Autism: Predicting Future Skills of Toddlers with Autism

An early intervention study of young children with autism  found that those children with brain wave patterns similar to their peers without autism were likely to function at a higher level than other children with autism.  The study measured brain activity of 2 year olds in response to words.  The children in the study were then assessed at 4 and 6 years of age for their language, cognitive and behavioral skills.  The children with the more severe impairments were those whose earlier brain wave monitoring was different than typically developing children.

"We've shown that the brain's indicator of word learning in 2-year-olds already diagnosed with autism predicts their eventual skills on a broad set of cognitive and linguistic abilities and adaptive behaviors," said lead author Patricia Kuhl, co-director of the University of Washington's Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences."This is true four years after the initial test, and regardless of the type of autism treatment the children received," she said.

Researchers hope that these study results will help improve early interventions for young children with autism.  The study is published in PLOS ONE.

Fore more information and the source of the above quote, please see:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130529190724.htm

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action