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While previous work has identified the early predictors of language skills in infants at elevated familial risk (ER) and low familial risk (LR) for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), no studies to date have explored whether these predictors vary based on diagnostic outcome of ASD or no ASD. The present study used a large, multisite dataset to examine associations between a set of commonly studied predictor variables (infant gesture abilities, fine motor skills, nonverbal cognition, and maternal education level), measured at 12 months, and language skills, measured at 3 years, across three diagnostic outcome groups–infants with ASD ("ASD"), ER infants without ASD ("ER‐no ASD"), and LR infants without ASD ("LR‐no ASD"). Findings revealed that the predictors of language skills differed across groups, as gesture abilities were positively associated with language skills in the ER‐no ASD group but negatively associated with language skills in the ASD group. Furthermore, maternal education level was positively associated with language skills in the ASD and LR‐no ASD groups only. Variability in these early predictors may help explain why language skills are heterogeneous across the autism spectrum, and, with further study, may help clinicians identify those in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development. Lay Summary: The present study identified predictors of language skills in infants with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Maternal education level and 12‐month gesture abilities predicted 3‐year language skills in infants with ASD. Measuring these predictors early in life may help identify infants and families in need of additional and/or specialized intervention services that support language development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developmental change emerges from dynamic interactions among networks of neural activity, behavior systems, and experience‐dependent processes. A developmental cascades framework captures the sequential, multilevel, cross‐domain nature of human development and is ideal for demonstrating how interconnected systems have far‐reaching effects in typical and atypical development. Neurodevelopmental disorders represent an intriguing application of this framework. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is complex and heterogeneous, with biological and behavioral features that cut across multiple developmental domains, including those that are motor, cognitive, sensory, and bioregulatory. Mapping developmental cascades in ASD can be transformational in elucidating how seemingly unrelated behaviors (e.g., those emerging at different points in development and occurring in multiple domains) are part of an interconnected neurodevelopmental pathway. In this article, we review evidence for specific developmental cascades implicated in ASD and suggest that theoretical and empirical advances in etiology and change mechanisms can be accelerated using a developmental cascades framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two independent cohorts (N = 155, N = 126) of infants at high and low risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were followed prospectively between 6 and 36 months of age, when n = 46 were diagnosed with ASD. Gaze to adult faces was coded—during a developmental assessment (Cohort 1) or a play interaction (Cohort 2). Across both cohorts, most children developing ASD showed sharp declines in gaze to faces over time, relative to children without ASD. These findings suggest that declining developmental trajectories may be more common than previously recognized by retrospective methods. Trajectory‐based screening methods could potentially identify children in the early stages of symptom onset and allow for early intervention before the full disorder has developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first year of life, the ability to engage in sustained synchronous interactions develops as infants learn to match social partner behaviors and sequentially regulate their behaviors in response to others. Difficulties developing competence in these early social building blocks can impact later language skills, joint attention, and emotion regulation. For children at elevated risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), early dyadic synchrony and responsiveness difficulties may be indicative of emerging ASD and/or developmental concerns. As part of a prospective developmental monitoring study, infant siblings of children with ASD (high‐risk group n = 104) or typical development (low‐risk group n = 71), and their mothers completed a standardized play task when infants were 6, 9, and/or 12 months of age. These interactions were coded for the frequency and duration of infant and mother gaze, positive affect, and vocalizations, respectively. Using these codes, theory‐driven composites were created to index dyadic synchrony and infant/maternal responsiveness. Multilevel models revealed significant risk group differences in dyadic synchrony and infant responsiveness by 12 months of age. In addition, high‐risk infants with higher dyadic synchrony and infant responsiveness at 12 months received significantly higher receptive and expressive language scores at 36 months. The findings of the present study highlight that promoting dyadic synchrony and responsiveness may aid in advancing optimal development in children at elevated risk for autism. Lay Summary In families raising children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), younger siblings are at elevated risks for social communication difficulties. The present study explored whether social‐communication differences were evident during a parent–child play task at 6, 9, and 12 months of age. For infant siblings of children with ASD, social differences during play were observed by 12 months of age and may inform ongoing monitoring and intervention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In families raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), infant siblings are at elevated risk for ASD and other developmental concerns, including elements of the broader autism phenotype (BAP). Typically, the BAP is indexed using standardized developmental assessments; however, these measures do not capture a number of social difficulties commonly associated with the BAP. The present study aims to expand our developmental understanding of the BAP by comparing children exhibiting the BAP to their typically developing peers on, (a) standardized measures of development, and (b) social behaviors exhibited during dyadic play interactions. As part of a prospective study, dyads were recruited from families with at least one older child with ASD (high‐risk, n = 36), and families with no history of ASD (low‐risk, n = 38). During laboratory visits at 12, 15, 18, and 24 months of age, infants completed a series of standardized assessments and a mother–child play interaction. Dyadic play interactions were micro‐analytically coded for gaze, positive affect, and vocalizations to create theory‐driven composites to index dyadic synchrony and responsiveness. Videos were also coded with an existing rating scheme for joint engagement and child responsiveness. Multilevel models revealed significant group differences on select constructs within the first 2 years. Language and cognitive differences emerged by 24 months of age, whereas dyadic differences were evident as early as 15 months. Recognizing the increasing demand for elevated‐risk interventions, these findings highlight several social constructs through which interventions may identify risk and promote optimal development. Autism Res 2019, 12: 469–481 © 2019 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary: In families raising children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), younger siblings are at an increased risk for social and developmental difficulties that characterize a "broader autism phenotype." The present study explored the emergence of social, language, and cognitive differences in the first 2 years of life. Social differences were evident as early as 15 months of age for several play‐based measures, and language and cognitive differences emerged by 24 months of age. For infant siblings of children with ASD, some of the earliest behavioral marks for subclinical features of ASD are evident within the first 2 years of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies suggested that regressive forms of onset were not common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), more recent investigations suggest that the rates are quite high and may be under‐reported using certain methods. The current study undertook a systematic investigation of how rates of regression differed by measurement method. Infants with (n = 147) and without a family history of ASD (n = 83) were seen prospectively for up to 7 visits in the first three years of life. Reports of symptom onset were collected using four measures that systematically varied the informant (examiner vs. parent), the decision type (categorical [regression absent or present] vs. dimensional [frequency of social behaviors]), and the timing of the assessment (retrospective vs. prospective). Latent class growth models were used to classify individual trajectories to see whether regressive onset patterns were infrequent or widespread within the ASD group. A majority of the sample was classified as having a regressive onset using either examiner (88%) or parent (69%) prospective dimensional ratings. Rates of regression were much lower using retrospective or categorical measures (from 29 to 47%). Agreement among different measurement methods was low. Declining trajectories of development, consistent with a regressive onset pattern, are common in children with ASD and may be more the rule than the exception. The accuracy of widely used methods of measuring onset is questionable and the present findings argue against their widespread use. Autism Res 2018, 11: 788–797. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary: This study examines different ways of measuring the onset of symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present findings suggest that declining developmental skills, consistent with a regressive onset pattern, are common in children with ASD and may be more the rule than the exception. The results question the accuracy of widely used methods of measuring symptom onset and argue against their widespread use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]