Developmental Functioning of Toddlers At-Risk for Autism With and Without Down Syndrome.

Researchers studied 138 toddlers to understand how Down syndrome affects autism diagnosis and development. They found that children with Down syndrome had lower skills in most areas like communication, thinking, and movement compared to other children. However, children without Down syndrome had better social skills than those at risk for autism. This research shows why it's important to screen for autism early, especially in children with Down syndrome, as the conditions can be hard to tell apart.

This study examined developmental functioning in 138 toddlers at risk for autism, comparing three groups: those with autism risk alone (ASD+), those with Down syndrome alone (DS-), and those with Down syndrome plus autism risk (DS+). The research aimed to understand how Down syndrome affects autism diagnosis and developmental outcomes. Results showed significant group differences across all developmental areas. Children with Down syndrome demonstrated lower overall functioning in adaptive, cognitive, motor, and communication skills compared to peers.

However, children without Down syndrome showed better social skills than those in the autism risk group. The findings highlight the complexity of diagnosing autism in children with Down syndrome and emphasize the need for early screening protocols.

Results support implementing early autism screening protocols specifically for children with Down syndrome. Clinicians should consider distinct developmental profiles when assessing these populations. The findings suggest need for tailored intervention approaches that address the unique combination of challenges present in children with both conditions.

The abstract does not specify the study design, methodology details, or control measures used. Sample characteristics beyond group sizes are not provided. The specific assessment tools and diagnostic criteria are not mentioned, limiting interpretation of findings.

Due to the difficulties in differentiating between impairments associated with intellectual disability and ASD symptomology, DS often leads to delayed or misdiagnoses of ASD. An ANOVA was run to investigate the effects of ASD risk and DS on overall developmental functioning across three groups: ASD+, DS-, and DS+ (n = 138). A MANOVA was run to investigate the differences of group on five developmental subdomains. The results revealed significant group differences in the overall developmental functioning and each developmental subdomain.

Children in the DS+ group demonstrated significantly lower overall developmental functioning, as well as lower adaptive, cognitive, motor, and communication skills compared to their peers; however, children in the DS- group demonstrated significantly better social skills compared to their peers in the ASD+ group. These findings support the need for early screening and identification of ASD among those with DS.