Objective To follow up the diagnostic outcomes of children with early suspected autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during the preschool period, and to analyze their related developmental characteristics, so as to provide a basis for early diagnosis of ASD. Methods Children who visited the hospital due to language problems and were suspected of having ASD (n=95) or developmental language disorder (DLD) (n=76) between June 2017 and August 2022 were followed up until they were 4 years old. At the initial diagnosis, the Gesell Developmental Scales for infants and young children were used to assess developmental quotient of adaptability, fine motor, gross motor, language, and personal-social dimension. SPSS 26.0 software was used to analyze early developmental characteristics and outcomes in language and social skills. Results 1) Among the 95 children initially suspected of having ASD, 57 (60%) were confirmed to have ASD at age 4, 18 (18.95%) had DLD, 4 (4.21%) had global developmental delay, 12 (12.63%) were typically developed, and 4 (4.21%) had other diagnosis. 2) In the suspected ASD group, there was moderate delay in DQ of language during infancy, mild delays in DQ of personal-social and adaptability for non-verbal development, and borderline DQ of fine motor and gross motor skills. 3) At the follow-up visit, children diagnosed with ASD showed significantly greater improvement in DQ of language compared to DQ of personal-social (t=-2.11, P<0.05), while no significant difference was observed between the improvement in DQ of language and DQ of personal-social dimension among children diagnosed with DLD (t=-0.862, P>0.05). Conclusions Among children suspected of having ASD during infancy, 60% are definitively diagnosed with ASD at the follow-up, indicating high diagnostic stability. Children suspected of having ASD exhibit significant delays in language abilities during infancy, with no significant delays in gross motor or fine motor skills. In preschool children with ASD, the trajectories of language and personal-social skill development differ, with notable improvements in language abilities but persistent delays in personal-social skills, whereas children with DLD show parallel development in both language and personal-social skills.
Key words
autism spectrum disorder /
developmental language disorder /
developmental characteristics
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