Language Comprehension and Speech Development in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Language Comprehension and Speech Development in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit significant variability in their developmental trajectories, particularly in language comprehension and speech production. While many children with ASD face linguistic challenges, others may not encounter notable impairments. Research on language development in preschool-aged children with ASD remains limited, raising questions about the stability of linguistic profiles over time (Broome, 2023; Weismer & Kover, 2017). This study examines the longitudinal follow -up of language comprehension and speech production in Hebrew-speaking preschool children with ASD.

Objectives

To investigate the variability and stability of linguistic profiles in preschool children with ASD over a one-year period.
To explore the relationship between language comprehension and speech production among these children.
Method
32 children aged 3–5 years diagnosed with ASD (Lord, 2008) participated in the study. Data were collected through three repeated assessments conducted every four months in participants` homes. The following diagnostic tools were used:

Preschool Language Scale (PLS-4) (Zimmerman, Steiner, & Pond, 2002)
Autism Intervention Goals Questionnaire (Dromi & Diab, 2019)
Mullen Scales of Early Learning (Mullen, 1995)
Repetitive Behaviour Scale-Revised (RRB-I) (Bodfish et al., 2000)
These assessments provided a comprehensive linguistic profile for each child at the different time point.

Results
At baseline, participants were categorized into four groups: (a) mild language delays, (b) moderate language delays, (c) significant language delays, and (d) no language delays. Over the study period, 56% (17 participants) maintained a consistent linguistic profile, while 34% (12 participants) experienced an increasing gap between their chronological and language ages. Only 9.3% (3 participants) showed a reduction in this gap. Baseline assessments strongly predicted third-assessment outcomes.

Conclusions

Preschool children with ASD demonstrate individual differences in linguistic development. While linguistic profiles remain largely stable over time, especially for those with significant delays, early assessments are critical. Early intervention targeting language comprehension and speech production offers a pathway to optimizing linguistic outcomes and mitigating developmental gaps.