Chapter published in:
Sources of Variation in First Language Acquisition: Languages, contexts, and learners
Edited by Maya Hickmann †, Edy Veneziano and Harriet Jisa
[Trends in Language Acquisition Research 22] 2018
► pp. 391–408

Chapter 18
Early predictors of language development in Autism Spectrum Disorder

| Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Boston University
Although deficits in language are no longer considered diagnostic of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), delays in language are among the earliest concerns noted by parents. By the time children with ASD enter school, their language skills vary widely from intact linguistic ability to no spoken language, though in all cases, communication is impaired and atypical. This chapter first reviews the research on the earliest behavioral and neural predictors of language in ASD based on studies that have prospectively followed infants who are at familial risk for ASD because they have an older sibling with the disorders. In the second part of the chapter research on behavioral predictors of language development in toddlers and preschoolers with ASD is presented. The gaps in the current literature and the clinical implications are discussed in the final sections.
Keywords: Autism Spectrum language, high-risk infants, impaired communication, event-related potentials, toddlers
Article outline
  • 1.Language in Autism Spectrum Disorder
    • 1.1Infants at risk for ASD
    • 1.2Development of language in infants at risk for ASD
    • 1.3Early behavioral differences in high-risk infants
    • 1.4Behavioral predictors of language
    • 1.5Neural foundations for speech in infant siblings
    • 1.6Toddlers with ASD
  • 2.Predictors of language outcomes in toddlers with ASD
  • 3.Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 22 February 2018
https://doi.org/10.1075/tilar.22.19tag
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