Vocal Patterns in Infants with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Canonical Babbling Status and Vocalization Frequency

Abstract: Canonical babbling is a critical milestone for speech development and is usually well in place by 10 months. The possibility that infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show late onset of canonical babbling has so far eluded evaluation. Rate of vocalization or "volubility" has also been suggested as possibly aberrant in infants with ASD. We conducted a retrospective video study examining vocalizations of 37 infants at 9-12 and 15-18 months. Twenty-three of the 37 infants were later diagnosed with ASD and indeed produced low rates of canonical babbling and low volubility by comparison with the 14 typically developing infants. The study thus supports suggestions that very early vocal patterns may prove to be a useful component of early screening and diagnosis of ASD. Keywords: Canonical babbling | Volubility | Vocal patterns | Early detection Article: ASD and Early Vocal Development Early intervention is critical for positive outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Early identification of atypical behaviors that manifest during infancy could significantly impact age of diagnosis and subsequent initiation of intervention. Currently, the minimum age at which the majority of children with ASD can be reliably diagnosed with relative stability is 2 years (e.g.