Abstract
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate delayed and atypical communication development. These deficits constitute a core criterion for the diagnosis of ASD, though information regarding gestural communication in toddlers with ASD remains limited. The present investigation implemented a robust gesture classification system in order to obtain quantitative measures of gesture production in a cohort of toddlers with ASD (n = 40) and controls (n = 40) during 10-min, play-based interactions with caregivers. Children with ASD produced fewer overall gestures and gesture subtypes compared to controls. The ASD group also displayed atypical patterns of gesture production. These findings highlight the need for evidence-based screening, assessment, and intervention protocols pertaining to gestural communication in toddlers with ASD.
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The authors would like to acknowledge all of the caregivers and their children for their participation in this research study, and for their contribution to the advancement of our understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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AM conceived of the investigation and participated in study design, data collection and analyses, and interpretation. LS participated in data collection and analyses. All authors participated in conceptualization of the study and manuscript preparation. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Mishra, A., Ceballos, V., Himmelwright, K. et al. Gesture Production in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 1658–1667 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04647-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04647-5