We investigate the function bias—generalising words to objects with the same function—in typically developing (TD) children, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with other developmental disorders. Across four trials, a novel object was named and its function was described and demonstrated. Children then selected the other referent from a shape match (same shape, different function) and function match (same function, different shape) object. TD children and children with ASD were ‘function biased’, although further investigation established that having a higher VMA facilitated function bias understanding in TD children, but having a lower VMA facilitated function bias understanding in children with ASD. This suggests that children with ASD are initially attuned to object function, not shape.

General rightsThis document is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Full terms of use are available: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pure/about/ebr-terms Abstract The shape bias-generalising labels to same shaped objects-has been linked to attentional learning or referential intent. We explore these origins in children with typical development (TD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other developmental disorders (DD). In two conditions, a novel object was presented and either named or described. Children selected another from a shape, colour or texture match. TD children choose the shape match in both conditions, children with DD and 'high-verbal mental age' (VMA) children with ASD (language age [ 4.6) did so in the name condition and 'low-VMA' children with ASD never showed the heuristic. Thus, the shape bias arises from attentional learning in atypically developing children and is delayed in ASD.

Background-There is conflicting evidence regarding whether children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and intellectual disabilities (ID) follow social pragmatic cues such as a speaker's eye gaze or pointing towards a novel object to assist mapping a new word onto a new object (e.g. fast mapping). Aims-We test fast mapping from a speaker's gaze and pointing towards objects in children with ASC and ID with varying chronological and receptive language ages compared with receptive language matched groups of typically developing (TD) children. Methods and Procedure-Across eight trials, a speaker gazed and/or pointed towards one out of two objects while saying a new word. Pointing was either 'referential' (with intention), or 'incidental' (without obvious intention). To investigate whether children formed more robust word-to-object links rather than associative word-to-location ones, we reversed the original location of the objects in half of the test trials. Outcomes and Results-Children with ASC were as successful as TD children using social cues to form word-to-object mappings. Surprisingly, children with ID did not fast map from referential pointing, or when objects changed location. Conclusions and Implications-Children with ID may use different processes to facilitate word learning compared to TD children and even children with ASC.

The lockdowns during the COVID‐19 pandemic had and continue to have severe and wide‐ranging effects worldwide on mental health and loneliness. In this commentary, I summarise Houghton et al. (2022) who explored these effects longitudinally in adolescents in Western Australia, with and without a Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD), considering the strengths and weaknesses of the article and its importance to the field. Adolescents with NDD, who already had a high baseline rate of loneliness and mental health difficulties, did not find that this increased during COVID‐19 lockdowns. However, adolescents without NDD, who began with a much lower baseline rate, found that this was elevated. There was variability in terms of different types of NDD, with adolescents who had ADHD reporting some positive effects of the COVID‐19 lockdowns. These findings highlight the importance of support for adolescents both with NDD and those without as the world emerges out of the pandemic.