Development of socio-communicative skills in 9- to 12-month-old individuals with fragile X syndrome

Abstract

We investigated the early socio-communicative development of individuals with fragile X syndrome (FXS) by undertaking a retrospective analysis of family videos. Videos were analyzed to identify existing communicative forms and functions. Analyses were undertaken on seven children who were later diagnosed with FXS. The children were filmed when they were 9-12 months old and before being diagnosed. Fourteen different communicative forms and six different communicative functions were observed. All participants were observed to express the functions of 'Attention to self' and 'Answering', but none indicated 'Requesting action', 'Requesting information', 'Choice making', or 'Imitating'. Results suggest that children with FXS may have a limited range of communicative forms and functions when they are from 9 to 12 months of age. However, further research is necessary to gain a specific developmental profile of socio-communicative forms and functions in FXS.

Joint Engagement and Early Language in Young Children With Fragile X Syndrome

“…An especially important aspect of this research involves collaborations between researchers and clinicians to help modify and implement effective intervention strategies to promote later language, social communication, and social interaction in individuals with FXS. The present study adds to the growing literature on identifying profiles of early social and communication behaviors in FXS (Flenthrope & Brady, 2010;Marschik et al, 2014;Roberts et al, 2002). To be specific, our findings highlight the need to more closely examine the developmental course of JE and early social behaviors in children with FXS, starting in infancy when these behaviors emerge.…”

“…These studies on early communication development suggest that evidence for delays in language can be traced to deficits in early social communication behaviors. For example, deficits in early communicative gesture use have been reported (Flenthrope & Brady, 2010) as well as deficits in joint attention behaviors (e.g., commenting on an object by vocalizing, using gestures, and/or eye gaze shifts; Marschik et al, 2014;Roberts, Mirrett, Anderson, Burchinal, & Neebe, 2002). These deficits are likely to affect SJE and CJE because gestures, vocalizations, and joint attention are frequent means by which children demonstrate JE.…”

Early social communication in infants with fragile X syndrome and infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder

“…In children and adults with FXS, social communication (i.e., pragmatics) is impaired, and these impairments are greater for individuals with comorbid ASD (Klusek, Martin, & Losh, 2014; Martin, Losh, Estigarribia, Sideris, & Roberts, 2013). However, the early social communication profile of infants and young children with FXS is largely unknown with few studies examining social communication at this age period (Flenthrope & Brady, 2010; Marschik et al, 2014; Roberts, Mirrett, Anderson, Burchinal, & Neebe, 2002). Marschik and colleagues (2014) investigated children with FXS 12 months and younger and found that most communication consisted of prelinguistic vocalizations with restricted gesture use.…”

“…However, the early social communication profile of infants and young children with FXS is largely unknown with few studies examining social communication at this age period (Flenthrope & Brady, 2010; Marschik et al, 2014; Roberts, Mirrett, Anderson, Burchinal, & Neebe, 2002). Marschik and colleagues (2014) investigated children with FXS 12 months and younger and found that most communication consisted of prelinguistic vocalizations with restricted gesture use. In slightly older children (21–77 months), deficits in reciprocity and gestures have also been reported (Roberts et al, 2002).…”

“…and have yet to transition to more advanced gestures (i.e., representational gestures and distal pointing; Flenthrope & Brady, 2010). Interestingly, using eye gaze shifts—eye gaze to a person’s face that alternates between the person and an object—for the purposes of behavior requests, joint attention, and responding to communication has been reported as relatively intact in infants and young children with FXS (Marschik et al, 2014; Roberts et al, 2002). These findings contrast with research on older children, adolescents, and adults that has identified difficulties using eye gaze for initiating and maintaining social interactions (Hall et al, 2015; Williams, Porter, & Langdon, 2013) and gaze avoidance, (Cohen et al, 1988; Murphy, Abbeduto, Schroeder, & Serlin, 2007) as core aspects of the FXS phenotype.…”