Purpose: The heterogeneity of autism is well documented, but few studies have studied the heterogeneity of gesture production ability in autistic children. The present study aimed to identify subgroups of autistic children who displayed heterogeneous gesture production abilities and explore the underlying factors, including autism characteristics,…

Purpose: Wellbeing refers to a person's overall happiness and satisfaction with life. Wellbeing for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and their families is historically significantly lower compared to the general population. It is important in the context of behavioral health treatment to not only measure the…

There is a higher incidence of diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children with visual impairment and blindness (VIB) than in typically sighted children. However, we currently lack appropriate assessment measures to fully understand the neurodevelopment of children with VIB. Numerous factors, such as common characteristics between…

Purpose: Using data from a randomized clinical trial evaluating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children with autism and co-occurring anxiety, this study examined the relationship between autism features and anxiety symptoms throughout CBT. Methods: Two multilevel mediation analyses were run which examined the mediating role of changes in…

This article comprehensively reviews motor impairments in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to: (1) determine the prevalence of motor problems in children with ASD; (2) understand the nature of motor difficulties in ASD and whether they are consistent with developmental coordination disorder (DCD); and (3) determine if the term DCD was…

Children with developmental disabilities (DD) exhibit feeding and swallowing difficulties, which can have an impact on nutritional, developmental, and psychological aspects. The existing tools assess the nature of feeding problems and behaviors only. The present study aimed to assess the physical, functional, and emotional domains in children with…

To propose novel differential criteria of the DSM-5 for diagnosing transient Autistic-like behaviors in children with congenital blindness as a secondary condition. Most references indicate a significantly higher prevalence of autism in children with congenital blindness compared to sighted children. These behavioral symptoms may be transient…

Purpose: To make early detection of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), caregiver-report instruments remain an efficient and adaptable option for the preliminary assessment. This study aimed to compare the psychometric properties of the Clancy Autism Behavior Scale (CABS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) as screening tools for ASD…

An interview-informed synthesized contingency analysis (IISCA; Hanley et al. in J Appl Behav Anal 47:16-36, 2014) and related skill-based treatment process can result in socially valid outcomes for clients exhibiting severe challenging behavior when implemented by professionals and then transferred to parents (e.g., Santiago et al. in J Autism Dev…

The reported prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has more than tripled in the past two decades in the United States, due in part to improved screening and diagnostic techniques. Epidemiologic data on ASD, however, are largely limited to population-based surveillance systems. We examined epidemiologic patterns in ASD diagnoses among…

Rehabilitative and habilitative therapies can help children with disabilities increase independence and overall wellbeing. However, children and their caregivers face many barriers to accessing these therapies and often rely on the school for therapy access. Given the limited resources available within the special education system, increasing…

Little is known about care providers' expectations for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) in Ghana. This study used group concept mapping (n = 9) and a quantitative survey (n = 128) to explore and compare service providers' and parents' expectations for children with ASD or ID. Data were analyzed using…

SYNGAP1-related ID is a genetic condition characterised by global developmental delay and epilepsy. Individuals with SYNGAP1-related ID also commonly show differences in attention and social communication/interaction and frequently receive additional diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We…

Though there is evidence autism identification has been inequitable for populations who are culturally and linguistically minoritized, there is limited research that explains the issue of disproportionality and factors contributing to its occurrence, especially within an educational setting. To explore contributors to racial/ethnic disparities in…

The aim of this study was to examine genetic variations underlying the early neurodevelopmental outcome of developmental disabilities (DDs). The study cohort consisted of 191 children with DDs. Diagnosis was assessed at baseline and at the index age (72-84 months). Exome sequencing was conducted and putative risk variants were identified.…