Recent research has greatly expanded our knowledge about the early development of children with autism and related disorders. Familiarity with this literature will improve the ability of professionals to appropriately diagnose and intervene with young children with autism. This article reviews the literature pertaining to the development of children with autism under the age of 3 years. We examine findings on affective development, sensory processing and attention, praxis and imitation, communication, play, and motor features and stereotyped behaviors, and discuss the interrelationships among these different aspects of development. Screening and diagnostic tools with specific applicability to young children with autism are reviewed as well.
RECENT research has greatly expanded our knowledge of the early development of children with autism and related disorders. An increased understanding of how autism is manifested in very young children holds promise for improving our ability to diagnose children at a younger age and to offer appropriate interventions that address the needs of very young children with autism and their families. The purpose of this article is to summarize the current evidence base related to the development of children with autism under the age of 3 years, and to discuss assessment instruments that have particular applicability to screening for and diagnosing autism in young children.