Slipped lips: onset asynchrony detection of auditory-visual language in autism. Examining the intertwined development of prosocial skills and ASD symptoms in adolescence Social involvement of children with autism spectrum disorders in elementary school classrooms. Chelation for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Sleep behaviors and sleep quality in children with autism spectrum disorders. Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and Autism Spectrum Disorder A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Korean Version of the PEERS® Parent‐Assisted Social Skills Training Program for Teens With ASD Autism spectrum disorders in extremely preterm children. Improving autism perinatal risk factors: A systematic review. Attention does not modulate neural responses to social stimuli in autism spectrum disorders A systematic review of peer-mediated interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder. Episodic but not semantic order memory difficulties in autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from the Historical Figures Task A Virtual Week study of prospective memory function in autism spectrum disorders. Innate Immunity Associated with Inflammatory Responses and Cytokine Production against Common Dietary Proteins in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder Incorporating a Peer-Mediated Approach Into Speech-Generating Device Intervention: Effects on Communication of Preschoolers With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Imitation from 12 to 24 months in autism and typical development: a longitudinal Rasch analysis. Measurement Tools and Target Symptoms/Skills Used to Assess Treatment Response for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Use of Social Stories to Improve Self-Regulation in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders Anatomical differences in the mirror neuron system and social cognition network in autism. Using the preschool language scale, fourth edition to characterize language in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders. The bidirectional association between sleep problems and autism spectrum disorder: a population-based cohort study Randomized Controlled Trial: Multimodal Anxiety and Social Skill Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Do Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders Compensate in Naturalistic Prospective Memory Tasks?
BACKGROUND It has frequently been suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) have deficits in auditory-visual ( AV ) sensory integration . Studies of language integration have mostly used non-word syllables presented in congruent and incongruent AV combinations and demonstrated reduced influence of visual speech in individuals with ASD . The aim of our study was to test whether adolescents with high-functioning autism are able to integrate AV information of meaningful , phrase-length language in a task of onset asynchrony detection . METHODS Participants were 25 adolescents with ASD and 25 typically developing ( TD ) controls . The stimuli were video clips of complete phrases using simple , commonly occurring words . The clips were digitally manipulated to have the video precede the corresponding audio by 0 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 12 , or 14 video frames , a range of 0 - 500ms . Participants were shown the video clips in r and om order and asked to indicate whether each clip was in-synch or not . RESULTS There were no differences between adolescents with ASD and their TD peers in accuracy of onset asynchrony detection at any slip rate . CONCLUSION These data indicate that adolescents with ASD are able to integrate auditory and visual components in a task of onset asynchrony detection using natural , phrase-length language stimuli . We propose that the meaningful nature of the language stimuli in combination with presentation in a non-distracting environment allowed adolescents with autism spectrum disorder to demonstrate preserved accuracy for bi-modal AV integration Autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) and reduced prosocial behaviour are strongly intertwined . However , social interactions with peers may be increasingly practice d over the course of development and may instigate a reduction in ASD symptoms and vice versa . We , therefore , sought to determine if , during adolescence , possible improvements in prosocial behaviours and ASD symptoms may benefit one another over time . Participants were 2773 adolescents from the Tracking Adolescents ’ Individual Lives Survey ( TRAILS ) cohorts . Measurements took place over three waves ( mean ages : 11.1 , 13.4 , and 16.2 years ) . Longitudinal associations between teacher-rated classroom prosocial skills and parent-rated ASD symptoms were examined using the r and om intercept cross-lagged panel model ( RI-CLPM ) . In addition to estimating the stable , between-person associations , the dynamical effects between prosocial skills and ASD symptoms over time were estimated at the within-person level . At the between-person level , prosocial skills and ASD symptoms were substantially negatively correlated . At the within-person level , a small and unexpected positive cross-lagged effect from wave 1 ASD symptoms on wave 2 prosocial skills was observed . We added to the existing literature by showing that , in addition to replicating the already firmly established between-person association between low prosocial skills and ASD , within-person gains in prosocial skills do not lead to subsequent reduction of ASD symptoms , and reductions in ASD symptoms do not lead to subsequent enhancement of prosocial skills . We , therefore , conclude from our findings that the inverse association between autistic symptoms and prosocial skills in adolescence is highly stable BACKGROUND Children with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) are increasingly included in general education classrooms in an effort to improve their social involvement . METHODS Seventy-nine children with ASD and 79 r and omly selected , gender-matched peers ( 88.6 % male ) in 75 early ( K-1 ) , middle ( 2nd-3rd ) , and late ( 4th-5th ) elementary classrooms across 30 schools completed social network surveys  examining each child 's reciprocal friendships , peer rejection , acceptance , and social involvement . RESULTS Across grade levels , peers less frequently reciprocated friendships with children with ASD than students in the matched sample . While children with ASD were not more likely to be rejected by peers , they were less accepted and had fewer reciprocal friendships than matched peers at each grade level . Although 48.1 % of children with ASD were involved in the social networks of their classrooms , children with ASD were more likely to be isolated or peripheral to social relationships within the classroom across all grade levels , and this difference is even more dramatic in later elementary grade s. CONCLUSIONS In inclusive classrooms , children with ASD are only involved in peers ' social relationships about half of the time , and appear to be even less connected with increasing grade level . Promoting children with ASD 's skills in popular activities to share with peers in early childhood may be a key preventive intervention to protect social relationships in late elementary school grade BACKGROUND It has been suggested that the severity of autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) symptoms is positively correlated with the level of circulating or stored toxic metals , and that excretion of these heavy metals , brought about by the use of pharmaceutical chelating agents , results in improved symptoms . OBJECTIVES To assess the potential benefits and adverse effects of pharmaceutical chelating agents ( referred to as chelation therapy throughout this review ) for autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) symptoms . SEARCH METHODS We search ed the following data bases on 6 November 2014 : CENTRAL , Ovid MEDLINE , Ovid MEDLINE In-Process , Embase , PsycINFO , Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature ( CINAHL ) and 15 other data bases , including three trials registers . In addition we checked references lists and contacted experts . SELECTION CRITERIA All r and omised controlled trials of pharmaceutical chelating agents compared with placebo in individuals with ASD . DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently selected studies , assessed them for risk of bias and extracted relevant data . We did not conduct a meta- analysis , as only one study was included . MAIN RESULTS We excluded nine studies because they were non-r and omised trials or were withdrawn before enrolment . We included one study , which was conducted in two phases . During the first phase of the study , 77 children with ASD were r and omly assigned to receive seven days of glutathione lotion or placebo lotion , followed by three days of oral dimercaptosuccinic acid ( DMSA ) .  Forty-nine children who were found to be high excreters of heavy metals during phase one continued on to phase two to receive three days of oral DMSA or placebo followed by 11 days off , with the cycle repeated up to six times . The second phase thus assessed the effectiveness of multiple doses of oral DMSA compared with placebo in children who were high excreters of heavy metals and who received a three-day course of oral DMSA . Overall , no evidence suggests that multiple rounds of oral DMSA had an effect on ASD symptoms . AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS This review included data from only one study , which had method ological limitations . As such , no clinical trial evidence was found to suggest that pharmaceutical chelation is an effective intervention for ASD . Given prior reports of serious adverse events , such as hypocalcaemia , renal impairment and reported death , the risks of using chelation for ASD currently outweigh proven benefits . Before further trials are conducted , evidence that supports a causal link between heavy metals and autism and methods that ensure the safety of participants are needed STUDY OBJECTIVES ( 1 ) Compare sleep behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) with sleep behaviors of typically developing ( TD ) children using the Children 's Sleep Habits Question naire ( CSHQ ) ; ( 2 ) compare sleep quality --defined as mean activity , sleep latency , number of awakenings , sleep efficiency and total sleep time -- of the cohort of children with ASD and TD , as measured by 10 nights of actigraphy ; and ( 3 ) estimate the prevalence of sleep disturbances in the ASD and TD cohorts . DESIGN Descriptive cross-sectional study . SETTING The Children 's Hospital of Philadelphia . PARTICIPANTS R and omly selected children from the Regional Autism Center . The ASD cohort of 59 children , aged 4 to 10 years , ( 26 with autism , 21 with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [ PDD-NOS ] , and 12 with Asperger disorder ) were compared with 40 TD control subjects . MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS The  CSHQ  ,  sleep diaries  , and 10 nights of actigraphy  using the Sadeh algorithm of children with ASD and TD control subjects were compared . CSHQ showed 66.1 % of parents of children with ASD ( 62.5 % autism , 76.2 % PDD-NOS , 58.3 % Asperger disorder ) and 45 % of parents of the control subjects reported that their children had sleep problems . Actigraphic data showed that 66.7 % of children with ASD ( 75 % autism , 52.4 % PDD-NOS , 75 % Asperger disorder ) and 45.9 % of the control subjects had disturbed sleep . CONCLUSIONS The prevalence estimate of 45 % for mild sleep disturbances in the TD cohort highlights pediatric sleep debt as a public health problem of concern . The prevalence estimate of 66 % for moderate sleep disturbances in the ASD cohort underscores the significant sleep problems that the families of these children face . The predominant sleep disorders in the ASD cohort were behavioral insomnia sleep-onset type and insomnia due to PDD OBJECTIVE : To determine the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) in Neurofibromatosis Type 1 ( NF1 ) . METHODS : Second-phase population -based epidemiologic study using an allcase NF1 registry in a defined UK 4.1 million population area . A total of 109 ( 52.7 % ) of 207 responders from the initial screening phase were grouped by using the parent-rated Social Responsiveness Scale ( SRS ) as significant ASD ( SRS≥76 ; n = 32 ) , moderate ASD ( SRS ≥ 60<76 ; n = 29 ) , or non-ASD ( SRS < 60 , n = 48 ) . Twenty-three cases from the significant ASD group , 16 from moderate ASD , and 8 from non-ASD ( total n = 47 ) , invited proportionately by r and om selection , were seen for detailed confirmatory ascertainment . Assessment s on Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised , Autism Diagnostic Observation Scale-Generic , and verbal IQ were combined by using st and ard Collaborative Program for Excellence in Autism criteria into an ASD categorization for each case ( ASD , broad ASD with partial features , non-ASD ) . A preplanned weighted analysis was used to derive prevalence estimates for the whole population . RESULTS : Fourteen ( 29.5 % ) of 47 showed ASD , 13 ( 27.7 % ) broad ASD , and 20 ( 42.5 % ) non-ASD . The ASD/broad ASD group showed male predominance ( 1.7:1.0 ) , but did not differ significantly from the non-ASD group on IQ , age , socioeconomic status , inheritance , physical severity , or education . The population prevalence estimate is 24.9 % ASD ( 95 % confidence interval 13.1%–42.1 % ) and 20.8 % broad ASD ( 95 % confidence interval 10.0%–38.1 % ) ; a total of 45.7 % showing some ASD spectrum phenotype . CONCLUSIONS : Findings indicate high prevalence of ASD in NF1 , with implication s for clinical practice and further research into NF1 as a single-gene model for autism Impaired social functioning is a hallmark feature of autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) , often requiring treatment throughout the life span . PEERS ® ( Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills ) is a parent‐assisted  social skills training for teens with ASD . Although PEERS ® has an established evidence base in improving the social skills of adolescents and young adults with ASD in North America , the efficacy of this treatment has yet to be established in cross‐cultural validation trials . The objective of this study is to examine the feasibility and treatment efficacy of a Korean version of PEERS ® for enhancing social skills through a r and omized controlled trial ( RCT ) .The English version of the PEERS ® Treatment Manual ( Laugeson & Frankel , 2010 ) was translated into Korean and review ed by 21 child mental health professionals . Items identified as culturally sensitive were surveyed by 447 middle school students , and material was modified accordingly . Participants included 47 teens between 12 and 18 years of age with a diagnosis of ASD and a verbal intelligence quotient ( IQ ) ≥ 65 . Eligible teens were r and omly assigned to a treatment group ( TG ) or delayed treatment control group ( CG ) . Primary outcome measures included question naires and direct observations quantifying social ability and problems directly related to ASD . Secondary outcome measures included scales for depressive symptoms , anxiety , and other behavioral problems . Rating scales for parental depressive symptoms and anxiety were examined to detect changes in parental psychosocial functioning throughout the PEERS ® treatment . Independent sample s t‐tests revealed no significant differences at baseline across the TG and CG conditions with regard to age ( 14.04 ± 1.64 and 13.54 ± 1.50 years ) , IQ ( 99.39 ± 18.09 & 100.67 ± 16.97 ) , parental education , socioeconomic status , or ASD symptoms ( p < 0.05 ) , respectively . Results for treatment outcome suggest that the TG showed significant improvement in communication and social interaction domain scores on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule , interpersonal relationship and play/leisure time on the subdomain scores of the Korean version of the Vinel and Adaptive Behavior Scale ( p 's < 0.01 ) , social skills knowledge total scores on the Test of Adolescent Social Skills Knowledge — Revised ( p < 0.01 ) , and decreased depressive symptoms on the Child Depression Inventory following treatment ( p < 0.05 ) . Analyses of parental outcome reveal a significant decrease in maternal state anxiety in the TG after controlling for potential confounding variables ( p < 0.05 ) . Despite cultural and linguistic differences , the PEERS ® social skills intervention appears to be efficacious for teens with ASD in Korea with modest cultural adjustment . In an RCT , participants receiving the PEERS ® treatment showed significant improvement in social skills knowledge , interpersonal skills , and play/leisure skills , as well as a decrease in depressive symptoms and ASD symptoms . This study represents one of only a few cross‐cultural validation trials of an established evidence ‐based treatment for adolescents with ASD . Autism Res 2014 , 7 : 145–161 . © 2014 International Society for Autism Research , Wiley Periodicals , OBJECTIVES To investigate the prevalence , correlates , and antecedents of autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) in extremely preterm children . STUDY DESIGN We conducted a prospect i ve study of all births < 26 weeks gestation in the United Kingdom and Irel and in 1995 . Of 307 survivors at 11 years , 219 ( 71 % ) were assessed and compared with 153 term-born classmates . Parents completed the  Social Communication Question naire ( SCQ )  to assess autism spectrum symptoms , and ASD were diagnosed by using a psychiatric evaluation . An IQ test and clinical evaluation were also administered . Longitudinal outcome data were available for extremely preterm children . RESULTS Extremely preterm children had significantly higher SCQ scores than classmates ( mean difference , 4.6 points ; 95 % CI , 3.4 - 5.8 ) . Sixteen extremely preterm children ( 8 % ) were assigned an ASD diagnosis , compared with none of the classmates . By hospital discharge , male sex , lower gestation , vaginal breech delivery , abnormal cerebral ultrasound scanning results , and not having had breast milk were independently associated with autism spectrum symptoms . By 6 years , independent associates were cognitive impairment , inattention and peer problems , withdrawn behavior at 2.5 years , and not having had breast milk . CONCLUSIONS Extremely preterm children are at increased risk for autism spectrum symptoms and ASD in middle childhood . These symptoms and disorders were associated with neurocognitive outcomes , suggesting that ASD may result from abnormal brain development in this population BACKGROUND Current underst and ing of the etiology of autism is based on the interaction of multiple genes with each other and with environmental factors , leading to a neurodevelopmental process that results in the expression of autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) in the child . This suggests that it might be possible to strengthen resilience to environmental stressors during the perinatal period to improve outcomes and possibly prevent the development of ASD . METHODS We search ed the MEDLINE data base for multiple perinatal factors associated with the development of ASD published between January 1 , 2005 and July 1 , 2018 . The search terms used were " autism " crossed with either " perinatal , " " prenatal , " " gestational , " or " pregnancy , " and crossed again with each perinatal risk factor highlighted in this review including topics on parental health , infections , medications , and environmental stressors . We then search ed interventions that may improve neurodevelopmental outcome before and during pregnancy , including supplements , breastfeeding , and postpartum stress reduction . We identified recent or unique metanalyses and systematic review s of the identified focus and on r and omized controlled trials and summarized these using the most recent and comprehensive review s. RESULTS Folate , omega-3 , vitamin D3 , environmental toxin avoidance , correcting deficiencies , immune boosting , and prolonged breast feeding are all reported to be linked to the possible reduction of adverse pregnancy outcomes including ASD . CONCLUSIONS Studies of individual components for improving pregnancy outcomes and several uncontrolled preconception to infancy medical practice s suggest that multiple interventions might improve the outcomes of pregnancies where there is risk for developing ASD We investigated whether individuals with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) would show attentional modulation for social ( face ) and non-social ( house ) stimuli . Sixteen individuals with ASD and 16 matched control participants completed a task in which pairs of face and house stimuli were present on every trial , with one of the pairs r and omly assigned to attended locations and the other to unattended locations . Both mass-univariate ( SPM ) and region of interest analyses suggested that responses to houses were modulated by attention in both groups , but that only the control participants demonstrated attentional modulation of face-selective regions . Thus , the participants with ASD demonstrated a lack of attentional modulation which was particularly evident for the social stimulus . Analyses of effective connectivity indicated that these results were due to a failure of attention to modulate connectivity between extrastriate areas and V1 . We discuss how these results may suggest a mechanism to explain the reduced salience of social stimuli in ASD BACKGROUND Peer mediated intervention ( PMI ) is a promising practice used to increase social skills in children with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) .  PMIs engage typically developing peers as social models to improve social initiations , responses , and interactions . METHOD The current study is a systematic review examining PMIs for children and adolescents with ASD conducted using group design s. Five studies met the pre-specified review inclusion criteria : four r and omized controlled trials and one pre- and post-test design . RESULTS Four of the studies were conducted in school setting s , whereas one study was conducted in a camp setting . The studies all reported that participants improved in social skills ( e.g. , social initiations , social responses , social communication ) post intervention . Additionally , sustainment , generalization , and fidelity of implementation were examined . CONCLUSION PMI is a promising approach to address social skills in children with ASD , and this approach can be conducted in meaningful real-word context s , such as schools . Limitations of the studies as well as future directions are discussed Considerable evidence suggests that the episodic memory system operates abnormally in autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) whereas the functions of the semantic memory system are relatively preserved . Here we show that the same dissociation also applies to the domain of order memory . We asked adult participants to order the names of famous historical figures either according to their chronological order in history ( probing semantic memory ) or according to a r and om sequence shown once on a screen ( probing episodic memory ) . As predicted , adults with ASD  performed less well than age- and IQ-matched comparison individuals only on the  episodic task .  This observation is of considerable importance in the context of developmental theory because semantic and episodic order memory abilities can be dissociated in typically developing infants before they reach the age at which the behavioural markers associated with ASD are first apparent . This raises the possibility that early emerging memory abnormalities play a role in shaping the developmental trajectory of the disorder . We discuss the broader implication s of this possibility and highlight the urgent need for greater scrutiny of memory competences in ASD early in development Prospect i ve memory ( PM ) refers to the implementation of delayed intentions , a cognitive ability that plays a critical role in daily life because of its involvement in goal -directed behavior and consequently the development and maintenance of independence . Emerging evidence indicates that PM may be disrupted in autism spectrum disorders ( ASDs ) , potentially contributing to the functional difficulties that characterize this group . However , the degree , nature , and specificity of ASD-related impairment remains poorly understood . In the current study , children between 8 and 12 years of age who were diagnosed with ASDs ( n=30 ) were compared with typically developing children ( n=30 ) on a child-appropriate version of the Virtual Week board game . This measure provides an opportunity to investigate the different sorts of PM failures that occur . The ASD group showed significant PM impairment on measures of time-based ( but not event-based ) prospect i ve remembering . However , only a subtle difference emerged between regular and irregular PM tasks , and group differences were consistent across these tasks . Because regular and irregular tasks differentially load retrospective memory , these data imply that the PM difficulties seen in ASDs may primarily reflect a monitoring deficit and not an encoding and memory storage deficit . PM performance was poorer under conditions of high ongoing task absorption , but the magnitude of this effect did not vary as a function of group . In both groups , time-based ( but not event-based ) PM difficulties were associated with functional outcomes in daily life , but only an inconsistent association with executive control emerged Objectives : Children with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) frequently reveal various gastrointestinal ( GI ) symptoms that may resolve with an elimination diet along with apparent improvement of some of the behavioral symptoms . Evidence suggests that ASD may be accompanied by aberrant ( inflammatory ) innate immune responses . This may predispose ASD children to sensitization to common dietary proteins ( DP ) , leading to GI inflammation and aggravation of some behavioral symptoms . Methods : We measured IFN-γ , IL-5 , and TNF-α production against representative DPs [ gliadin , cow ’s milk protein ( CMP ) , and soy ] by peripheral blood mononuclear  cells ( P BMC s ) from ASD and control children [ those with DP intolerance ( DPI ) , ASD siblings , and healthy unrelated children ] . We evaluated the results in association with proinflammatory and counter-regulatory cytokine production with endotoxin ( LPS ) , a microbial product of intestinal flora and a surrogate stimulant for innate immune responses . Results : ASD P BMC s produced elevated IFN-γ and TNF-α , but not IL-5 with common DPs at high frequency as observed in DPI P BMC s. ASD P BMC s revealed increased proinflammatory cytokine responses with LPS at high frequency with positive correlation between proinflammatory cytokine production with LPS and IFN-γ and TNF-α production against DPs . Such correlation was less evident in DPI P BMC s. Conclusion : Immune reactivity to DPs may be associated with apparent DPI and GI inflammation in ASD children that may be partly associated with aberrant innate immune response against endotoxin , a product of the gut bacteria Purpose This study examined the effects of incorporating a peer-mediated approach into a speech-generating device ( SGD ) intervention on communication of 45 nonverbal and minimally verbal preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) and 95 peers without disabilities . The SGD was an iPad 2 ( Apple ) with voice output app . Method Effects were evaluated using a multivariate r and omized control trial design with repeated measures for 4 cohorts across baseline , intervention , generalization , and maintenance phases . Children were r and omly assigned to an experimental treatment that trained peers on use of the SGD or a business-as-usual comparison condition with untrained peers .  Communication outcomes were measured for both children with ASD and peers . Results Children receiving the treatment demonstrated significant increases in rates of communication and more balanced responses and initiations ( a measure of reciprocity ) than children in the comparison group . They were able to generalize improvements and maintain communication gains . Treatment fidelity was high for school staff and peer implementation . Conclusions Results support positive effects on communication of teaching young children with ASD and peers without disabilities to use the same SGD system in typical preschool activities . SGD interventions that utilize peer-mediated approaches may improve core deficits in communication and reciprocity and allow for greater classroom social participation and interactions with peers The development of imitation during the second year of life plays an important role in domains of sociocognitive development such as language and social learning . Deficits in imitation ability in persons with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) from toddlerhood into adulthood have also been repeatedly documented , raising the possibility that early disruptions in imitation contribute to the onset of ASD and the deficits in language and social interaction that define the disorder . This study prospect ively examined the development of imitation between 12 and 24 months of age in 154 infants at familial risk for ASD and 78 typically developing infants who were all later assessed at 36 months for ASD or other developmental delays . The study established a developmental measure of  imitation ability  and examined group differences over time , using an analytic Rasch measurement model . Results revealed a unidimensional latent construct of imitation and verified a reliable sequence of imitation skills that was invariant over time for all outcome groups . Results also showed that all groups displayed similar significant linear increases in imitation ability between 12 and 24 months and that these increases were related to individual growth in both expressive language and ratings of social engagement but not in fine motor development . The group of children who developed ASD by age 3 years exhibited delayed imitation development compared with the low-risk typical outcome group across all time-points , but were indistinguishable from other high-risk infants who showed other cognitive delays not related to ASD This study examined the  measurement tools and target symptoms/skills  used to assess treatment response during Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD ) intervention trials from 2001 through 2010 . Data from 195 prospect i ve trials were analyzed . There were 289 unique  measurement  tools , of which 61.6 % were used only once , and 20.8 % were investigator- design ed . Only three tools were used in more than 2 % of the studies , and none were used in more than 7 % of studies . Studies investigated an average of 11.4 tool-symptom combinations per trial , with as many as 45 in one study . These results represent a lack of consistency in outcome measurements in ASD intervention trials . These findings highlight the need to set guidelines for appropriate outcome measurement in the ASD field ABSTRACT A multiple baseline across participants design was used to evaluate the effects of Social Stories to help preschool-aged children with characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders ( ASD ) increase their engagement in functional behaviors and use sensory integrative-based strategies to promote self-regulation . Three children , 3–5 years old , from a self-contained preschool classroom were selected to participate in the study . The intervention package included reading individualized Social Stories that discussed desired behaviors and self-regulation strategies . The research ers measured the percentage of intervals in which participants engaged in desired behaviors . The frequency of desired behaviors increased for all participants . The use of self-regulation strategies varied across participants . These findings suggest that the intervention was successful in increasing desired behaviors of the three children . Further research is recommended on the effectiveness of embedding sensory integrative strategies into Social Stories . Practitioners may consider the use of Social Stories as a tool to increase independence and encourage self-regulated behaviors in children with characteristics of ASD Autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with impaired social and emotional skills , the anatomical substrate of which is still unknown . In this study , we compared a group of 14 high-functioning ASD adults with a group of controls matched for sex , age , intelligence quotient , and h and edness . We used an automated technique of analysis that accurately measures the thickness of the cerebral cortex and generates cross-subject statistics in a coordinate system based on cortical anatomy . We found local decreases of gray matter in the ASD group in areas belonging to the mirror neuron system ( MNS ) , argued to be the basis of empathic behavior . Cortical thinning of the MNS was correlated with ASD symptom severity . Cortical thinning was also observed in areas involved in emotion recognition and social cognition . These findings suggest that the social and emotional deficits characteristic of autism may reflect abnormal thinning of the MNS and the broader network of cortical areas subserving social cognition PURPOSE The Preschool Language Scale , Fourth Edition ( PLS-4 ; Zimmerman , Steiner , & Pond , 2002 ) was used to examine syntactic and semantic language skills in preschool children with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) to determine its suitability for use with this population . We expected that PLS-4 performance would be better in more intellectually able children and that receptive skills would be relatively more impaired than expressive abilities , consistent with previous findings in the area of vocabulary . METHOD Our sample consisted of 294 newly diagnosed preschool children with ASD . Children were assessed via a battery of developmental measures , including the PLS-4 . RESULTS As expected , PLS-4 scores were higher in more intellectually able children with ASD , and overall , expressive communication was higher than auditory comprehension . However , this overall advantage was not stable across nonverbal developmental levels . Expressive skills were significantly better than receptive skills at the youngest developmental levels , whereas the converse applied in children with more advanced development . CONCLUSIONS The PLS-4 can be used to obtain a general index of early syntax and semantic skill in young children with ASD . Longitudinal data will be necessary to determine how the developmental relationship between receptive and expressive language skills unfolds in children with ASD Background Sleep difficulties are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) . The temporal nature of the association between sleep problems and ASD is unclear because longitudinal studies are lacking . Our aim is to clarify whether sleep problems precede and worsen autistic traits and ASD or occur as a consequence of the disorder . Methods Repeated sleep measures were available at 1.5 , 3 , 6 , and 9 years of age in 5151 children participating in the Generation R Study , a large prospect i ve birth cohort in the Netherl and s. Autistic traits were determined with the Pervasive Developmental Problems score ( PDP ) of the Child Behavior Checklist ( CBCL ) at 1.5 and 3 years and the Social Responsiveness Scale ( SRS ) at 6 years . This cohort included 81 children diagnosed with ASD . Results Sleep problems in early childhood were prospect ively associated with a higher SRS score , but not when correcting for baseline PDP score . By contrast , a higher SRS score and an ASD diagnosis were associated with more sleep problems at later ages , even when adjusting for baseline sleep problems . Likewise , a trajectory of increasing sleep problems was associated with ASD . Conclusions Sleep problems and ASD are not bidirectionally associated . Sleep problems do not precede and worsen autistic behavior but rather co-occur with autistic traits in early childhood . Over time , children with ASD have an increase in sleep problems , whereas typically developing children have a decrease in sleep problems . Our findings suggest that sleep problems are part of the construct ASD Anxiety is common among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders ( ASD ) and may amplify the core social disability , thus necessitating combined treatment approaches . This pilot , r and omized controlled trial evaluated the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of the Multimodal Anxiety and Social Skills Intervention ( MASSI ) program in a sample of 30 adolescents with ASD and anxiety symptoms of moderate or greater severity . The treatment was acceptable to families , subject adherence was high , and therapist fidelity was high . A 16 % improvement in ASD social impairment ( within-group effect size = 1.18 ) was observed on a parent-reported scale . Although anxiety symptoms declined by 26 % , the change was not statistically significant . These findings suggest MASSI is a feasible treatment program and further evaluation is warranted The present study is the first to directly compare event- and time-based prospect i ve memory in Autism Spectrum Disorders ( ASD ) using a context ual task mirroring real life dem and s of prospect i ve memory . Twenty-five individuals with ASD and 25 age- and ability-matched controls completed the Dresden Breakfast task which required participants to prepare breakfast following a set of rules and time restrictions . Overall , adults with ASD had less correct time- and event-based prospect i ve memory responses in comparison to controls , which is consistent with previous research in children with ASD . Moreover , ASD participants completed fewer tasks , followed rules less closely , and monitored the elapsing time less closely than controls . Individuals with ASD seem not to be compensating in naturalistic prospect i ve memory tasks
A significant between‐group difference in MSI was evident in the literature , with individuals with ASD demonstrating worse audiovisual integration on average across studies compared to TD controls .
This effect was moderated by mean participant age , such that between‐group differences were more pronounced in younger sample s. The mean correlation between MSI and autism and related symptomatology was also significant , indicating that increased audiovisual integration in individuals with ASD is associated with better language /communication abilities and /or reduced autism symptom severity in the extant literature .
This effect was moderated by whether the stimuli were linguistic versus non‐linguistic in nature , such that correlation magnitudes tended to be significantly greater when linguistic stimuli were utilized in the measure of MSI .
& NA ; An ever‐growing literature has aim ed to determine how individuals with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ) differ from their typically developing ( TD ) peers on measures of multisensory integration ( MSI ) and to ascertain the degree to which differences in MSI are associated with the broad range of symptoms associated with ASD .
Findings , however , have been highly variable across the studies carried out to date .
The present work systematic ally review s and quantitatively synthesizes the large literature on audiovisual MSI  in individuals with ASD to evaluate the cumulative evidence for ( a ) group differences between individuals with ASD and TD peers , ( b ) correlations between MSI and autism symptoms in individuals with ASD and ( c ) study level factors that may moderate findings ( i.e. , explain differential effects ) observed across studies .