Risk factors and clinical correlates of sensory dysfunction in preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorder.
Sensory issues mark autism in preschool, and simple birth-history questions spot the kids fastest.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team looked at 3- to young learners in China. Some kids had autism, some had general delays, and some were typical.
They checked who had a doctor-made sensory diagnosis and who showed everyday sensory problems.
Moms answered questions about stress and birth events like jaundice.
What they found
Almost 1 in the preschoolers with autism had an official sensory diagnosis. Only 3 % of typical kids did.
Up to 8 out of the kids with autism showed daily sensory issues like covering ears or mouthing objects.
Kids whose moms had high pregnancy anxiety and kids who had neonatal jaundice were more likely to have sensory problems, no matter the group.
How this fits with other research
Nicholson et al. (2017) found no link between newborn thyroid hormone and later autism. Rana et al. (2024) did find a link with jaundice. The studies looked at different newborn markers, so both can be true.
Miller et al. (2016) followed autism-risk siblings into grade school and still saw language and mood issues. The new work shows sensory red flags show up even earlier, at preschool age.
Goodwin et al. (2012) urge universal autism screening at 18 and 24 months. Adding two quick parent questions about pregnancy stress and jaundice could make that screen even sharper.
Why it matters
You can add two items to your intake form: "Any anxiety during pregnancy?" and "Newborn jaundice?" If either is yes, watch sensory responses during play. Early signs like constant mouthing or sound covering can guide you to add sensory supports before problem behavior starts.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Sensory dysfunction is a common feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The objectives of this analysis were to examine risk factors and clinical correlates of sensory dysfunction in preschool children with and without ASD. Children aged 2-5 years were enrolled in a multi-site case-control study. Data were collected in eight areas across the United States in three phases. Caregivers completed an interview with questions on assisted delivery, maternal alcohol use, maternal anxiety during pregnancy, pregnancy weight gain, neonatal jaundice, preterm birth, and child sensory diagnosis given by a healthcare provider. Caregivers also completed an interview and questionnaires on sensory symptoms and clinical correlates of sensory dysfunction in their child. There were 2059 children classified as ASD, 3139 as other developmental delay or disability (DD), and 3249 as population comparison (POP). Caregivers reported significantly more sensory diagnoses and sensory symptoms in children classified as ASD than DD or POP (23.7%, 8.6%, and 0.8%, respectively, for a sensory diagnosis and up to 78.7% [ASD] vs. 49.6% [DD] for sensory symptoms). Maternal anxiety during pregnancy and neonatal jaundice were significantly associated with a sensory diagnosis and certain sensory symptoms in children with ASD and DD. Children's anxiety, attention deficits/hyperactivity, and sleep problems were significantly albeit subtly correlated with both a sensory diagnosis and sensory symptoms in children with ASD and DD. These findings support sensory dysfunction as a distinguishing symptom of ASD in preschool children and identify risk factors and clinical correlates to inform screening and treatment efforts in those with atypical development.
Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research, 2024 · doi:10.1016/j.siny.2014.12.003