Early social, imitation, play, and language abilities of young non-autistic siblings of children with autism
Open accessAbstract
Studies are needed to better understand the broad autism phenotype in young siblings of children with autism. Cognitive, adaptive, social, imitation, play, and language abilities were examined in 42 non-autistic siblings and 20 toddlers with no family history of autism, ages 18-27 months. Siblings, as a group, were below average in expressive language and composite IQ, had lower mean receptive language, adaptive behavior, and social communication skills, and used fewer words, distal gestures, and responsive social smiles than comparison children. Additionally, parents reported social impairments in siblings by 13 months of age. These results suggest that the development of young non-autistic siblings is affected at an early age and, thus, should be closely monitored, with appropriate interventions implemented as needed.
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Through 3 years of age, high-risk infants exhibit higher levels of autism spectrum disorder-related characteristics than controls on autism spectrum disorder screeners, but differences on examiner-administered assessments are less consistent.
“Through 3 years of age, HR infants exhibit higher levels of ASD-related characteristics than controls on ASD screeners, but differences based on examiner-administered assessments designed to quantify these characteristics are less consistent.2,8–10”
From Beyond Autism: A Baby Siblings Research Consortium Study of High-Risk Children at Three Years of Age (2013) · cites this paper as [8]
High-risk siblings exhibit lower levels of receptive language and other communication skills than comparison infants, but direct comparisons of intellectual functioning have not yielded consistent results.
“Likewise, HR siblings exhibit lower levels of receptive language and other communication skills than comparison infants,2,8,9,11 but direct comparisons of intellectual functioning have not yielded consistent results.8,9,11,12”
From Beyond Autism: A Baby Siblings Research Consortium Study of High-Risk Children at Three Years of Age (2013) · cites this paper as [8]
The findings extend previous reports of risk group differences, suggesting that overall differences in social, communication, and behavioral characteristics between high-risk and low-risk children are relatively subtle.
“Findings of slightly elevated levels of ASD-related characteristics in HR siblings without ASD outcomes extends previous reports of risk group differences, suggesting that overall differences in social, communication, and behavioral characteristics between HR and LR children are relatively subtle.8,10,11,34”
From Beyond Autism: A Baby Siblings Research Consortium Study of High-Risk Children at Three Years of Age (2013) · cites this paper as [8]
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- Authors
- Toth, K., Dawson, G., Meltzoff, A. N., Greenson, J., & Fein, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- University of Connecticut (US)
- Corresponding author
- Toth, Karen
- Venue
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Published
- 2007-01-11
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 145-157
- ISSN
- 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3432
- PMC
- PMC2259442
- OpenAlex
- W2103246233
- Cited by
- 188
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 6.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- University of Washington
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (U54MH0663)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U19HD34565, U19HD035465, R01HD039961)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, siblings of autistic children, broader autism phenotype, social communication skills, imitation, play, expressive language, receptive language, adaptive behavior, early development, toddlers, parent report
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Age Factors, Autistic Disorder, Child, Child, Preschool, Cognition Disorders, Communication, Female, Humans, Imitative Behavior, Infant, Interpersonal Relations, Language Disorders, Male, Mass Screening, Play and Playthings, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Behavior, Observer Variation, Siblings
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