Publisher's Synopsis
Empirical and comprehensive understanding of typical development in early infancy is essential for research exploring prodromal risk markers associated with later developmental psychopathology. Early identification of disabilities that lack biomarkers or easily detectable behavioral indicators has significant implications for prevention and intervention researchand clinical practice. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one such neurodevelopmental disability that behaviorally manifests between the ages of 12-36 months. It is hypothesized to have both genetic and environmental components that interact in such a way to either suppress or incite the full-blown syndrome of ASD (Chaste & Leboyer, 2012). Infants and toddlers with ASD between 12-24 months of age present with dramatically different social-affective profiles compared to typically developing infants (Zwaigenbaum, Bryson, & Garon, 2013), yet social behavioral abnormalities have yet to beconsistentlyidentified in infants younger than 12 months.
