Measurement and Mismeasurement of Social Development in Infants Later Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

摘要: Autism spectrum disorder (autism) is a common and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental of genetic origins defined by challenges in social communication clusters restrictive repetitive behaviors. An emerging hypothesis autism pathogenesis describes symptoms as the results from deviations normative developmental processes. In this account, represent outcome variable instantiation liabilities – terms dosage timing leading to disruptions trajectories foundational adaptive skills. Given fast pace change behavior brain development first two years life, we pose that currently prevalent cross-sectional experimental designs are ill-suited capture changes benchmarks might be small at any data point but which inexorably cumulatively increase divergences ultimately culminate unmistakable cluster atypical behaviors now call autism. We argue only densely-sampled longitudinal can underlying dynamic processes moving individual child’s towards or away benchmarks. illustrate phenomenon via detailed example comparison between clinical control cohort failed find differences, could detected ascertaining trajectory one was upwards while other downwards, with lines intersecting point. conclude magnifying Karmiloff-Smith’s assertion, oft-quoted seldom followed, “development itself key understanding disorders” [1].