup JB, West KL, Parladé MV, Leezenbaum NB, Iverson JM. Coordination is key: Joint attention and vocalisation in infant siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2018; 53:1007-1020. [PMID: 30079576 PMCID: PMC6156996 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research indicates that social communicative behaviours develop atypically during the second year in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study evaluated whether these behaviours also differed in the extent to which they were coordinated across modalities. AIMS To measure joint attention behaviours (e.g., gaze shifts, gestures), vocalisations and their coordination among a cohort of infants with an older sibling with ASD (heightened risk-HR). METHODS & PROCEDURES This prospective longitudinal study examined 50 HR infants at 14, 18 and 24 months. The Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS)-a structured toy-play task that assesses infant joint attention behaviour-was administered to infants at each age point in the home. Infants' joint attention behaviours, vocalisations and instances where they overlapped were coded from videos. At 36 months, nine infants received an ASD diagnosis (HR-ASD), 15 had a significant language delay (HR-LD) and 26 were classified no diagnosis (HR-ND). OUTCOMES & RESULTS Findings revealed that HR-ASD infants produced fewer advanced joint attention behaviours, and their vocalisations were less frequent and less advanced than HR-LD and HR-ND infants. Notably, HR-ASD infants also coordinated these behaviours together less frequently than their HR peers. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS Differences in the coordination of early communicative behaviours may have negative cascading effects on social and language development for infants who develop ASD. Current intervention practices may be complemented by efforts to increase the coordinated quality of communicative behaviours.
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