Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Parent-Reported Developmental Regression in Autism: Epilepsy, IQ, Schizophrenia Spectrum Symptoms, and Special Education

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Examined the psychiatric and clinical correlates of loss of previously acquired skills (regression) as reported by parents of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Study sample comprised 6- to 18-year old (N = 213) children and adolescents with ASD. Parents reported regression in 77 (36%) youth. A more homogeneous subgroup with regression between 18 and 36 months (n = 48) had higher rates of intellectual disability, epilepsy, and special education, more socially restrictive educational settings, and more severe ASD communication deficits and schizophrenia spectrum symptoms than non-regressed youth (n = 136). Similar results were obtained for a more inclusive definition of regression (n = 77). A brief parent report of developmental regression may be a useful clinical indicator of later general functioning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amiet, C., Gourfinkel-An, I., Bouzamondo, A., Tordjman, S., Baulac, M., Lechat, P. & Cohen, D. (2008). Epilepsy in autism is associated with intellectual disability and gender: Evidence from a meta-analysis. Biological Psychiatry, 64(7), 577–582.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barger, B.D., Campbell, J.M., & McDonough, J.D. (2013). Prevalence and onset of regression within autism spectrum disorders: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(4), 817–828.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berg, A. T., & Plioplys, S. (2012). Epilepsy and autism: Is there a special relationship? Epilepsy & Behavior, 23(3), 193–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Besag, F. C., & Blackmon, K. (2014). Comments on Hughes JR. A review of recent reports on autism: 1000 studies published in 2007. Epilepsy & Behavior 2008, 13:425–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackmon, K. (2015). Structural MRI biomarkers of shared pathogenesis in autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 47, 172–182.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christopher, J. A., Sears, L. L., Williams, P. G., Oliver, J., & Hersh, J. (2004). Familial, medical and developmental patterns of children with autism and a history of language regression. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 16(2), 163–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd edn.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Giacomo, A., & Fombonne, E. (1998). Parental recognition of developmental abnormalities in autism. European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 7(3), 131–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dennis, M., Francis, D. J., Cirino, P. T., Schachar, R., Barnes, M. A., & Fletcher, J. M. (2009). Why IQ is not a covariate in cognitive studies of neurodevelopmental disorders. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 15(3), 331–343.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • DeVincent, C. J., & Gadow, K. D. (2009). Relative clinical utility of three child symptom inventory-4 scoring algorithms for differentiating children with autism spectrum disorder versus attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Autism Research, 2(6), 312–321.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • El Achkar, C. M., & Spence, S. J. (2015). Clinical characteristics of children and young adults with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior, 47, 183–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D. (2012). Schizophrenia spectrum and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms in autism spectrum disorder and controls. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(10), 1076–1084.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D. (2013). Association of schizophrenia spectrum and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms in children with ASD and clinic controls. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34(4), 1289–1299.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., DeVincent, C., & Schneider, J. (2008). Predictors of psychiatric symptoms in children with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 1710–1720.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., & DeVincent, C. J. (2012). Comparison of children with autism spectrum disorder with and without schizophrenia spectrum traits: Gender, season of birth, and mental health risk factors. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(11), 2285–2296.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., DeVincent, C. J., Pomeroy, J., & Azizian, A. (2005). Comparison of DSM-IV symptoms in elementary school-age children with PDD versus clinic and community samples. Autism: The international journal of research and practice, 9(4), 392–415.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., Perlman, G., Ramdhany, L., & de Ruiter, J. (2016). Clinical correlates of co-occurring psychiatric and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptom-induced impairment in children with ASD. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 44, 129–139.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., Schwartz, J., DeVincent, C. J., Strong, G., & Cuva, S. (2008). Clinical utility of autism spectrum disorder scoring algorithms for the Child Symptom Inventory. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(3), 419–427.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., & Sprafkin, J. (2005). Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory–4R. Stony Brook. NY: Checkmate Plus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadow, K. D., & Sprafkin, J. (2015). The Symptom Inventories: An annotated bibliography. Stony Brook, NY: Checkmate Plus. http://www.checkmateplus.com.

  • Goldberg, W. A., Osann, K., Filipek, P. A., Laulhere, T., Jarvis, K., Modahl, C. & Spench, M. A. (2003). Language and other regression: Assessment and timing. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 33(6), 607–616.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guilmatre, A., Dubourg, C., Mosca, A. L., Legallic, S., Goldenberg, A., Drouin-Garraud, V., … & Campion, D (2009). Recurrent rearrangements is synaptic and neurodevelopmental genes and shared biologic pathways in schizophrenia, autism, and mental retardation. Archives of General Psychiatry, 66(9), 947–956.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, R. L., Ozonoff, S., Krakowiak, P., Angkustsiri, K., Jones, C., Deprey, L. J., & Hertz-Picciotto, I. (2008). Regression in autism: Prevalence and associated factors in the CHARGE study. Ambulatory Pediatrics, 8(1), 25–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hollingshead AB. (1975). Four Factor Index of Social Status. Unpublished working paper from the Department of Sociology. New Haven, CT, Yale University, Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/927771/ Four_Factor_Index_of_Social_Status.

  • Hughes, J. R. (2009) Update on autism: A review of 1300 reports published in 2008. Epilepsy & Behavior. Epilepsy & Behavior 16, 569–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, J. R. (2009) Update on autism: A review of 1300 reports published in 2008. Epilepsy & Behavior. Epilepsy & Behavior 40, 37–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, L. A., & Campbell, J. M. (2010). Clinical characteristics associated with language regression for children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(1), 54–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kaat, A. J., Gadow, K. D., & Lecavalier, L. (2013). Psychiatric symptom impairment in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41(6), 959–969.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lord, C., Risi, S., Lambrecht, L., Cook, E. H. Jr., Leventhal, B. L., DiLavore, P. C., & Rutter, M. (2000). The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule—Generic: A standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 30(3), 205–223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malhi, P., & Singhi, P. (2012). Regression in children with autism spectrum disorders. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 79(10), 1333–1337.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matson, J. L., & Kozlowski, A. M. (2010). Autistic regression. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 4(3), 340–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matson, J. L., Wilkins, J., & Fodstad, J. C. (2010). Children with autism spectrum disorders: A comparison of those who regress vs. those who do not. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 13(1), 37–45.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mikhail, F. M., Lose, E. J., Robin, N. H., Descartes, M. D., Rutledge, K. D., Rutledge, S. L., & Carroll, A. J. (2011). Clinically relevant single gene or intragenic deletions encompassing critical neurodevelopmental genes in patients with developmental delay, mental retardation, and or autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 155(10), 2386–2396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ming, X., Brimacombe, M., Chaaban, J., Zimmerman-Bier, B., & Wagner, G. C. (2008). Autism spectrum disorders: Concurrent clinical disorders. Journal of Child Neurology, 23(1), 6–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nordahl, C. W., Lange, N., Li, D. D., Barnett, L. A., Lee, A., Buonocore, M. H., & Amaral, D. G. (2011). Brain enlargement is associated with regression in preschool-age boys with autism spectrum disorders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(5), 20195–20200.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ozonoff, S., Iosif, A. M., Baguio, F., Cook, I. C., Hill, M. M., Hutman, T., & Young, G. S. (2010). A prospective study of the emergence of early behavioral signs of autism. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(3), 256–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richler, J. L., Luyster, R., Risi, S., Hsu, W. L., Dawson, G., Bernier, R., & Lord, C. (2006). Is there a ‘regressive phenotype’ of autism spectrum disorder associated with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine? A CPEA study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(3), 299–316.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, S. J. (2004). Developmental regression in autism spectrum disorders. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 10(2), 139–143.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, R. E., Kaufmann, W. E., Law, J. K., & Law, P. A. (2011). Parent report of community psychiatric comorbid diagnoses in autism spectrum disorders. Autism Research and Treatment, (ID 405849). doi:10.1155/2011/405849.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sahoo, T., Theisen, A., Rosenfeld, J. A., Lamb, A. N., Ravnan, J. B., Schultz, R. A., & Shaffer, L. G. (2011). Copy number variants of schizophrenia susceptibility loci are associated with a spectrum of speech and developmental delays and behavior problems. Genetics in Medicine, 13(10), 868–880.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simonoff, E., Pickles, A., Charman, T., Chandler, S., Loucas, T., & Baird, G. (2008). Psychiatric disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders: Prevalence, comorbidity, and associated factors in a population-derived sample. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 47(8), 921–929.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stefanatos, G. A. (2008). Regression in autistic spectrum disorders. Neuropsychology Review, 18(4), 305–319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tuchman, R. F., & Rapin, I. (1997). Regression in pervasive developmental disorders: Seizures and epileptiform electroencephalogram correlates. Pediatrics, 99(4), 560–566.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viscidi, E. W., Triche, E. W., Pescosolido, M. F., McLean, R. L., Joseph, R. M., et al. (2013). Clinical characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring epilepsy. PLoS one, 8(7), e67797. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0067797.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Weber, B. J., & Gadow, K. D. (2016). Relation of psychiatric symptoms with epilepsy, asthma, and allergy in youth with ASD vs. psychiatry referrals. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. doi:10.1007/s10802-016-0212-2.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Werner, E., Dawson, G., Munson, J., & Osterling, J. (2005). Variation in early developmental course in autism and its relation with behavioral outcome at 3–4 years of age. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 35(3), 337–350.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This study was supported, in part, by the Matt and Debra Cody Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities.

Author Contributions

Dr. Gadow conceived of the study, designed the data collection instrument, drafted the initial manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted. Dr. Perlman and Ms. Weber carried out the data analyses, helped draft the initial manuscript, and approved the final manuscript as submitted.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Center for Understanding Biology using Imaging Technology (CUBIT), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-8101, USA

    Kenneth D. Gadow, Greg Perlman & Rebecca J. Weber

Authors
  1. Kenneth D. Gadow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Greg Perlman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rebecca J. Weber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kenneth D. Gadow.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

K.D. Gadow: Shareholder, Checkmate Plus, publisher of the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory; G. Perlman: This author has no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose; and R. Weber: This author has no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 42 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gadow, K.D., Perlman, G. & Weber, R.J. Parent-Reported Developmental Regression in Autism: Epilepsy, IQ, Schizophrenia Spectrum Symptoms, and Special Education. J Autism Dev Disord 47, 918–926 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-3004-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-016-3004-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation