Initial characteristics of psychological development and evolution of the young autistic child.

Pry et al. (2007) watched autistic children grow. They tracked kids from age 5 to 8. The team looked at language, play, and social skills every year.

No therapy was tested. The goal was to see how different kids change over time.

Four clear paths showed up. About one in five kids shot ahead. Another quarter made small gains. Roughly one third stayed flat. One in four barely moved.

The paths stayed the same for each child. Early scores predicted later scores.

Solomon et al. (2018) found the same four paths when they tracked IQ instead of global skills. Their study started at age 2, not 5, and still saw the same spread.

Dellapiazza et al. (2024) followed 575 kids and also split them fifty-fifty: half changed, half stayed put. The bigger sample backs up the 2007 picture.

Brignell et al. (2024) looked only at language. They learned that starting language level, not the autism label, shaped later growth. This extends René’s message: initial skill matters more than diagnosis.

Do not assume a child will “catch up” just because they are young. Check each client’s starting profile and set realistic goals. Re-test every six months. If a child sits in the no-gain group after two cycles, shift to more intense, targeted goals instead of waiting for natural growth.