A quarterly publication of the Autism Research Institute
Spring, 2024 | Number 2, Volume 38
More data indicating that early intervention is important when it comes to educational programs for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comes from a new study by researchers in Israel.
Ronit Saban-Bezalel and colleagues examined the outcomes of two groups of children with ASD after one year of attending special education classes. One group included 35 children between 34 and 59 months of age, and the other included 38 children between 60 and 91 months of age. At baseline, the two groups did not differ in cognitive ability, autism severity, or adaptive behavioral skills.
The researchers say that while both groups improved significantly, the benefits were much more pronounced for the younger children. When tested, they say, “only younger children showed a significant decrease in the severity of communication, awareness and restricted interests and repetitive behavior subdomains and a significant increase in motor adaptive skills. Younger children also showed more remarkable improvement in the naming and expressive subdomains.” They add, “Respectively, older age predicted more severe ASD symptoms at the end of the educational year.”
The researchers conclude, “Corresponding to brain plasticity theories, our findings point to an association between age and outcomes. The findings should serve as a benchmark for policymakers regarding early intervention in young children with autism.”
“Younger age is associated with better outcomes in autism severity, language, and adaptive skills after one school year in autism special education classes,” Ronit Saban-Bezalel, Ditza A. Zachor, Einat Avni, and Esther Ben-Itzchak, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, May 2024 (online). Address: Ronit Saban-Bezalel, Bruckner Center for Autism Research, Department of Communication Disorders, Ariel University, Ariel 40700, Israel, [email protected].
