Examines issues in the differential diagnosis of autism in preschool children with significant cognitive impairment, including the use of traditional diagnostic guidelines for preschoolers with developmental delays, developmental changes in behavioral characteristics, involvement of cognitive factors in symptom expression, overlap between autism…

Parents of 42 children (ages 2-32) with Lesch-Nyhan disease were questioned concerning the subjects' behavior patterns. Grouping of responses into nine categories of cognitive skills indicated that only one boy showed any significant cognitive impairment. Despite evidence of good cognitive and emotional skills, subjects were academically delayed,…

The functional play of children with autism (n=15) was compared to that of developmentally matched children with Down syndrome (n=15) and typical infants (n=15). The functional play of the children with autism was less elaborated, less varied, and less integrated than that of the controls. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This study reports behavioral and cognitive stability and change in 76 children with autistic spectrum disorders, evaluated at ages 7 and 11. Verbal IQ, performance IQ, severity of autistic characteristics, and social characteristics were analyzed. The study found that IQ and more severe expression of autistic symptoms were very stable. (CR)