Declining Gaze to Faces in Infants Developing Autism Spectrum Disorder: Evidence From Two Independent Cohorts

Abstract

Two independent cohorts (N = 155, N = 126) of infants at high and low risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were followed prospectively between 6 and 36 months of age, when n = 46 were diagnosed with ASD. Gaze to adult faces was coded-during a developmental assessment (Cohort 1) or a play interaction (Cohort 2). Across both cohorts, most children developing ASD showed sharp declines in gaze to faces over time, relative to children without ASD. These findings suggest that declining developmental trajectories may be more common than previously recognized by retrospective methods. Trajectory-based screening methods could potentially identify children in the early stages of symptom onset and allow for early intervention before the full disorder has developed.

Figure 1.

Estimated gaze to examiner’s face for the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Non-Typically Developing (Non-TD), and Typically Developing (TD) outcome groups from 6 to 36 months of age. Shaded areas represent 95% Confidence Intervals. Panel A. Cohort 1 was coded during an administration of the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. Panel B. Cohort 2 was coded during a 3 minute play interaction task.