Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words? The Case of the Disappearance of Social Communication Oddities

ABSTRACT

Within the last decade, researchers and clinicians have reported an increase in the incidence and diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Various factors have been proposed for this apparent change including broader diagnostic criteria, greater public awareness, biological and environmental interactions, and earlier detection. However, it has been observed in a certain percentage of children, during the toddler and preschool years and before intervention is introduced, that severe language deficits distort social and self-regulatory behavior to such a degree that they mimic the characteristics of ASD. Professional caution is vital in this regard to describe early functioning and to defer diagnosis until the effects of intervention and treatment can be monitored over time. The case of Nicole, a preschooler with developmental delays and social communication oddities, illustrates what I believe is the most professionally responsible, cautious, family-centered, and data-based diagnostic process that links assessment, intervention, and evaluation for young children with early developmental difficulties.

KEY WORDS

autism - pervasive developmental disorders - social communication - atypical behaviors - regulatory disorders