Developmental correlates of different types of motor imitation in young children with autism spectrum disorders.

McDuffie et al. (2007) watched toddlers with autism during play. They scored how well each child copied two kinds of actions: using objects and pretend-play moves.

The team also measured each toddler's fine motor skill, how often the child followed an adult's gaze, and how much the child smiled or shared toys back. Then they ran numbers to see which skills lined up with which imitation type.

Kids who had stronger fine motor scores and who looked where an adult looked were better at copying object actions like stacking blocks or pushing a car.

Kids who gave more smiles and toys back to the adult were better at copying pretend-play moves like feeding a doll. Each imitation kind had its own skill set.

Demily et al. (2018) seems to disagree: they found adults with ASD could imitate actions perfectly. The gap closes with age and higher IQ, so toddler struggles do not rule out later success.

Syriopoulou-Delli et al. (2012) extend the story. They tracked the same early imitation skill forward and showed that higher toddler scores forecast better communication and IQ years later.

Falcomata et al. (2012) add that older children with ASD lean too much on goal cues even when asked to copy a movement without a goal. Andrea's toddler data hint at why: early attention skills already shape imitation style.

Check both fine motor and joint attention before you write an imitation goal. A child who cannot grip may need object imitation broken into tiny steps, while a child who rarely shares toys may need extra social praise during pretend play. Match the program to the skill profile, not just the diagnosis.