Examining Trajectories of Daily Living Skills over the Preschool Years for Children with ASD

Children with autism often have difficulties with daily living skills (e.g., dressing, eating, personal hygiene). The researchers examined the early trajectory of these skills in Canadian toddlers recently diagnosed with autism (age 2-4). They found the children showed an increase in daily living skills over time including one year after their diagnosis and the end of their first year of school. The researchers also found that being diagnosed younger and having less stereotyped behavior were associated with more daily living skills at age 6. These results suggest that children with autism may be making progress in their daily living skills as they transition into school. It also suggests that early identification of autism may support more daily living skills when children are of school age, perhaps as a result of early intervention.

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